Photoshop: Layers

.

.
Photoshop is and, i guess, will probably remain the de facto way to edit photos, make graphic designs, add effects and basically do awesome, awesome stuff to satiate your creative cravings. And although it seems to be a VERY complicated software on first look basis, it is quite simple to use. All you need is a bit of patience. Ok, well, a lot of patience.
.
The first things to understand, and understand well about photoshop right at the beginning is this: Layers, Layers and more Layers. As soon as you get the hang of manipulating layers and how editing a certain layer in a certain way effects the layers that are below it, you will be well on your way to doing good image editing.
.
Example: if you have a portrait and an interesting background you would like to superimpose that portrait on, you can do so easily using photoshop (or Corel Draw, it's not like i'm plugging photoshop. Just that i've been using it for six years now and it's sorta like i'm committed to it).
.
Follow these steps and your custom designed pic will be ready in no time:
> Open a new file with dimensions bigger than that of background image.
> Copy both layers onto the canvas .
> Place the portrait layer above the background layer by dragging the layers in the Layer Palette.
.
Now do one of the following:
.
> Erase around the Persons Outline by using the Eraser Tool (shortcut-E).
> Select all, then using the Magic Wand, press ALT and click once on the area around the person.
> Press CTRL+ALT+D and apply a feather effect of 5 to 10 pixels.
> Cut by pressing CTRL+X and Paste CTRL+V.
> Delete the older layer.
.
OR
.
> Select the persons outline using the Lasso Tool or the Magnetic Lasso or the Freehand Selection, if you can manage that with the mouse as it takes a LOT of time.
> Press CTRL+ALT+D and apply a feather effect of 5 to 10 pixels.
> Cut by pressing CTRL+X and Paste CTRL+V
> Delete the older layer.
.
> Tweak the image be using the Eraser, Clone, Blur, Smudge tools.

.
Granted, not the best of Photoshop Tutorials, but it should start you along the yellow brick road to wonderland. For more tutorials, just do a google.
.
Or if you're feeling spectacularly lazy, click this link Google Search on Photoshop Tutorials.

.
Remember, Patience is the key,for you are the Warrior of the Light [Paulo Coelho], and when a Warrior of the Light shows patience and perseverance he or she can end up making stuff like this:
.
.
That's right, it's a copyright sky. Ah, the blatant joys of blatant consumerism :p.
.
Now scroll back up and check out the original.

.