How to Use Background Effects in Adobe Photoshop

There are many tools that you can use in Adobe Photoshop that allows you to create background effects. One way to use background effects is by utilizing the marquee tool and free transform option to create some dramatic effects to your background. Use this combination to alter a part of or your entire background.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Adobe Photoshop

1. Start Adobe Photoshop and open an existing image on which you can practice altering the background.

2. Select the Single Column Marquee tool from the Photoshop toolbox. It is the top left button. You will have to hold down your mouse on the Marquee button until you get a submenu from where you can select "Single Column Marquee." After selecting "Single Column Marquee," you should see a blinking vertical line on your image.

3. Go up to the "Edit" menu and select "Free Transform" to transform your background.

4. Click on the square in the middle of the vertical line and drag it either to the left or to the right.

5. Select another marquee tool and draw a shape with it on your image, using your mouse to click and drag until you get the size you want.

6. Choose "Free Transform" from the "Edit" menu so you can use the marquee to transform your image again.

7. Grab a hold of any of the squares on your marquee and drag them different ways to get different results.

Tips & Warnings

• Press the "M" key on your keyboard to quickly change to the Marquee tool when another tool is selected.
• Use the keyboard shortcut of CTRL+T to access the Free Transform tool quickly.
• This background effect is one of the few effects that can be accomplished without changing your background to a layer.