Over time I've seen comments about cut/paste chops being bad things to do.

This may (okay probably is) a dumb question but.... What's the difference between a cut/paste and an integration?

I only ask because my most successful chops have been to cut an element out and paste it into another image. This can either be moving the source's main element into another picture (my "Pidgeon Punting" entry) or adding elements to the original source (my "Whale Watching" entry). So do those count as cut/paste jobs? Or are they "integrations"?

To me a cut/paste is simply that. Cutting & pasting without working on the lighting, perspective, shadows, etc. The results look like utter crap. But an integration is taking a cut/paste to a higher level. You actually have to work on the pic to make it look better.

I've determined that I'm not so good at all-source chops and I'm okay with that and will try to keep working on them. Same goes for transforms of any kind really. But seeing the comments about cut/paste jobs left me scared to do my "bread-and-butter" chops and as a result I've chopped less and less.

Sooo back to the question. What's your opinions on the differences between a cut/paste and an integration? And more importantly are integrations considered too beginner-level around here?

My view:
All--okay, MOST (for argument's sake) integrations involve cutting and pasting, but many "cut and paste" chops lack integration.
"Cut and paste" is one part of a complete integration. You can cut and paste something without integrating it at all. Looks a bit like a montage or collage of sorts. An integration is a cut and paste that makes the pieces look like they belong together... in the best integrations, an unknowing viewer would never question that the elements in the picture were not ALWAYS together as depicted.

Yup! Cafn3D has got the right idea going on.

Cut/Paste is the RAW HACKING - moving something from somewhere it belongs and putting it somewhere it probably DOESn'T belong.

Then comes INTEGRATION: those shadows, colour adjustments, grain matching, perspective alignment, etc. bits of the chop that make it all look somewhat believable.

Again, you don't ALWAYS gotta do it "right" - some very funny (and vote worthy) chops have been done here with purposely crappy integration. But if you are trying to develope your Chop Skills, learn to INTEGRATE.

Oh - and don't forget to wash behind your ears!!

I agree, Reinman! Good point! That is very true--integration is not always needed to make a great chop!

TBH just do what i do, make a piece YOUR happy with, dont worry bout all source/ cut and paste ect. Just do what you feel is right for you.
Im not here for the votes though, im only here coz theres people here who enjoy the same things as i do, if i make an image that gets the votes then yay for me, but the votes isnt all its about for me. I like to look at a source image and see what i can do with it.Thats the challenge to me, not if i can get on the top of the leader board ect.
I think people should concentrate on creating a good image rather than how they create a good image. But thats just my way of thinking.

The debate of "cut n paste" is varied and subjective based on the user's knowledge and skill level.
Great example:
Look at all of the "newbie" posts; cut n paste with poor integration, the end result is a sloppy image that is obviously chopped.
A "clean" cut n paste with good integration looks phenomenal and is often times depending on the subject mater and surrealism of the image is confused for being a "real" picture.
Example:


Obviously chopped to the experienced eye, but to the novice/general public appears to be a phenomenom

I think what makes a good chop is subjective:.
but all n all:.
its in the (details/execution/overall look)

Cut/Paste - the Ruff work...

Integration - the world of the SUBTLE.

Good to know peeps! (or should that be PSCeeps?)

Caffy & Moose thank you for your explainations. Great wording. Personally I like the integrations. I like seeing something put into another context that shakes things up.

Meaty thank you too. I know my post made it sound like I'm looking for the secret to getting votes. I'm not. I'm like you and take the votes as icing on the cake. If I was truly out to get votes and win a contest I'd be entering way more often.

BUT I do equate votes (or more accurately the comments) as a sign that people enjoyed a chop I made. Heck I'd rather get comments that tell me that they enjoyed the chop (with tips on what to do better) than votes that don't help me progress.

Wait...we're not talking about scissors and glue? Oh well...back to eating paste now.

The pure nature of the contests at this website would dictate that cut/paste rules the kingdom. Most images done for this site involve some sort of cut and paste. The difference between cut/paste and integration is really just a matter of perspective/view and depends solely on ones own skill level. In my opinion they are really the same. The meat and potatoes of the final image is how well the integration works, in otherwords, did the artist just merely cut/paste and call it a day or did the artist blend as needed to complete the work? I have done both with very good results. It all boils down to the sources that you find to use and of course the skill level of the artist who is cutting out the element in question.

Here is an example of cut and paste. I used only the lasso tool and the eraser tool to combine seven images to create a new image. All the elements are placed on their own layer so they could be color blended using only the curves function to set contrast and color in one correction. I then did some clone brushing to the final flattened file and some backhanded sharpening using the Gaussian blur filter. This is the result:
http://photoshopcontest.com/view-entry/94311/sharks-on-the-river-quai.html

Here is an example of another cut and paste that required extensive brush work and blending techniques. There was a considerable amount of work done to the source image used as well as to the actual elements cut out from the original contest image. There is a link to the original source used in the comment section.
http://photoshopcontest.com/view-entry/27131/display.html

This is the original contest image:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/jerry717/PSContest%20Stuff/girls_1before.jpg

This was nothing more than a cut and paste with no blending. The only thing I did was to color correct the guys head because he was a white guy to start with. A total of 5 minutes work and a winning entry.
http://photoshopcontest.com/view-entry/26362/display.html

Here is the contest image:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/jerry717/PSContest%20Stuff/Doughnut_1before.jpg

Whether you want to call it cut/paste or integration is all up to you. The proof is in the pudding so to speak.

Opinion...worth price charged.
Jerry

Wow that cut and paste head work is extra good!! congrats!

Sure, all that FANCY stuff is just fine if you only want to convert a White man into a Black man - but I haven't seen you use it to turn an ACCORDION into a BADGER!!!

YOU'RE EVIL MAGIK HAS NO POWER OVER ME!

OH YEAH!

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