Basic Photo Editing

[gi6ers]

Ok, so you've slaved over your latest paintjob and got a pic from your digital camera, what next?

You'll be needing some editing software, personally I use GIMP or Photoshop, I'll use GIMP as an example here as it's free and pretty easy to use.

http://www.GIMP.org/

First of all you crop your image, this is to make sure your mini is the centre of attention, and to get rid of the background, all you do is click on the dotted rectangle and drag around your mini. Image>Crop Image and voila you have your pic.

If you are anything like me your pics are pretty big when they come out of your camera, to adjust the size click on Image>Scale Image and adjust to a manageable size, I tend to scale to 400 pixels wide. In GIMP use the Cubic algorithm as it gives a decent image quality, (in photoshop this isn't a problem).

So, you now have your pic ready for final adjustments:



As you can see, the colours are not balanced, this is pretty simple to fix, click on Tools>Colour Tools>Levels. The following will appear:



If your lighting is ok, just click on Auto and OK and you are done, you might need to move the middle arrow under the graph around to get the tones right. Your image should now look like this:

Photoshop:

GIMP:


You can also change the brightness and contrast at this stage, Tools>Colour Tools>Brightness and contrast, you'll get a dialogue box with two sliders, just move them around to get the pic as you want.

That's pretty much it. Save as JPG, upload and show off.

If I've missed anything let me know. If you want another one on Gradient backgrounds reply below.

[Bodhi]

Ok, so you've slaved over your latest paintjob and got a pic from your digital camera, what next?

You'll be needing some editing software,

That's where i stopped listening  :icon_tongue: ;) I just want to push the button and upload. Period. Anything else is cheating to my mind. I'd rather learn how to light and take decent photos from the start.

[gi6ers]

 :pottytrain2:

[Bodhi]

Heh! Just messing with you! That's what them smileys meant... Thanks for a nice tutorial. I just personally never seem to have the patience to get the hang of those types of software. All I've had the patience to do is hit the "autofix" button... Currently I have NO photoediting software I'm afraid.

[gi6ers]

No worries at all, I know some people 'overuse' editing software to make paintjobs better than they are and yes, it's cheating.

Unfortunately, digital cameras still don't give a true representation unless you have a very expensive set-up so there is always a certain amount of editing/manipulation that needs doing. Personally I think you could benefit from it, some of the pics of your greens aren't doing you justice.

[Bodhi]

Don't I know it all to well... Things are picking up slightly now that I do at least have a camera WITH a macrofunction.
Guess I'll go google that GIMP(since it seems to be free). I've got a demo advertisement version of photoshop but that brings up all kind of "tutorials" and advertisement every time I try to use it so it just gives me a headache. Also, 90% of the time when I try to do something a message comes up saying "this function can only be used in the full version" or something similar so it's next to useless and does NOT make me a prospective customer (as I guess the intention was...).

[Bungle]

Nice tute......

I need to get a lighting rig set up. :icon_redface:

[gi6ers]

@Bodhi - link at the top of my first post, let me know if you get stuck - Is tend to use both GIMP and PS lately, GIMP is easier to use but PS is more powerful.

@Bungle - Yes, especially if you are entering the Alien contest.

[Dr.Evil]

I will give gimp another go and see if i can use it following your instructions.

I'm a bit thick with program like that...  :icon_redface:

[Bodhi]

I've downloaded a program that would help me makean easy install of the GIMP program for windows. Didn't get any further than that yet. I see they have some kind of animation program for free to. That's something I've been looking for for ages (my daughter has made some clayanimations that are so far just a bunch of pictures saved in our computer...). Thanks for the link :-)

[Fabian]

Joshing aside, that was really useful! Now I just need to set up lighting properly! But that is a big help, thanks!  :thumbsup:

[cheddarmonger]

Useful!  And I've swiped your article for Cheddarmongers:

http://www.cheddarmongers.org/prod/node/90

I'm experimenting with Linux, and GIMP came with my fedora linux distribution, so I may be using it more and more.  I've been using MS Office Photo Manager plus MS Paint up to this point.

[gi6ers]

Cool!

If you get stuck with anything post it here and I'll answer if poss.

@Cheddar - Have you tried out the cartoon filter on your Thruds yet?

[Custom_Hobby]

I am thinking of ordering a Photoshop. Do any of you have it?

[cheddarmonger]

I suggest you try GIMP first.  From what I understand, the only main difference between the two is that GIMP is not as good for packaging pictures for commercial printing, but for web stuff and consumer level printing, it should be fine.  Photoshop can be confusing.