Recently bladey started a show off with some exquisite images CMOS date/time - a little unusual , I asked him about the effect but it was a PS trick and beyond my imagination Since I use Gimp it was necessary for me to get the effect. Today I was playing with Gimp and found a way out. Its pretty easy and yet so cool.



So in this small tutorial we will try to achieve similar effect using Gimp.This effect is actually a simple mask trick. To get started we will first need to download an image from where we can isolate a colour part from a desaturated background. I have already selected an image for you to get started.

Image Source | Initial Image

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Final Result

To achive the effect first install Gimp. Gimp is a crossplatform image editor available for Linux/Windows/Mac and other Unix like systems. Download Gimp from GIMP - The GNU Image Manipulation Program



Post installation, open the source image in Gimp. Notice the layer box at the right hand side.

Duplicate the background layer by Right Click -> Duplicate Layer



Rename the layer to Mask Layer by Right Click -> Edit Layer Attributes

Now once you have created 2 layers we will try to desaturate the background. Note the effect of the top most layer will be the most prominent so we will desaturate the top most layer i.e. Mask Layer



To Desaturate navigate to Colour -> Desaturate from the Gimp menu, and click ok.

Once done. Right click on the top most layer (Mask Layer) and select Add Mask Layer. Click ok to add a White Mask (Full Opacity),

Notice the white preview just beside the Mask Layer, this white preview is the Mask that you have applied. All the drawing done from now all will be saved in Mask applied.



Grab the brush from the toolbar and increase the zoom level from the tools option below the toolbar. Set the Foreground colour to black.



Now apply the brush only at the object you want to isolate/colour from the desaturated background. Black Colour delete the portion from top layer and white colour restore.

If by mistake you colour the outer-part you can easily undo it by CTRL + Z or change the foreground colour to white and use paintbrush in the undesired area.



Observe that the drawing is being carried out the in mask applied. Once you have isolated the object [car in this case]. Right click the mask and select Apply Mask





Thats it. You have achieved a decent effect with mask and Gimp.



Please digg the tutorial here http://digg.com/linux_unix/Gimp_Tip_...rom_background



Hope this tutorial helps you

Keep the comments and suggestions coming .

Regards

^^Is it like a transparent layer with effects :S But gimp there is no adjustment layer IINM :S How can I provide hue effect on transparent part :S



Can you please show me some example