Tutorial Re-post #4
These are tutorials that were originally posted at my journal but are now posted here.
Blending in GIMP
How to blend using The GIMP
-Possibly translatable
-I will show you 4+ different ways to blend, if one doesn't work for you.
You can make stuff like:
I'm going to show you four+ ways to blend, plus how to blend on paint (though it's not technically blending, and you can't make a whole layout with it because it would look all crappy, but it has the kind of blend effect for just 2 images.) I'll also be showing those of you who don't know how to do some nifty text effects and how to use brushes. Also, if anyone would like, I can also make a tutorial on adding text, brushes, textures, etc.
This tutorial is for using GIMP (a free WONDERFUL image editing program), but it would translate over to photoshop too (if you're still a newbie on either.) You could also use an online editing program, like Aviary or Splashup, and of course I'm always putting Paint tutorials.
Blending
All right, if you are an expert on blending but just need help with your layout, you can skip on over this part. In this part, I will show you four different ways that I blend, one with brushes, two with gradients, and one with feathering. Once you find out which is easiest for you, then you can use that one, but either way I think it's helpful to have more than one option.
Blending Technique 1: Make a brush
Now, this is the quickest and sometimes simplist way to blend. I find this good to use if you want a picture not actually a part of the blend but kind of showing in the background, but that's another tutorial I might add xD
Anyway, to the blending. If you know how to make a new brush, you can skip down to actually using the brush, but to get your settings right you might want to skim through.
Now, here's the easy part. First, you need your images. For the actual layout you may need a lot, but just to show you how to blend I'll use two.
My first image.
And my second image.
Now, the other easy part. Open a new image (make it whatever size you want your blend to be.) You should probably make it the same height as your images so you won't have to scale any and the images won't look all stretched (now in making the layout, you may have to scale whether you like it or not.) For these to images I made the height 301 and the width 600 on my new image, if you'd like to practice using them.
First, paste the first image then go to the top where it says "layer" and click "new layer." Then, paste your second image and click "new layer." Then use the move tool to make sure they overlap at the point where you want the blend to start. It should look like this:
Alright, forget about the images for a minute, and click on the paintbrush tool. If you don't know what this is, it's the one that looks like a paintbrush (duh xD).
Like I said, if you know how to make a new brush, you can skip over this, but if not hang around. Once you've clicked the paintbrush, click where it says Brush:
Like that, so all your brushes will be seen, like
that. Then you click on the other paint brush that's at the bottom corner of where your brushes are shown.
This should come up:
Click on the little piece of paper that I have highlighted in red on the image above. Then this:
should come up. Change the title to "Blender#1" so that you'll be able to identify your brush later. Now, here's what your settings should be:
If, for some reason, you can't see or read the image above, make sure the shape is a circle, the radius is 100, the spikes are 2, the hardness is 0.00, the aspect ratio is 1.0, the angle is 0.0, and the spacing is 20.0. Those are the perfect settings for your blender brush.
Now click on the eraser. (If you try using it as a paintbrush, it won't blend and will look messed up.) Just click on the brush (it should automatically be saved) and erase the edge of the picture that's on top.
Now be sure that you erase the edge really good, because you don't want it to show up on the image. Then flatten the image or merge layers (whichever you prefer.)
The finished product should look something like:
And all you have to do is click the brush hereafter, you don't have to make a new one everytime.
Blending Technique 2: Layer Masks and Gradients
Now for this I'm using the same two images as earlier, so please don't get confused.
First, paste the first image and click layer--new layer, then paste the second image and click layer--new layer, and use the mover tool to make them overlap like so:
Now click the eye next to one of the layers to make it invisible (we're only working with one image/layer at a time here.)
Now, right click on the layer that has the eye open (the one you can see), and click "Add Layer Mask".
Now, you're going to click the gradient tool. It's the little square.
Now, start a little a way from the edge of the picture, and drag the gradient to a point almost in the center. (But be sure the box next to it is not checked.)
It won't necessarily be all the way to the center, depending on how much of the picture you want still showing.
Now, make that layer invisible by clicking the eye next to it, and make the other layer visible by clicking the blank square next to it. Now you just repeat the same steps for that layer.
Then make both layers visible, and flatten the image, and vioala! You have this blend. This is sometimes better than the brush technique, because like I said, with that one you have to be sure that you still have no edges.
Blending Technique 3: Gradients
Now this is actually the way that Jess taught me to blend, so full credit for this one goes to her.
For this, be sure that your background is black before pasting your images. Then paste them to overlap, just like all the others.
Now, instead of adding a layer mask, you just make the top layer invisible by clicking the eye, and you click the gradient tool. Then, you use the Foreground to Transparent gradient, and be sure that the little box next to it is checked.
Then you take your gradient, and start from a point at the center instead of on the inside as you would if using the layer mask technique.
Then make that layer invisible, make the other layer visible, and repeat the gradient on that layer.
Now set the layer that is overlapping on top of the other (or the second layer you should have worked on) to screen.
Then make both layers visible, flatten the image, and you're done!
Blending Technique 4: Feathering
Coming Soon!
Blending Technique 5: Feathering 2
Coming soon!
Blending on MS Paint
Coming Soon
Keep checking back to this post to see if I have updated the last techniques.
