Masking I

Step 1

Open the object you want to move to a different background. In this case I'm going to use Tails from Sonic the Hedgehog.

Step 2

Now open the background that you want the object above to be moved onto. In this case I choose the image on the right.

Step 3

Now open a new image with the dimensions the same as your background image (You can find this in the bottom right hand corner of the screen usually) which was the image chosen in Step 2, with a background color of White.

Step 4

Go back to the object image (in this case Sonic) and CTRL + A (to select all) and copy the image. Go back to the white image you just made and right click and paste as new layer. Now position the object of where you want it to be.

Step 5

Go back to your background image (in this case the image chosen in step 2) and CTRL + A (to select all) and copy the image. Go back to the image you just pasted the object on and right click and paste as new layer. The background should be positioned correctly already because it is suppose to be the same dimensions as this image you made.

Step 6

Go into your Layers Palette. Once it is open Layer 2 should be active. Click on the background layer and delete the layer by clicking the garbage can in the layers palette. You should be left with 2 layers now. Select "Layer 2" and move in under "Layer 1" by click on on layer 2 and dragging it below layer 1. Then select "Layer 1".

Step 7

Now take the freehand tool

Selection Type: Point to Point
Feather: 0
Antialias: Checked

Now zoom in so you can see the pixels of your character. Now with your freehand tool select your character by clicking to start and clicking again to make a line. Don't worry you don't have to be PERFECT just stay close and Antialias will fix everything for you. Once you are down to your last selection click on the last point and right click to select the whole object. If you have to make another selection hold the shift key and it will keep your original selection. If you need to take a selection out press the CTRL key and it will cut it out of the selection.

Step 8

Your object should be selected right now. With your selection still active go to Masks--> New--> Show Selection. You will see now that your character is on the background!

Final Product

Congratulations! You have successfully moved one object onto another background using masks! The below step is optional.

Optional Step

If your object has some noticeable pixels that you want to get rid of with that selection from step 8 still active go to Masks--> Edit. Then go to Effects--> Blur--> Gaussian Blur with the radius set around 5. This will give your character a faded effect. Play around with the blur radius to get different results.

Final Product

Congratulations! Now you have learned another step to this masking thing! Below is an example of the finished product. Can't even tell what is masked eh(the big army guy in the front with the headset)?