There are many ways to combine multiple images into one composition in Photoshop. Here are some quick and effective ways to place a photo into another using the paste and paste into functions located in the edit pull down menu. This allows you certain flexibility in positioning images into your composition.

1. Use the Marquee, Lasso or Magic Wand tools to outline the useable elements of the #1 image you want to drop into the #2 image? remember to set the feather to the desired pixel width. Now that you have the first image selected use ?command C? to create a copy, then go back to the base art file (#2 image).

2. Use the lasso or Marquee tool and select the absolute borders in which you want the #1 image to fit into. Go to the edit pull down menu and select the paste into command? or just the paste command to insert this particular image type. These two images are now one composite image.

3. To insert the the 1st composite image (#3 image) into the screen of the computer, use the marquee tool to select the entire image and make a copy, then go to the computer (#4 image) and use the Lasso tool to create a selection around the computer screen. Go to the edit pull down menu and select the paste into command to insert the (#3 image) into the computer screen and position as required.

4. The final step to complete this image is setting the composite computer image (#4 image) into the tools background (#5 image). Simply follow the same steps above and when your ready to paste the computer (#4 image) into the tools (#5 image), use the lasso tool to outline along the edge of the large diagonal wrench so it appears to go behind it. Size and position it and? Wha la! you have #6 or #8 or #17 or...!

Hopefully this article will be of benefit to you and also a regular addition to Capitol City.

Doug La Rue is the owner of Glaze Studio & Capitol City Publishing L.L.C. and has been producing all types of creative ventures in the Austin area for the last 7 years. You can contact him at: (512) 219-1433 larue@glaze.net