Tone-on-Tone Image Manipulation

Tone-on-Tone GIMP tutorial

How to Graduate Effects Using a Layer Mask

How to Graduate Effects Using a Layer Mask

Vintage Letterpress Effect

In this GIMP 2.8 tutorial you will learn a quick and easy way to give your typography an ink-stamp-style effect that originated from the old letterpress printing technique.

Letterpress printing is a technique of relief printing using a printing press.Movable type is composed and locked into the bed of a press, inked, and pressed against paper to transfer the ink from the type.

This can result in some texturing, especially if some areas of the printing surface receive little or no ink. Back in the day, this would be seen as a flaw in the print, but now we try to fake this kind of texturing to simulate an aged and nostalgic appearance.

The letterpress effect is created from a texture file. The texture can be anything with plenty of fine grainy detail. Concrete, rust, or grunge textures all work well. For this exercise, I used a rusty metal texture that can be downloaded free from Image*After.

Desaturate the Texture, Colors - Desaturate…, Choose shade of gray based on Lightness. Open the Levels dialog, Colors - Levels…, and use the slider handles to increase the contrast of the image (80, 0.70, 208). Try to generate harsh white details that will represent the paper showing through the ink.

I used the Text Tool to create a layer of text, then added a mask to that layer, Layer - Mask - Add Layer Mask… .

Select all of the Texture layer, Select - All (or ⌘+A), then copy the selection, Edit-Copy (or ⌘+C). You can now hide or delete the Texture layer.

Then right-click the Layer Mask’s little thumbnail in the Layers pallet to make it the target. Paste the copied texture into the layer mask, Edit - Paste (or ⌘+V),  then anchor the layer to the mask, Layer - Anchor Layer (or ⌘+H).

The texture has now been applied as a mask and is rendering black areas of the mask transparent and white areas opaque. Adding a background layer of a solid color will show the effect more clearly. If too much of the text is currently being erased, as is the case here, inverting the colors may result in a better effect, Colors - Invert.

Finally, I added an old paper texture layer to enhance the effect, File - Open As Layers… .

The final effect gives the text a popular vintage look by simulating the pressed ink appearance of those old letterpress prints.

This tutorial was derived from a Photoshop tutorial by Chris Spooner.

Ghost in the Forest

By following the steps in this GIMP project you will see how to use layer blending modes and a variety of tools to create the effect of a ghost appearing in the forest.

Some of the concepts used in this project:

• Adding an alpha channel
• Desaturating an image
• Cropping to a fixed aspect ratio
• Using the Fuzzy select tool
• Opening an image as a new layer
• Using Layer masks
• Using Layer modes
• Selecting using transparency (Alpha to selection)
• Stroking a selection

I used this image of a lady from stock.xchng as the basis for the ghost. The first step is to eliminate all the white background around the lady and replace it with transparency. Begin by using the Crop Tool to eliminate most of the background area.

Add transparency to the image, Layer > Transparency > Add Alpha Channel. Pick the Fuzzy Select Tool and click and drag forward in the background. This will select most of the white background without selecting anything within the lady herself. (You might want to use Quick Mask mode to be certain that no part of the lady is selected and to clean up your selection if necessary.)
Feather the selection about 5 pixels, Select > Feather... . Clear the selection, Edit > Clear.

Deselect, Select > None. Zoom in on the lady and use the Eraser Tool to manually clean up any remains of the white background around the edges of the lady.

Convert the lady to a black-and-white image, Colors > Desaturate... with Luminosity selected in the dialog. Select Brightness-Contrast... in the Colors menu. Slide the Brightness down to about -50 and the Saturation up to about 30 to give the image a darker appearance.

Now, fade out the lower part of her body. Add a white layer mask, Layer > Mask > Add Layer Mask... . With the Blend Tool, drag a FG-to-BG gradient (default colors) vertically from the bottom of the image to about the level of her waist.

Finally, scale the image to a height of about 850 pixels, Image > Scale Image... . Save and close the image of the lady.

Moving on to the forest image. As the source for the forest, I used this image, also from stock.xchng. The first step is to crop out a portion of the image with the Crop Tool, in the Tool Options, select Fixed Aspect Ratio of 5:8.
Resize the resulting image to a height of 1200 pixels, Image > Scale Image... .  

Open the previously saved image of the ghost lady as a new layer in the forest image, File > Open as Layers... .  Make sure the image and not the mask is active in the ghost lady layer. Use the Move Tool to position the lady where you like. Set the Layer Mode to Overlay in the Layers pallet. Reduce the Opacity to about 60%.

Duplicate the ghost lady layer, Layer > Duplicate Layer. Set the Layer Mode to Grain Merge and reduce the Opacity to about 25%. Apply a Gaussian blur with a Radius of 10 to the ghost lady copy layer, Filters > Blur > Gaussian Blur....

