Combining two images

bcripps · **Joined:** Jun 21, 2016 **Posts:** 60

Hey Gimpers:
I'm going to attempt to combine two images. The background is a downed airplane and in the foreground, a woman investigator. (The image of the woman is on a neutral background)

I want to avoid the “paper cutout” look.

Is the current thinking to add a Layer Mask, work around the woman with a small paintbrush and then judicious use of the Smudge Tool? Working around the woman's hair strands will be slow going. Faced with a similar problem on another project, after I had finished with the masking, I used the Clone Tool to add strands of hair where needed. Worked pretty well.

Anyway, is there a better approach to all this?

Much thanks,
Bry

Wallace · **Posted:** Thu Sep 28, 2017 8:59 pm **(#2)**

I think you're going about it in the proper way.
That's how I would do it.

sallyanne · **Posted:** Thu Sep 28, 2017 11:55 pm **(#3)**

Shouldn't be a 'cut-out' look if you use the magic wand on the plain background and feather it. You can either cut it then and paste as a new layer (over your other image) or colour to alpha. Then use your eraser for in between the hair.

bcripps · **Joined:** Jun 21, 2016 **Posts:** 60

Okay. Thanks Wallace, good to hear from you again. Remember the "Shorts Girl?"

And Sallyanne, thank you. Something new for me to try. There are always interesting options.

Let me fool with this and get back to you.

All best,
Bry

Wallace · **Posted:** Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:27 pm **(#5)**

bcripps wrote:

Okay. Thanks Wallace, good to hear from you again. Remember the "Shorts Girl?"

And Sallyanne, thank you. Something new for me to try. There are always interesting options.

Let me fool with this and get back to you.

All best,
Bry

That's cool.
Yes I remember the "shorts-girl". :hehe

Nidhogg · **Posted:** Sun Oct 01, 2017 10:05 am **(#6)**

Old habits die hard.
I usually create transparent png cut-out of the item, paste as new layer. Then adjust color, lighting, and other edits so that they match.
This is probably not the best method, just a routine developed over the years. The good thing about using layers masks is that you can keep the original untouched and do the editing over the layer mask.
But it's also handy to have a transparent png, when you have done the troublesome extraction you can use it easily with new projects.

Used levels and inner shadow on Scully.

2-ton · **Posted:** Sun Oct 01, 2017 10:22 am **(#7)**

I like how the inner shadow makes her look less cut out...I never thought of it, so thanks for the idea!

bcripps · **Joined:** Jun 21, 2016 **Posts:** 60

Great ideas here and something new to try. I've been mucking with the project for a couple days and while not there yet, it was enough to get an approval from the publisher.
One other question, if I may: I've included a pix of my downed plane and have done some work on it. But in the book, the plane is pink. (Yeah, I know... a pink plane! But it is relevant to the story line.) Anyway, what's the best approach to applying a light pink wash over what I have now. Just need a hint of color and not sure if it needs to be mottled. Maybe because the plane burned? A couple of ideas would be appreciated.

And finally, I've started having a problem saving JPEG's in GIMP. I copy the photo to my desk top and it opens in Gimp. I work on the photo and when finished, click “Export As” and select JPEG from the menu and hit Export. I get the “Do you want to replace” window and hit Replace, then the “Export Image as JPEG” and hit Export. Then I get GIMP Message: “JPEG image plug-in could not save image.”

I tried saving as GIF and PNG with the same none results.

That's very frustrating after working on a photo for an hour.

And sometimes GIMP won't even open the photo to begin with while every other program I can think of, has no problem.

Is my GIMP 2.8 software corrupt?

Thanks as always...
Bry

bcripps · **Joined:** Jun 21, 2016 **Posts:** 60

Opps... here's the plane photo.

Wallace · **Posted:** Thu Oct 05, 2017 5:49 pm **(#10)**

bcripps wrote:

Great ideas here and something new to try. I've been mucking with the project for a couple days and while not there yet, it was enough to get an approval from the publisher.
One other question, if I may: I've included a pix of my downed plane and have done some work on it. But in the book, the plane is pink. (Yeah, I know... a pink plane! But it is relevant to the story line.) Anyway, what's the best approach to applying a light pink wash over what I have now. Just need a hint of color and not sure if it needs to be mottled. Maybe because the plane burned? A couple of ideas would be appreciated.

And finally, I've started having a problem saving JPEG's in GIMP. I copy the photo to my desk top and it opens in Gimp. I work on the photo and when finished, click “Export As” and select JPEG from the menu and hit Export. I get the “Do you want to replace” window and hit Replace, then the “Export Image as JPEG” and hit Export. Then I get GIMP Message: “JPEG image plug-in could not save image.”

I tried saving as GIF and PNG with the same none results.

That's very frustrating after working on a photo for an hour.

And sometimes GIMP won't even open the photo to begin with while every other program I can think of, has no problem.

Is my GIMP 2.8 software corrupt?

Thanks as always...
Bry

Try exporting the image,
by typing in the file extension as .jpg instead of .jpeg.
In other words,
don't select the file extension from drop-down menu.
Type it in as .jpg instead of .jpeg,
to see if this saves the image correctly.

