Step 1. Find a cat! You want to look for a high-resolution image, and you want to pick a cat in a pose that will work for whatever you plan to put on it. Bodysuits work best with laying poses, panties are great with back shots, and garter belts are easiest done from the side. Here I have chosen a cute white cat on his/her back.
Step 2. Find your lingerie. I like to use high-end lingerie on my cats, just for added fun. You can use whatever you'd like, but again, try to find a high-res image. There are a few types of image you may see. Most commonly, the lingerie is photographed on models. There are also "ghost" images, in which the photographer shot the pieces on a clear mannequin or section of glass, and then someone has gone in and erased any visible edges. Ghost images are ideal, because they are easier to make PNGs out of (some may already be PNGs). This is the piece I've chosen. It is from a brand called For Love & Lemons, and retails for ~$250. The piece in this image was simply laid out and then photographed, so some further editing will be required.
Step 3. Create your PNG. You want to open your lingerie piece in Photoshop, and using some simple tools, create a transparent background behind the piece. To do this:
1. Use the Quick Selection Tool and drag it around the piece to select all of the white background. You may find that the sheer nude parts are selected as well. Use the Polygonal Lasso Tool in Deselect mode to take these parts out of the selection. Use the Refine Edge tool and go over the detailed parts (lace, jump rings, feathers) to preserve them.
2. Select the Background Eraser Tool (click and hold on the Eraser icon to access this) to remove the white. A gray and white checkered pattern should appear, indicating transparency. Go over the selection multiple times to ensure you've gotten it all.
3. Go to the top tool bar, click "File" then "Save As" and save it as a PNG. I recommend saving to the desktop so it is easy to drag onto the cat. And that's it! This is one of the simplest parts of the process.
Step 4. Put the lingerie on your cat! Open your cat image in Photoshop, then drag your PNG Lingerie File onto the workspace.
1. Use the basic transformation controls to make it as long and wide as needed. Making it a little wider than your cat won't hurt either. Double click on the lingerie to place it.
2. Then, with the layer containing your piece selected, go up to "Edit" in the top tool bar, go down to "Transform", and select "Warp" from the menu. This tool will allow you to manipulate the curves of the lingerie fairly easy. It can be finicky, so use patience and experiment with the different nodes to get the best fit. You want to pay attention to the cat's arms, making sure they would be in the "armholes" of the lingerie.
3. At this point, you may experience overhang, or realize that the straps on the piece won't line up with the cat's shoulders.
-For the straps, I recommend erasing them and creating your own. To do this, use the Eraser tool (NOT the Background Eraser Tool) and just get rid of them. From there, use the Polygonal Lasso tool to create the straps where you need them. Select the Paintbrush Tool, and use the color picker to get the exact shade of the seam piping. Paint the Lasso Selections with this color, and
you will have straps.
- For overhang, toggle the lingerie layer to the "Off" view. Use the Polygonal Lasso tool to create selections that line up the with sides, arms, and legs of the cat. Toggle the Lingerie Layer back on, and use the Eraser to remove the overhang from the selections you made. This also applies to the material of the lingerie that would cover the butt on a woman. We can't see this cat's butt, so erase it.
4. When you are pleased with the overall fit of the lingerie, use the Eraser Tool to give it some transparency. You want the texture of the fur to shine through a bit. Set the opacity of the Eraser to 20% or so. Carefully go in to the sections of the lingerie that are sheer, and you should begin to see the fur.
Step 5. (Optional) Add some blush and eyeliner to your cat. This is just something I do for fun. Use the paintbrush with hardness at 0% set at 20% opacity and select a light pink color from the color gradient. Size it to fit the cat's "Cheeks" and put a little blush there. Now, using the same tool, set the opacity to 100% and select the color black. Make the size anywhere from 1px - 5px, it depends on the size of your image. Carefully draw lines on the eyes, winging it out if you'd like.
Step 6. Save as a JPEG or which ever format you prefer and you're done! Once you get the hang of it, the whole process takes about 20 minutes per cat. More intricate pieces will take more time and vice versa.
Enjoy making your own Purrdoir!