Add a soft glow around the ghost. Again, open the saved image of the ghost lady as a new layer. Rename this layer as glow. Delete the layer mask, Layer > Mask > Delete Layer Mask. Temporarily hide all the other layers by clicking the “eye” icon for each.

Now, to paint a white border around the lady. Select the image of the lady, Layer > Transparency > Alpha to Selection. Swap the default colors. Now stroke the selection, Edit > Stroke Selection..., Line width: 10 px. Clear the selection. Deselect.

Apply a Gaussian blur of 20 px. Unhide the other layers and use the Move Tool to position the glow layer around the ghost.

Swap the default colors back to black FG and white BG. Add a mask to this layer and fade it exactly as you did to the ghost lady layer earlier.

Experiment with various settings as you try out this lesson. Changing just a few things can dramatically affect the results you get. I hope you have fun playing around with this project.

Through a Keyhole

 

In this GIMP project, you will learn how to use layers, selection tools, the stroke dialog, and filters in creating the effect of looking through a keyhole.

Start by creating a new image 600 pixels wide by 800 pixels high. Open the image that you want to appear through the keyhole as a new layer, File > Open as Layers… . Note: It may be necessary to scale and/or reposition this image to get the best effect.

• Making the keyhole.

Create a new layer, brass, on top. With the Bucket Fill Tool, fill it with a brass-like color. I used #8a4500.

Set gridlines every 25 px in the Preferences panel, Edit > Preferences. In the View menu, turn on Show Grid (the box is checked).

Using the Paths Tool, draw a tall, narrow trapezoid, as shown below, to be the lower part of the keyhole. Suggestion: Dragging out guides can make the selections easier.

Now, in the Tool Options click the Selection from Path button to turn the path into a "marching ants" selection.

With the Ellipse Select Tool (in Add to the current selection mode) draw a circle to be the top portion of the keyhole as shown below.

Be sure brass is the active layer. Clear the contents of the keyhole-shaped selection, Edit > Clear. In the View menu, turn of the grid and guides.

• Putting a slight edge around the keyhole.

Create a new layer named edge on top. Make sure edge is the active layer and stroke the selection, Edit > Stroke Selection…, click the radio button for Stroke with a paint tool, and choose Paintbrush from the drop-down menu. In the Tools pallet, select a paintbrush of about 3 pixels. Set the color to a very dark brown (#532a00). Finally, in the Stroke Selection dialog, click Stroke.

• Put a little bit of shadow inside the edges of the keyhole.

Make a new layer on top, inside shadow. Using Stroke Selection again, chose the Stroke line style, a width of about 15 px, and solid default black, click Stroke. Then, remove the selection, Select > None.

Apply a Gaussian blur with a radius of about 35, Filters > Blur > Gaussian blur… . Drag the inside shadow layer immediately under the brass layer. Decrease the opacity to about 75-80%.

• Add some shadow through the keyhole.

Create a new layer above the inside layer, name it gradient, and fill it with black using the Bucket Fill Tool. Add a layer mask to the gradient layer, right-click the layer in the Layers pallet and select Add Layer Mask… .

Select the Blend Tool and choose a black-to-white radial gradient. Drag the Blend Tool vertically downwards in the lower portion of the keyhole to reveal the inside layer. You may have to experiment a few times to get a good result. Decrease the opacity to about 75%.

As they say in Montreal, “Voila!” There are numerous opportunities for modifications and variations in this project, so be bold and have fun!

 

Reflections

In this GIMP tutorial you will learn how to place a reflected scene in the mirrored lenses of a girl's sunglasses. This method can be adapted to inset any picture within another picture.

Some of the things you will do in this lesson:

• Duplicate a layer
• Flip an image
• Use the Fuzzy Select tool
• Add an alpha channel
• Scale a layer
• Use a layer mask

You'll need two source images, one of someone wearing sunglasses (best if the subject is looking directly at the camera) and another of the scene you want to reflect in the lenses. Use images of your own or download the ones I used:

Girl in sunglasses by Tanel Teemusk | London bus by Paulo Oliveira Santos

• Begin by opening and preparing the picture of the bus.

Crop the image to include only the essential parts of the picture which you want to appear in the reflection. The proportions of the cropped image should approximate those of the sunglasses' lenses. I cropped to a fixed aspect ratio of 1:1. Because the picture is going to be a reflection, you will need to flip the image horizontally, Image > Transform > Flip Horizontally.

• Now open and prepare the girl in the sunglasses.

Duplicate the Background layer, Layer > Duplicate Layer. Create a new layer, Black, filled with the foreground color, black, and drag it directly under the Background copy layer.

Working on the Background copy layer, you will now select the lens area of the glasses with the Fuzzy Select Tool in "Add to the current selection" mode.

See this in a video

Use Quick Mask (press Shift+Q to toggle Quick Mask) and a soft brush to clean up the selection if necessary.

Feather the selection by about 10 pixels, Select > Feather… . Add transparency to the layer, Layer > Transparency > Add Alpha Channel. Delete the selection, Edit > Clear. Deselect. The lenses should now appear to be filled with solid black, though what you are actually seeing is the Black layer showing through.

