blend tutorial

[xgipper]

Hi
Anyone know of a step-by-step tutorial in English, other than this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aNmhdqkMG0 that shows how to blend two images? I want to learn to do something very simple - in fact pretty much what is done in this video (but horizontally), but feel I may be missing some detail given the commentary and all menus are in German.
Thanks

[bkh]

I don't know a tutorial which covers the subject, but here's how it works, anyhow. The basic idea is to place two images on top of each other, then make part of the top image (semi)transparent so that the bottom image shines through.

1) Open the background picture (usually the larger of the images – in the video, actually the ship is the background image and the view of Venice is the foreground, technically)
2) drag an additional image into the document window containing the background picture. This image should (partially) cover the background image now.
3) Create a layer mask for the foreground image: Layers -> Layer mask -> Create.
4) Open the Layer Dialog (View -> Panels -> Layers/Channels
You should be seeing something like this now:

Layer dialog.png

The purpose of the layer mask (the white layer below the top layer which I named "Layer mask") is to make parts of the layer above it transparent: the image becomes transparent where the layer mask is black, and remains opaque where the layer mask white. Grey values create various degrees of transparency. (Just select the layer mask in the layer dialog and paint on it in black and see parts of the image disappear, then paint with white again to see the image re-appear.)

5) In the video, the Color Gradient tool is used to fill the layer mask with a smooth transition from black to white, but you'll probably get a better result by using a brush. Soft brushes will create soft blends, hard brushes can be used to cut out the image.

6) Don't forget to move the top layer into its proper place, and to scale it appropriately.

Cheers

Burkhard.

[xgipper]

Great: thanks very much for that further information. I'll give it a go.

[DerekM]

The post should be added into the official tutorials! Thanks!

[Partha]

About the layer mask in your reply, I am trying to create a layer mask as a grayscale of the original image. How does one do that? In Photoshop you can copy the original and paste onto the mask (see below) and in Gimp you can create is directly by right-clicking on the layer and creating a layer mask and one choice is create from grayscale of image.

Thanks,
Partha

PS: In case you are not familiar with it, here is what I am trying to replicate in PL.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutor ... ding.shtml

[Hoogo]

Duplicate the layer that is base for the mask, that's the light layer in this example.
Move the duplicate in the layer list, so it is above the dark layer.
"Layer > Layer mask > convert for previous" turns the duplicate into a layer mask. You find the same function in the layer mask menu at the bottom of the layer list.

[Partha]

Duplicate the layer that is base for the mask, that's the light layer in this example.
Move the duplicate in the layer list, so it is above the dark layer.
"Layer > Layer mask > convert for previous" turns the duplicate into a layer mask. You find the same function in the layer mask menu at the bottom of the layer list.

As a test, let's take a simple case. One image - Duplicate layer (clicked on x2). Then right clicked on the duplicated layer. Now if you click on layer mask -> mask for previous then it converts the background into a mask. So, actually I have to create 2 duplicates and then click on the top layer to create a mask for previous.

Slightly round about way. I would have preferred a create mask from grayscale copy in one shot. But this is fine too.

Thanks for your tip.