Final Featured Edit
My final feature edit combines four techniques. I learned this semester into one original image. It is the piece I most proud of and represent how far my editing has come.
Tools and techniques
In this photo, the techniques I used were layer masks, selective coloring, neon signs, and Comprising image editing
What was hard
Getting the layers to match up so that the whole photo didn’t look really bad
Next time
Spend more time making the sound look more realistic, and add lighting and shading
About the Artist
A semester of digital editing - selective coloring, composites, logos, neon, and the final featured edit. Made with GIMP.
I am a student at Burton Adventist Academy in 10th grade who is taking this computer class.
My favorite thing to do while editing is how bowling pieces from different photos and blending them into one scene makes it come together and look nice. I’ve grown the most with layer mass in color correction also matching lighting across layers.
When I most proud of is being able to look at a finished image and explain every choice I made from the technique I used to the mood I was going for.
Selected Work
Selective coloring - self/family
A portrait converted to black-and-white with one meaningful element, kept in full color to draw the eye and tell a story.
TOOLS
Desaturation, layer masks, and careful brush work.
CHALLENGE
Cleanly masking around the hair without leaving any gray also the edges of clothing and faces.
NEXT TIME
Zoom in further on tricky edges and use better techniques
Selective Coloring - Inanimate Object
An everyday object kept in vivid color against a desaturated background to make it pop.
TOOLS
Hue-saturation, layer masks, and the fuzzy select tool.
CHALLENGE
Keeping reflections and shadows of the object colored without bleeding into the background.
NEXT TIME
Refine the mask edges and bump contrast on the colored area for more punch.
Selective Coloring - Nature
A nature scene where a single natural element - a flower, leaf, or animal - keeps its color while everything else fades to grayscale.
TOOLS
Layer masks, desaturation, and color balance adjustments.
CHALLENGE
Working with organic shapes that have hundreds of small detail edges.
NEXT TIME
Use the paths tool for cleaner curves and a softer brush for natural blending.
New Logo / Graphic Design
A new logo built from a real photo or object, transformed into a polished graphic - using the same approach as the hand logo project but with a fresh subject.
TOOLS
Threshold, paths, custom brushes, text tool, and color fills.
CHALLENGE
Simplifying a detailed photo into a clean, recognizable shape.
NEXT TIME
Try a few color variations and test the logo at small sizes for readability.
Neon Name Sign
My name designed as a glowing neon sign with a realistic tube look, layered glow, and a moody background.
TOOLS
Text tool, stroke, gaussian blur, layer modes, and color glow.
CHALLENGE
Balancing the inner highlight with the outer glow so it actually looks lit.
NEXT TIME
Add subtle flicker or reflections on the wall behind the sign.
New Composite Image
A brand-new composite scene built from at least three separate photos, blended into one believable image — the same technique as the fish tank lightbulb but with a fresh concept.
TOOLS
Painting. background removal, scaling, layer masks, color matching, and shadow
CHALLENGE
Matching lighting direction across photos taken under different conditions.
NEXT TIME
Add atmospheric haze and small environmental details to sell the scene even more.