• The next task is to fill each lens with the bus picture.

Select all the bus image, Select > All, and then copy it, Edit > Copy. Make the picture of the girl active and paste the copied bus picture as a new layer, Edit > Paste as > New Layer. It will appear as a new layer in the Layers pallet, name it Bus right.

Scale the picture of the bus, Layer > Scale Layer…, to be a little larger than one lens of the sunglasses. In my example, I scaled to 165x165 pixels. With the Move Tool position the bus over the right lens. Now, in the Layers pallet, drag the Bus right layer under the Background copy layer. Adjust the position of the Bus right layer to fill the right lens of the glasses.

Duplicate the Bus right layer, Layer > Duplicate Layer, name it Bus left. Position this layer under the Background copy layer so it fills the left lens of the glasses.

• Now to add a bit of shadow at the bottoms of the lenses.

Select the Bus left layer and add a layer mask to it, Layer > Mask > Add Layer Mask…, initialized to White.

Choose the Blend Tool with a black-to-white gradient selected in the Tool options pallet. Drag a gradient up from the bottom of the Bus left layer to about 1/5 of the lens to add a bit of dark shading to the lower part of the lens. Repeat this for the right lens of the sunglasses.

That's it! You might extend the project by brightening the tops of the lenses in a manner similar to that used to darken the bottoms.

Two Heads Are Better Than One

 

In this easy GIMP exercise you'll combine two images together into a nice, blended single image with two views of the same subject.

Some of the things you will do in this lesson:

• Create a new image of a specific size
• Select and copy an entire image
• Paste a new layer from the clipboard
• Use a layer mask with the Blend Tool

First, grab the two source images by Annika Banfield from stock.xchng:

Image A | Image B

These images will be very large, so the first task is to resize the two images to a smaller easier-to-work-with size, but more importantly, so that both images are the same height, Image > Scale Image… . I resized both to have a height of 1200 pixels,

Create a new image, File > New…, with the same height (1200 pixels) and a width approximately equal to the sum of the widths of the two source images (2300 pixels).

Select all of Image B, Select > All (or Ctrl+A). and copy it, Edit > Copy (Ctrl+C). Paste it onto the new image as a new layer, Edit > Paste as > New Layer. It will appear as a new layer named Clipboard. Rename it as Layer B. Use the Move Tool to position Layer B a bit right of center in the new image.

Repeat this process with Image A, naming this layer Layer A. Position Layer A a bit left of center in the new image, overlapping Layer B.

Add a white (full opacity) layer mask to Layer A, Layer > Mask > Add Layer Mask (or right-click Layer A in the Layers pallet).

Select the Blend Tool from the Tools pallet, and choose the foreground-to-background (default colors) linear gradient in the Tool settings. Click and drag the cursor horizontally from the right edge of Layer A to gradually fade in the overlapping portion (to about the middle of Layer A).

See a video showing how to do this.

Finally, with the Crop Tool, remove the excess background area of the image. You now should have a nicely blended image combining two portraits of the model.

I'm going to apply each of two different effects to Layer A as possible extensions to this project. (Be sure Layer A is the active layer in the Layers pallet before applying any of these effects.)

Desaturate Layer A

Remove the color from Layer A, Colors > Desaturate.

Blur Layer A

Add a Gaussian blur to Layer A, Filter > Blur > Gaussian…, with a Radius of about 20.

Be bold and creative, experiment with as many effects and filters as you like.

 

In the Spotlight

In this brief lesson, you will learn a method to use GIMP to highlight a target in a photo by shining a simulated spotlight on it.

Some of the things you will do in this tutorial:

• Make a selection using the Path Tool
• Feather a selection
• Apply a Gaussian blur
• Add a Layer Mask
• Use the Blend Tool to apply a gradient

Open the image to which you want to add the spotlight effect. Create a new layer named Dark, Layer > New Layer... . Use the Bucket Fill Tool to paint the Dark layer black. Adjust the opacity to about 80-90%.

With the Ellipse Select Tool, select an oval around the target of the spotlight on the Dark layer. Feather the selection about 40 pixels, Select > Feather... , and clear the selection, Edit > Clear. Deselect.

Now, using the Path Tool, make a polygonal (almost triangular) selection to simulate the beam of the spotlight. Note that you need only draw three sides of the path. When you click on the Selection from Path button in the Tool Options the final side will be drawn automatically.

See this in a video.

 

Create a new layer, Beam, and fill the selection on the Beam layer with white using the Bucket Fill Tool. Deselect. Apply a  Gaussian blur with a radius of 25, Filters > Blur > Gaussian... .

Add a mask to the Beam layer, Layer > Mask > Add Layer Mask... .

Apply a FG to BG (black-to-white) gradient to the mask with the Blend Tool from the target to the light source.

See how to do this in a video.

 

Slide the layer's opacity down to about 80%.

There you have it!