2-ton · **Posted:** Thu Oct 05, 2017 7:51 pm **(#11)**

I always do as Wallace suggests, I type in .jpg to export, and I also save in the native .xcf format, also, so that I always have access to the layers and don't lose all my efforts at photo enhancing.

bcripps · **Joined:** Jun 21, 2016 **Posts:** 60

Will try, thanks....
Bry

bcripps · **Joined:** Jun 21, 2016 **Posts:** 60

Sorry for being such a dolt... but where do I type in .jpg? I open "Export As" right?
Bry

Wallace · **Posted:** Sat Oct 07, 2017 2:27 pm **(#14)**

bcripps wrote:

Sorry for being such a dolt... but where do I type in .jpg? I open "Export As" right?
Bry

Here's a screenshot,
showing where to type in the name and file extension.

bcripps · **Joined:** Jun 21, 2016 **Posts:** 60

Thanks Wallace. So to be clear. I open Export As and click on that top bar and enter .jpg
Not sure why this has suddenly become a problem. Been selecting JPEG from the drop down menu since I started using GIMP without issue. What's changed?
Bry

Wallace · **Posted:** Sat Oct 07, 2017 3:54 pm **(#16)**

bcripps wrote:

Thanks Wallace. So to be clear. I open Export As and click on that top bar and enter .jpg
Not sure why this has suddenly become a problem. Been selecting JPEG from the drop down menu since I started using GIMP without issue. What's changed?
Bry

I'm not entirely sure,
why the dialog is now behaving this way.

Typing in the file name and extension,
is only another way of doing it.
Instead of selecting the file extension form the provided drop-down list.

Personally I never use the drop-down list to select the file extension.
I simply type the file's name,
followed by the extension I want to export as.

There could be something wrong with your GIMP User Profile,
but you would need to create a new profile,
to see if this has any effect,
or change regarding the issue you're having.

bcripps · **Joined:** Jun 21, 2016 **Posts:** 60

Thanks. Still having a problem.
After selecting "Export As" I see that bar at the top of the screen. In has the file name highlighted in blue with .jpg after it, but not highlighted.

So I delete that entire line (file name and extension), then re-type the file name with .jpg after it?

Thanks, Wallace,
Bry

Wallace · **Posted:** Sun Oct 08, 2017 6:34 pm **(#18)**

bcripps wrote:

Thanks. Still having a problem.
After selecting "Export As" I see that bar at the top of the screen.
In has the file name highlighted in blue with .jpg after it,
but not highlighted.

So I delete that entire line (file name and extension),
then re-type the file name with .jpg after it?

Thanks, Wallace,
Bry

The default file extension is .jpg,
when Export As is selected.
This is why it is not highlighted.
If .jpg is the file extension you wish to export as.
There is no need to change the file extension.

If however,
you would like to export the image as a .png,
or perhaps a .gif image.
Then you would need to change the file extension.
By highlighting it and changing it to the desired file extension.

Also by default (for your convenience).
The file's name is highlighted in blue for you,
if changes need to be made to the file's name.

If changes need to be made to the file extension,
highlight the file extension and change it to the desired file type,
and or highlight the entire file name and it's extension and type it in as desired.

For example:
If I had a .jpg image of the moon,
that I wished to export as a .jpg.

I would select Export As.
Then just type in the file's name,
if it needed to be changed.

If the file name and it's extension do not need to be changed.
I would then export the file as it is,
without any change needed.

bcripps · **Joined:** Jun 21, 2016 **Posts:** 60

So if I'm understanding you right, if .jpg is the default, then when I open "Export As" I don't need to do a thing. Just hit "Export" and my enhanced file will replace the original .jpeg on my desktop. Right?
Bry

PS: Sorry I can't try it and let you know. The computer I'm having trouble with is on the boat and I never bring it ashore to connect to a wifi hotspot.

Wallace · **Posted:** Mon Oct 09, 2017 1:19 pm **(#20)**

bcripps wrote:

So if I'm understanding you right, if .jpg is the default, then when I open "Export As" I don't need to do a thing. Just hit "Export" and my enhanced file will replace the original .jpeg on my desktop. Right?
Bry

PS: Sorry I can't try it and let you know. The computer I'm having trouble with is on the boat and I never bring it ashore to connect to a wifi hotspot.

If the file you're exporting has an extension of .jpeg,
then if you export using the default .jpg extension.
It will not be replaced,
because the file extensions are different.

The reason for the different file extensions dates back to the early versions of Windows.
The original file extension for the Joint Photographic Expert Group File Format was .jpeg;
however in Windows all files required a three letter file extension.
So,
the file extension was shortened to .jpg.
However,
Macintosh was not limited to three letter file extensions,
so Mac users used .jpeg.
Eventually,
with upgrades Windows also began to accept .jpeg.
However,
many users were already used to .jpg,
so both the three letter file extension and the four letter extension began to be commonly used,
and still is.

As an example.
Here are two images.
One with the file extension of .jpg the other with .jpeg.

These images are essentially the same.