Blending in GIMP
How to blend using The GIMP
-Possibly translatable
-I will show you 4+ different ways to blend, if one doesn't work for you.
You can make stuff like:
I'm going to show you four+ ways to blend, plus how to blend on paint (though it's not technically blending, and you can't make a whole layout with it because it would look all crappy, but it has the kind of blend effect for just 2 images.) I'll also be showing those of you who don't know how to do some nifty text effects and how to use brushes. Also, if anyone would like, I can also make a tutorial on adding text, brushes, textures, etc.
This tutorial is for using GIMP (a free WONDERFUL image editing program), but it would translate over to photoshop too (if you're still a newbie on either.) You could also use an online editing program, like Aviary or Splashup, and of course I'm always putting Paint tutorials.
Blending
All right, if you are an expert on blending but just need help with your layout, you can skip on over this part. In this part, I will show you four different ways that I blend, one with brushes, two with gradients, and one with feathering. Once you find out which is easiest for you, then you can use that one, but either way I think it's helpful to have more than one option.
Blending Technique 1: Make a brush
Now, this is the quickest and sometimes simplist way to blend. I find this good to use if you want a picture not actually a part of the blend but kind of showing in the background, but that's another tutorial I might add xD
Anyway, to the blending. If you know how to make a new brush, you can skip down to actually using the brush, but to get your settings right you might want to skim through.
Now, here's the easy part. First, you need your images. For the actual layout you may need a lot, but just to show you how to blend I'll use two.
My first image.
And my second image.
Now, the other easy part. Open a new image (make it whatever size you want your blend to be.) You should probably make it the same height as your images so you won't have to scale any and the images won't look all stretched (now in making the layout, you may have to scale whether you like it or not.) For these to images I made the height 301 and the width 600 on my new image, if you'd like to practice using them.
First, paste the first image then go to the top where it says "layer" and click "new layer." Then, paste your second image and click "new layer." Then use the move tool to make sure they overlap at the point where you want the blend to start. It should look like this:
Alright, forget about the images for a minute, and click on the paintbrush tool. If you don't know what this is, it's the one that looks like a paintbrush (duh xD).
Like I said, if you know how to make a new brush, you can skip over this, but if not hang around. Once you've clicked the paintbrush, click where it says Brush:
Like that, so all your brushes will be seen, like
that. Then you click on the other paint brush that's at the bottom corner of where your brushes are shown.
This should come up:
Click on the little piece of paper that I have highlighted in red on the image above. Then this:
should come up. Change the title to "Blender#1" so that you'll be able to identify your brush later. Now, here's what your settings should be:
If, for some reason, you can't see or read the image above, make sure the shape is a circle, the radius is 100, the spikes are 2, the hardness is 0.00, the aspect ratio is 1.0, the angle is 0.0, and the spacing is 20.0. Those are the perfect settings for your blender brush.
Now click on the eraser. (If you try using it as a paintbrush, it won't blend and will look messed up.) Just click on the brush (it should automatically be saved) and erase the edge of the picture that's on top.
Now be sure that you erase the edge really good, because you don't want it to show up on the image. Then flatten the image or merge layers (whichever you prefer.)
The finished product should look something like:
And all you have to do is click the brush hereafter, you don't have to make a new one everytime.
Blending Technique 2: Layer Masks and Gradients
Now for this I'm using the same two images as earlier, so please don't get confused.
First, paste the first image and click layer--new layer, then paste the second image and click layer--new layer, and use the mover tool to make them overlap like so:
Now click the eye next to one of the layers to make it invisible (we're only working with one image/layer at a time here.)
Now, right click on the layer that has the eye open (the one you can see), and click "Add Layer Mask".
Now, you're going to click the gradient tool. It's the little square.
Now, start a little a way from the edge of the picture, and drag the gradient to a point almost in the center. (But be sure the box next to it is not checked.)
It won't necessarily be all the way to the center, depending on how much of the picture you want still showing.
Now, make that layer invisible by clicking the eye next to it, and make the other layer visible by clicking the blank square next to it. Now you just repeat the same steps for that layer.
Then make both layers visible, and flatten the image, and vioala! You have this blend. This is sometimes better than the brush technique, because like I said, with that one you have to be sure that you still have no edges.
Blending Technique 3: Gradients
Now this is actually the way that Jess taught me to blend, so full credit for this one goes to her.
For this, be sure that your background is black before pasting your images. Then paste them to overlap, just like all the others.
Now, instead of adding a layer mask, you just make the top layer invisible by clicking the eye, and you click the gradient tool. Then, you use the Foreground to Transparent gradient, and be sure that the little box next to it is checked.
Then you take your gradient, and start from a point at the center instead of on the inside as you would if using the layer mask technique.
Then make that layer invisible, make the other layer visible, and repeat the gradient on that layer.
Now set the layer that is overlapping on top of the other (or the second layer you should have worked on) to screen.
Then make both layers visible, flatten the image, and you're done!
Blending Technique 4: Feathering
Coming Soon!
Blending Technique 5: Feathering 2
Coming soon!
Blending on MS Paint
Coming Soon
Keep checking back to this post to see if I have updated the last techniques.