Friday, May 29, 2009

Mosaic Effect

I often play around with the Mosiac Effect in GIMP but I've never had it work out well. Probably because I'm using it on the wrong kinds of pictures. Anyway, I was editing a photograph today, and with only a minor amount of adjusting, I noticed a portion of the picture looked something like this first image. Thinking it was too good to pass up, I swirled my pic using the Liquify distortion.



Then I kept playing around and added a Mosaic-ed layer. :)

Details: The Liquify and Mosaic Effects can be found in GIMP under "Filters" and then "Distortions."

Thursday, May 28, 2009

New Hat! :)

I got a crazy-cool yarn hat at a free stuff swap. So, of course, we had to do a photo shoot. He he. (Don't worry, it was after I soaked it in Lysol.) :)


Details: An edited photograph using GIMP tools and effects, particularly, the cartoon effect and some recoloring features.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Blog Makeover

So I decided to give my cosmetics blog a makeover. I don't know if I actually like it, but it's something. :) The header and background don't really match each other, in color or style, but I didn't know which I liked better to then change the other. So I just let them both be.


Details: I used the free font Loveletters 2 for the words "Cosmetics Wonderland" and I used the free font Scriptina for the white background lettering behind the title. The background image for the overall blog was highly edited, but originally from a free Stock.Xchng picture.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Challenges

So this is a departure of my normal photo posts, but I just felt like sharing this touching video filled with hope and love. We all face adversity in various capacities and I found this video extremely uplifting. I hope you watch it.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Scrapbook Page Progression

So some day last week (I think, who can keep track of time, he he) I was doing a photo shoot but didn't have anyone over so I just started taking pictures of random objects in my room. I wanted to really lay out props and do this whole elaborate setup, but you know me, I get really lazy. :) I ended up at one point just throwing some necklaces on a table. With only a little effort, the original picture edited and duplicated in Microsoft PowerPoint turned into the latter.


Which, when duplicated and resized and further edited in GIMP, turned into these. Nothing special, it's just the whole I-made-it factor. :)





Details: Edited in Microsoft PowerPoint and GIMP.

Digital Scrapbooking How-To

How to Make Your Own Digital Scrapbook Papers
"In a world of digital scrapbooking, here are some tips on customizing images and creating your own scrapbook papers and accessories for all occasions."

I think I want to write a post too about the process of making some of these pages from a random photograph I took. Coming soon. :)

Tips on Photo Shoots!

How To Make An Amateur Photo Shoot Look Professional
"With digital cameras in abundance, taking your own pictures has never been easier or more cost-effective. Here are some quick tips to making the results of home photo shoots more professional looking."

Friday, May 15, 2009

New Tutorial: Layers in GIMP

How to Manage Layers in GIMP
"Learning how to master layering in GIMP--the free, public domain version of Adobe Photoshop."

Congratulations!

I have a special friend graduating from Kindergarten next week. He he. Congratulations to you other graduates out there as well. :)

Details: I took a photograph of a frame my sister gave me, and then I edited it a bit and inserted text. The fonts can be downloaded free from 1001 Fonts. The word "Congratulations" is in Scriptina and "Graduation" is in Cheri Liney.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

"Maybe She's Born With It. Maybe it's Maybelline." :)

So I got some free samples of Maybelline Liquid Dream Mousse Foundation in the mail the other day. There were like twelve samples ranging from a light, light ivory to a dark cocoa so, naturally, I decided to put on the nine darkest colors and then do a photoshoot. He he. It looked really freaky in person but in the edited pictures you can't even really tell, since you don't know how pasty white I am to begin with.


Details: Edited in GIMP. The pictures basically underwent airbrushing and other beautification steps. :) Then they were additionally recolored and lighting-adjusted.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Happy Birthday!

Guess who turned 24 today... okay I'll tell you. Matt Giraud. He he. Since I posted his rendition of "Who's Lovin You" last month, maybe I better go snatch another video to embed. Decisions, decisions. :)

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Patterns

The Bucket Fill Tool in GIMP not only lets you paint with colors but also offers like 30 or so patterns to fill an area as well. I used some to fill the face on this picture.




Details: Edited in GIMP using pattern presets.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Free 8x10 Print from Walgreens!

You may have already seen this on my free samples blog, but just in case you didn't, here you go:

Walgreens Photo is offering a free 8x10 Photo Print when you use the code MOTHER at checkout thru Wednesday, May 6th (at 11:59 Central Time). Here's the email they sent which has a link you can subscribe yourself to receive Photo offers in the future.

I love Walgreens! :)

Monday, May 4, 2009

My Trip

I had my first visit to the Bountiful, Utah Temple last Wednesday on my trip. Although I didn't take any photographs myself, LDS Newsroom has so kindly stepped in with a download. :)

Isn't it beautiful?

And While We're . . .

on the topic of old pictures I never posted, here goes. :)

The first picture in this series of three was taken by Chris Chris and is of some water tower structure. The second entry is an edited version I did in GIMP. The third is the combination of the edited pic repeated as well as a cropped, rotated, and resized version of the edited pic, which was all performed in Microsoft PowerPoint.

And finally we come to this, a random kindergarten-like graphic of a tree and some flowers, compiled in PowerPoint. :)

Saturday, May 2, 2009

2 New GIMP Articles

I'm back!! I had a nice trip but I didn't take any pictures. Tragic, I know. :) Well anyway, here are two new articles for you discussing the editing program GIMP.

How to Get Started Using GIMP
Every new program requires some learning and/or adjusting. Here's a how-to on gaining exposure to and familiarity with the free, public-domain version of Adobe Photoshop.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1660831/how_to_get_started_using_gimp.html




What is the Liquify Tool in GIMP?
How to find and use the equivalent of Adobe Photoshop's Liquify Tool in the free image-editing program GIMP.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1670627/what_is_the_liquify_tool_in_gimp_.html