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Overwhelmed


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Appleness

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Wow. For years, I always hear people say "I'll just photoshop it"...you know, like it's easy!

I have a few projects I wanted done, so I started playing around with GIMP tonight. Needless to say, I am overwhelmed. I've been reading through this website and online tutorials, and still I am baffled.

Is there an "order" that I should learn different techniques in? How do you start as a newbie who knows nothing? I played around with all the buttons and stuff, but really can't figure out how most of them would do a picture any good.

The projects I want to take on are pretty advanced (I think). It'll take me while to get to that point, but it'll take me even longer if I can't figure out all the features of the program.

Any advice, tips, hints, whatever for a noob would be great. I am so lost.
 
watch and buy Lynda.com essential training for photoshop cs6 it will help... then also check out some tutorials here and try to do a tutorial in 20 minutes minimum..
 
If you have gimp, there are links to tutorials from there download page, and also looking on YouTube for Gimp Tutorials will help.

Obviously, as a n00b, the beginning is the best place to start. Find out what all the tools are called and what they do.
 
OK, so can I show you something I am messing around with? This is my Grandpa, way back when. I am still learning how to do all this, but I want to know if I am doing anything right. :D

Original:

Dad Korea 1951 009.jpg


And this is what I have done:

Dad Korea 1951 009 REPAIR.jpg

I do understand that this is nowhere near the level that you all can do. I am mainly working on this to learn techniques. Suggestions would be awesome!
 
You've clean that pic up really well...

But as spruce said, learn your tools first then go on to something like airbrushing, digital painting or photo manipulations.

Good luck.
 
If you duplicate the layer, then change the layer blending options, you can sometimes smooth things out quite a lot without loosing too much detail. This was done with various duplications and blending options, but I learnt this from trial and error.
 
Last edited:
I'm trying to re-create what you did there, but I must be missing something. You used a filter, right? Which one? (Forgive my ignorance).
 
Sorry if im butting in but I am also learning as I read this thread and wanted to clarify. So to get a less grainy image I should duplicate the photo a few times and play with the blend mode, filters, and opacity until i get a smoother clearer image?
 
You're not butting in! I will learn from your questions, also. :) I'm playing with the layering thing right now, trying to see if I can figure it all out without pestering everyone.
 
Haha thats how i feel being new, id rather just rather just observe than get involved and risk being annyoing. I don't have a PS capable computer right now but if i did i would try to see if i could figure out what settings might work.
 
OK, I think I've come pretty close to what you have done. Tell me...would it be better in the future to do the layering stuff before the healing tool corrections? I noticed some new imperfections that needed fixed once I was done with the filtering/layers, so I'm wondering if it's better to do it the opposite way.

PS- you are absolutely amazing for answering my questions. I sure appreciate it.
 
If you are using gimp, I believe this thread I stumbled onto when I was using only gimp, from the gimp guru website, may help with a few of your questions. I know that Gimp has become even more powerful since then.
 
Appleness said:
OK, so can I show you something I am messing around with? This is my Grandpa, way back when. I am still learning how to do all this, but I want to know if I am doing anything right. :D


And this is what I have done:

View attachment 22936

I do understand that this is nowhere near the level that you all can do. I am mainly working on this to learn techniques. Suggestions would be awesome!
Click to expand...

That came out well.
You can add contrast which will help too.
I'm not sure what tools gimp has with that I'll assume they're the same or similar to Photoshop.

Look for the Contrast settings but also the Curves and Levels tools and play with them separately on the image.

If Gimp uses Adjustment Layers that's preferable to making adjustments directly to the image.
 
there are few things and work arounds about reducing noise / grain in an image.. Try a duplicate layer with highpass filter then set the blending mode to overlay and press ctrl+i to invert the new layer. hope it helps.
 
OK, so I am playing with this on another photo now. I feel that I have lost something from the original...the face has lost too much definition, and something is just "off". I did some layering, like what was used on the previous photo, but....well, you can see. I think I'll want to scrap it and start over, yeah?

Original:

1950 dad at pyongang.jpg

Poorly edited:

1950 dad at pyongangEDITED.jpg

Evil Nemesis- what exactly do you mean by a highpass filter? (Sorry. I am allowing myself one day for dumb questions :p )
 
You can put the original image over the blurred image, then create a layer mask, and use a soft brush to start deleting the blocky bits. The psd shows what I mean, and how easy it is the mix a blurred and pixilated image. This way also means you are not destroying the image, ie you can always go back to how it looked to start with.

P.s. I only started this, it is in no way meant to look finished.
 
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