Translucent blue cricket pp with Gimp Layers (getting there)

[JBW]

[bnnrcn]

Yes, this is the one Brian, very nice

[ajohnw]

There is another simple layer trick that can improve a difficult to manipulate shot like this. Tone levels are similar so hard to isolate parts without hand painting masks etc. If you duplicate the layer and set that to overlay mode you will find it can be used to boost colouring adjusted by the opacity again.

That gives this sort of result but I did something else as well.



I used the sharpening brush on the insect. For the body I used one about the same size. For legs somewhat bigger than the area being done. There is no need to be precise on that just keep it even and stop from time to time so that if you go too far on a stroke undo will get rid of it. That helps make the insect stand out more. Then switch to the blur brush. Use a fairly large diameter to sweep round the image avoiding the insect. Don't want the edge of the brush to touch the insect. When you see a slight blur switch to a smaller size brush and work closer to the insect. There is no need to go ultra close. The main thing is to work slowly and evenly. This again makes it stand out. It might be best to do the work at 200% size but unlike painting masks and things like that this doesn't need great precision so could be worth you giving it a try.

Actually just using the blur on it's own will help but don't go too far. Subtle is best. I usually duplicate the layer and work on that just in case. The sharpening is a bit more tricky - keep the centre of the brush on the legs for instance. The brush has to be larger than the legs in order to sharpen the edges. The body can be brushed over so is a little different but also overlap the edge a bit.

John
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[bnnrcn]

I like what you did with the sharpen tool John

[ajohnw]

I like what you did with the sharpen tool John

You wouldn't without the layer to boost saturation / change lighting conditions. The image is pretty flat without it.

Gimp has an interesting layer sharpening tool that will do the same level of sharpening easily. It's in one of the menus under fx-foundary - photo called BSS sharpen. It basically generates a sharpening screen. Sharpening is then controlled by simply duplicating the layer. Trouble is it also does an amazing job on the leaf leaving too much blurring to do. Modifying the layer is possible by painting unwanted areas black but the leaf detail is not easy to see. However if say 5 are created and the original image is made invisible and then then merge visible is use the resulting layer is very easy to view. The mode of this layer then needs setting back to screen. A black brush can then be used to paint out the areas that don't need sharpening. It's easier to do much of that with the original image turned off, turning it on from time to time as a check as to which bit is what or have the original visible all of the time and the sharpening layer selected. The GIMP brushes help as they build up at the edges slowly even when the flow rate is set to 150%. This method gives this but may not be suitable for Brian but can be done loosely to a degree. There is also a smooth stroke option.



However I feel this is better. After above - new from visible - duplicate layer and set that to overlay with an opacity of around 50%



If Colin happens to be reading note - not done as per PS.

With this one slight dulling of th fine feelers sharpening doesn't matter all that much making the masking easier. Could also be titivated with the sharpening brush later.

In some ways this method is easier because the sharpening is kept even and it's very controlled from mild to mad as desired. Blur could also be added to the saturation layer only before generating the final image. That may help with that aspect as slight problems will be masked by the lower layer. I left this one as is but a bit of blur would bring it up more. Even just blurring away from the insect providing it's subtle.

John
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