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!

Let There Be Light

In this short and easy tutorial you will learn how to quickly add some light to those underexposed photos we so often get from cameras in phones.

First, create a duplicate layer of the photo, Layer > Duplicate Layer.

In the Layers pallet, set the Mode of the duplicate layer to Screen.

Slide down the Opacity to the desired level of brightness. I used 60%.

That's all there is to enhancing your photo!