Many have seen the recent picture that purports George Bush to be sitting next to a school girl while holding a book upside down. I received the photo as an e-mail forward from more than one source, which leads me to believe that it may have been circulated widely. Some swore the photo was real. Others, like myself, had doubts. I created a second image to show how photos like this can be manipulated with a computer graphics program. The first image is the one I received. The second is my "manip" (I still don't know if the first is real or fake or where it originated). I also list the steps I took to make the second image with Paint Shop Pro.

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"Original" Image

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Corrected Image

How I "Corrected" the Image of Bush with Upside Down Book

Step 1:

-Open the image in Paint Shop Pro. Use the Freehand tool to carefully select the front and back covers of the book. Get as close to Bush's hands as possible without actually touching them.
-From the Paint Shop Pro menu bar, select "Edit," then "Copy."
-Select "Edit," then "Paste as New Image."

Step 2:

-Return to the original image. Dip the Dropper tool in a portion of the white area of the book.
-Using the Paint Brush tool, paint the book cover white (the color you dipped with the Dropper). The Paint Brush Tool Option settings should be about 12 for size and 80 - 90% opacity. Give special attention to the inside edges of the book cover.
-Use Soften in the Retouch tool to blend the whites on the book cover.
-With the newly pasted image, select "Image," then "Rotate." The Direction should be set to "Left" and Degrees to "180." Click "OK" and the image is turned upside down.

Step 3:

-Use the Freehand tool to draw around the left side of the pasted image (the cover of the book showing the flag).
Select "Edit," then "Copy."
-Back at the original image, select Paste as New Layer. Position the new layer on just above Bush's left hand.
-Select "Image," then "Rotate" left about 10 - 15 degrees. Make sure "All Layers" is unchecked.
-Use the Eraser tool to make portions around the edges white and blend the pasted layer into the white cover. Varying opacity and size settings will be necessary.
-Repeat Step 3 but for the right side of the pasted, rotated book image, drawing around the right side, copying and pasting it onto the side of the original book image next to Bush's right hand, rotating and blending as appropriate.

Optional Steps:

-The "Perspective - Horizontal" effect under "Effects," "Geometric Effects" in the file menu can be used to angle the new book cover layers pasted on the original image.
-The Freehand or Selection tool can be used to carefully copy and paste layer portions to complete the word "America."
-Darken the side of the book cover by selecting, then choosing "Colors," "Adjust," then "Brightness/Contrast" from the file menu.