1. If you have painted/pasted/whatever on a layer above your background canvas layer, it is easiest. First, double click on the layer in your Layers palette. A dialog box will come up asking if you want to change the background into a layer (layer 0). Click "OK."
Now, select that layer in your layer palette, choose your bucket fill tool, choose the color you want the background to be, and then go to Edit>Fill>use Foreground color>ok. You can also click on the background with the bucket fill tool, and it will fill the layer with the foreground color.
If you've been painting or what have you on top of your white layer, you will first need to select just that layer. Use your Magic wand tool, or your Quick Mask to select just the white background, and then go to Image>Hue and Saturation>click the little box that says "Colorize," and then adjust all 3 sliders back and forth, until you get the color and value you want.
This should either teach or reinforce the lesson to ALWAYS work on top of your background layer. It is locked for a reason...
2. Try a Google Image search for "silhouette image family" or, find a family photo, select the family from the background, delete the background, and then turn the selected family image solid black to become a silhouette. Use the same steps as for changing the background color.
3. Do a web search at www.dogpile.com with the words Photoshop Torn Paper effect, or Photoshop torn paper tutorial, or Photoshop rip tutorial. You will see the few varied techniques out there to achieve that effect.
~MO
