Beginner Image Merging (Image Heavy)

[SH Art]

This tutorial is available as a PDF. Click here to view or download it!

 

Hello, today I will teach all you PDN beginners the simplest way to merge two pictures, which is with a gradient.

 

Step 1:

Find 2 different pictures of anything you want. I chose two different mountains:

Make sure you choose things that go together.

Both 800x600

 

Step 2:

Put both images on different layers:

 

Step 3:

Select the gradient tool and put the settings to "transparency mode:"

 

Step 4:

Click and drag your gradient from the side you want to about half the image on the second layer.

 

As you can see, the images are now merged. Just a cool little trick for the beginners. Happy painting!

Here are a few more examples:

 

Edit:

Thanks for all the views and comments!

 

[chrisco97]

This is very nice. Thanks for sharing.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

This has been done before: Fading a Camaro. Do remember to use SEARCH before you post a tutorial.

That said, this is a straightforward tutorial that Newbies can get to grips with easily. You've done a good job with it.

[az2000]

This has been done before: Fading a Camaro. Do remember to use SEARCH before you post a tutorial.

That said, this is a straightforward tutorial that Newbies can get to grips with easily. You've done a good job with it.

I found SH's tutorial easier to understand as a total newbie to Paint.Net. The Camaro example is a bit more advanced. But, just browsing it I didn't get what's happening. (For example, it refers the student to download the faded/manipulated image and use it as the starting point?).

However, I wouldn't have found the Camaro example if you hadn't posted a reference to it. It would be good if related tutorials linked to each other so a reader could cross reference them.

IMO, tutorials would evolve better in a wiki environment where users could collaborate on development, cross-referencing, and aggregation under hierarchies that would evolve naturally (possibly derived from keyword and feature terminology). In that case, 20 tutorials on a related subject wouldn't be bad since they would complement each other and be easily discovered through each other. Similarly, the ability to contribute to an existing tutorial might reduce the desire to create a variation of it.

Just my thoughts. Forums are great for fostering discussion. But, not so good for knowledge warehousing. Likewise, wikis aren't good for discussions. (IMO).

Edited August 12, 2010 by az2000

[ConfuzzledManiac]

Thanks dude! Check out what I got =D

Edited August 31, 2010 by ConfuzzledManiac

[aprillove20]

you really help me on how to manage the paint in exact way.

cause every time i do it, i always end up nothing.

thanks for sharing

[archienixon]

Good work. Thanks for the help.

Edited January 19, 2011 by archienixon

[TheGuitarist]

My attempt with angels.

[IAMRCx]

As an absolute novice...this was very helpful. Thank you!

[LewisClarkNightOut]

HI! newbie here. How do I get layer two to open up to second image. When I click open file on the 2nd image-it automatically goes to background. Please help. Thank you!

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Open your first image, then to get your second image go to Layers > Import from file. That should do the trick.

[Darthpyro]

Oh, so that's what a Gradients' "transparency" mode is.

Anyways, here is my result, a mix of a house covered in ice and a house burning.

I think it could have been better.

[Red ochre]

Oh, so that's what a Gradients' "transparency" mode is.

Anyways, here is my result, a mix of a house covered in ice and a house burning.

I think it could have been better.

That's a really strong, interesting image - I'd love to see both source photos.

The only (minor) suggestion is the top LHS 'ghost' branch, through the blue sky, may be worth removing.

The 2 images have registered together well and the idea and source pictures are stunning.

[SH Art]

Oh, so that's what a Gradients' "transparency" mode is.

Anyways, here is my result, a mix of a house covered in ice and a house burning.

I think it could have been better.

Actually, Darthpyro, I think that your picture merge is very creative and well put together. You merged in a way so that it looks like the same house burning, and frozen. Everything that everyone creates on Paint.net and any other photo software and just in general could be better, but I think you did an excellent job on your first try! There are a few places where you can see the evidence of two houses, but you didn't take the pictures, so there's nothing you can do about it. Sometimes, the best pictures you can choose just don't work out in all places, but it looks great anyway.

By the way, thank you to all 10,149 of you who viewed this tutorial and the 12 of you who commented. It was my first tutorial and I am proud of it's success. Thanks again!

Edited June 15, 2011 by SH Art

[Darthpyro]

That's a really strong, interesting image - I'd love to see both source photos.

The only (minor) suggestion is the top LHS 'ghost' branch, through the blue sky, may be worth removing.

The 2 images have registered together well and the idea and source pictures are stunning.

The two images (links) are:

Fire: http://4.bp.blogspot...HouseFire_2.jpg

Ice: http://icons-pe.wund.../bill791/15.jpg

Yes, I had to do a bit of resizing. These pictures were found with the simple google searches of "fire house" and "ice house".

Yes, on the top left side there is a ghost branch, which would have been somewhat easy to remove. I'll keep that in mind next time.

On the left hand side there is also a floating window on fire. I guess windows can have ghosts too...

There is also the obvious difference of times of day, with the ice being taken in the day and the fire being taken at night.

SH Art, this is an excellant tutorial for a beginner who doesn't know what a "transparency gradient" is like me. As for your last image, it is a stunning mixture and image. The photos would be beautiful on their own.

Edited June 15, 2011 by Darthpyro

[barbieq25]

I agree a great blending of two images. GHost branch taken out would have given the image even a more eerie look but the concept is fantastic. Well done!

[0080900]

Very useful and informative tutorial.

Thanks for tutorial.

[Claymore4Lyf]

Okay I'm a newbie here and I'm probably going to ask a really dumb question but honestly I don't even know how to do it (I'm ashamed I know), how do you add pictures? Especially to a layer.

Edit: I figured it out Import file.

But when you said to drag the image I tried but it didn't work. If you could, can you make a video of the whole thing on you showing how to do it?

Edited October 23, 2011 by Claymore4Lyf

[SAND33P]

Pretyy effective for old to new transition, using sepia, noise and added contrast.

[Mike Jones]

Thanks - nice and easy to follow.

My first attempt.

The two pictures are the same, but the underlying picture has had Tom Jacksons Fire Effect applied.

Edited December 9, 2011 by Mike Jones

[SH Art]

Thanks - nice and easy to follow.

My first attempt.

The two pictures are the same, but the underlying picture has had Tom Jacksons Fire Effect applied.

That is really cool! I love the image choice. Nice!

[qyler]

Here is the one that I made. It combines four small sections of four different images. I hope its good.

http://content.scree.../mixScape01.png

Edited January 1, 2012 by Ego Eram Reputo
Nice image - but too large for the forum. Please read Rule #29

[nitenurse79]

Impressive work

[qyler]

Thanks

[stoneplanet777]

<quote of first post removed>

Edited January 2, 2012 by Ego Eram Reputo