OK....still practicing...........
I took Tim's advice and decided to try a different picture.....so I'm attaching one of a dog.
Lets assume that someone gave you this picture and asked you to make a pet memorial on a 12x12 absolute black granite tile from HD. What are the steps you would take to make it?
I assume you would import it into a new Corel document, then hit edit bitmap to process the photo in PhotoPaint or Photoshop.
First, would you adjust the tone/contrast or mask/cut out the picture? Does it matter what the order is? ie...by using the cut out lab or masking or cropping, do you lose image information that would be helpful when you are adjusting tone, brightness, etc.?
Next, would you crop this picture, use an oval mask (or some other shape), or use the cutout lab? Why?
Since the dog's ears in this example are black....how would you make sure that after it is engraved, there is some contrast between the edge of the ears and the rest of the black granite? In the cut out lab would you trace the exact outline of the dog or leave an inch or so of the background to provide that contrast? Would you use the whole dog's body or just use his head?
Assuming you used the cutout lab, would you put a white background so that when you invert it, the background will be black and engrave white on the granite? Do you invert it in PhotoPaint/Photoshop or wait until you bring it back into Corel and then invert it? Does it matter?
When you adjust a picture.....do you adjust anything other than the tone, brightness and contrast? Yes, I understand every picture is different, but I'm looking for what people do.....in general.
Do you use the histogram? If so, what are you looking for when you make adjustments to it? Do you use the tone curve? If so, is there a specific shape you go for (I think it was Margaret that said she goes to the middle of the curve and pulls down slightly). When you adjust the contrast/brightness/intensity are there specific values that you input?
Once your picture is done (in Photopaint or Photoshop) and you bring it back into Corel......do you create an oval (or some other shape) and powerclip the image in? Or so you just place the image where you want it?
Just trying to learn here folks......so any input you can give as to your typical steps in photo processing would be greatly appreciated.