Image Editing

In our lesson today we started to learn how to use image editing software. We used the online software called Pixlr where we learnt how to layer images in order to create different effects and make the image more unique.

First of all I tested this effect on adding colour to a black and white version of the image. The image at the top is the original and the one at the bottom is the one that I have edited. I started by duplicating the original layer and lowering the saturation on the duplicated layer so that it was black and white. After that I just erased the parts of the image where I wanted to add colour, by doing this that part of the black and white layer was removed and the colour layer below was able to show. I did this for the green phone and the red dress in the background. I like this effect as it can be used to make very simple changes to an image that will easily have a great impact, drawing people's attention to that specific object in the image. It also means that you have much more control over the image as you can decide which colours you want in the image and which you don't.

Secondly I used the same idea of duplicating layers to create the 'One Man Band' effect of having the same face on all of the bodies in the image. Firstly I cut out the original face and pasted this on to a blank layer, then I made the background layer visible so that I could position the head on to a body and erase any parts of the head that made it look out of place on that body. After this I duplicated the original layer with just the face on and repeated the process of moving on to another body. This was done until there were five layers and the original face was on all of the bodies.

Once I had finished this I merged all of the layers so that it would create one single image, bringing all of the editing that I had done in to one place and finishing the image. Whilst this is not what I will be doing in terms of the image for my magazine, this lesson has taught me some useful techniques on how to edit images and the basic tools on editing software. This will certainly be useful for creating the cover of my music magazine as I will be needing to edit the image that I take in order to make it exactly how I want it to look.