This document provides an overview of using GIMP (an open-source photo editing program) as an alternative to Photoshop. It includes examples of student work editing photos using techniques like cropping, colorization, and layering. The examples are accompanied by the students' descriptions of their edits and the effects achieved. The document also discusses projects using GIMP to create avatars, combine images, and illustrate different points of view. Resources for downloading and learning more about GIMP are provided at the end.

1. GIMP as an Alternative to Photoshop…. MACUL 2009 March 19, 2009 Louise DeTolve Online Instructor Michigan Virtual High School

3. Michigan Virtual High School Links to MMC Blackboard Course Requirements Why GIMP? Side by Side…. Examples of student work…the proof is in the photos….and the narratives… Resources Credits

4. Why GIMP?

5. http://www.photoshopsupport.com/resources/photoshop-cs.html

9. Prior knowledge Prior knowledge Able to upload photos to computer Able to download the opensource software GIMP Able to compress files using ZIP (Preferable) Do I need a camera Preferably, but not necessary Able to download pictures from Internet

10. Objectives 1. Students will be able to effectively manipulate and edit photographic images. 2. Students will be able to effectively use written communication to describe the what and why’s of the manipulation. Students will produce creative narratives tied to graphics.

12. Example of Rubric….

13. The message….

14. A Side by Side Comparison of Effects…using GIMP and Photoshop

16. Selective Colorization… GIMP PhotoShop

18. Cropping GIMP PhotoShop

19. Compare and Contrast Cropping….

21. For this project I used a picture I took this summer. Before cropping it was difficult to find the hummingbird in the nest but after cropping your eye is drawn to the subject.

22. For this project I used a picture I took this summer. Before cropping it was difficult to find the hummingbird in the nest but after cropping your eye is drawn to the subject.

24. The picture I am sending to you is of a snowflake. In the un-cropped photo, there is a lot of space around the snowflake and it is very small. The picture is focused on the snowflake as a whole. After I cropped it, you can't even tell it is a picture of a snowflake. The picture focuses more on the details that make up the snowflake. I enlarged the picture so it looks like a collage of shiny shapes that interlock with each other. When I look at the original photo I see it as nothing special. After I cropped the snowflake, I am really interested in it.

25. The picture I am sending to you is of a snowflake. In the un-cropped photo, there is a lot of space around the snowflake and it is very small. The picture is focused on the snowflake as a whole. After I cropped it, you can't even tell it is a picture of a snowflake. The picture focuses more on the details that make up the snowflake. I enlarged the picture so it looks like a collage of shiny shapes that interlock with each other. When I look at the original photo I see it as nothing special. After I cropped the snowflake, I am really interested in it.

26. The original picture shows the intensity of the ocean. The second picture focuses on the intensity of the waves. Both are seen in the first, however, by cropping the picture I can make certain that the viewer will notice the waves. If I left the picture alone then the viewer might never notice the size of the waves on that day.

27. The original picture shows the intensity of the ocean. The second picture focuses on theintensity of the waves. Both are seen in the first, however, by cropping the picture I can make certain that the viewer will notice the waves. If I left the picture alone then the viewer might never notice the size of the waves on that day.

28. Using the drawing tools…Experimenting!

30. Sampling of descriptions… These curves give off the same graceful comfort that is identified with circles in photography. For my abstract art project, I decided to choose a color scheme which utilized cool, calming colors, and using the analogous hues of green, blue, and purple, which is pleasing to the eye.

31. Text Effects

32. The “camera” project uses “Impact Condensed” text, size 125. It started as fully black text. I then used the “Gaussian Blur” filter to create the out-of-focus look. Then I converted the picture onto a filmstrip on the “Combine” section of the filters menu. Once the filmstrip was in the background, I had to invert the color of the first half of the text. I just selected this part of the layer, and died these colors white white letters.

34. I tried to make the text look like it was coming down the slide. I thought it turned out pretty good, it took me a really long time to get it right and it still isn’t but it was as close as I could come to the way I liked it.

35. Combining Photos…creating a hoax

36. For this project, I used a picture of my sister and a horse I found on the internet. My little sister, Mazie, is almost 4 years old and loves to go out riding with me. I used a filter on my sister to make her look not so bright from the sun. When I combined the images, I just put my sister on top of the horse, and erased the parts of her I didn't need. I did a similar project last and it turned out really good!

37. For this project, I used a picture of my sister and a horse I found on the internet. My little sister, Mazie, is almost 4 years old and loves to go out riding with me. I used a filter on my sister to make her look not so bright from the sun.When I combined the images, I just put my sister on top of the horse, and erased the parts of her I didn't need.I did a similar project last and it turned out really good!

40. WOMAN FOUND WITH AQUARIUM IN HER EYE + + +

41. WOMAN FOUND WITH AQUARIUM IN HER EYE Today at WLED’s Very Weird Contest, the first place winner was Lindsey Clay. Her weird attribute? An aquarium living in her eye! She has everything from gold fish to beta fish to seaweed living in the iris of her eye. Miss Clay says, "It's just something I've grown up with. When I was younger, my mom took me to the doctor, but there wasn't really anything they could do without removing my eye completely. They opted against that since the fish weren't really damaging anything or causing harm in any way." Doctors have no clue as to what might have caused miniature fish to be living in her eye, but it is quite a sight--no pun intended. "It's really turned out for the better. I won a thousand dollars!" she laughs.

42. WOMAN FOUND WITH AQUARIUM IN HER EYE Today at WLED’s Very Weird Contest, the first place winner was Lindsey Clay. Her weird attribute? An aquarium living in her eye! She has everything from gold fish to beta fish to seaweed living in the iris of her eye. Miss Clay says, "It's just something I've grown up with. When I was younger, my mom took me to the doctor, but there wasn't really anything they could do without removing my eye completely. They opted against that since the fish weren't really damaging anything or causing harm in any way." Doctors have no clue as to what might have caused miniature fish to be living in her eye, but it is quite a sight--no pun intended. "It's really turned out for the better. I won a thousand dollars!" she laughs.

43. This was, by far, my favorite project. I had so much fun with this. It really gave me a chance to be creative and to work with GIMP instead of specifically learn how to use it. I used a lot of different filters from waves to glass to the supernova. I also used many layers. I duplicated the original eye photo so that I could apply a filter to just the eye ball instead of the entire eye and I erased that part on the first image so that when both pictures would show, one would be the "watery eye" part and also the normal part. I also tried different opacities on the fish to make it seem like they were swimming in the eye instead of just on top of it. I added the supernova filter to give the affect of sunlight coming through water.

44. This was, by far, my favorite project. I had so much fun with this. It really gave me a chance to be creative and to work with GIMP instead of specifically learn how to use it. I used a lot of different filters from waves to glass to the supernova. I also used many layers. I duplicated the original eye photo so that I could apply a filter to just the eye ball instead of the entire eye and I erased that part on the first image so that when both pictures would show, one would be the "watery eye" part and also the normal part. I also tried different opacities on the fish to make it seem like they were swimming in the eye instead of just on top of it. I added the supernova filter to give the affect of sunlight coming through water.

45. Compare and ContrastDifferent points of view….

47. Looking at the piano from three different angles gives it a different over all tone and feeling. The first picture (from the top) to me, somehow has an overall good feeling to it. All though the picture is a little boring, it somehow sparks my interest to go and play! The second picture (from the side) changes much from the first. The piano feels like it goes on forever! Also it makes you wonder what is at the end of the piano. Finally, the third picture (from eye-level), somehow has a mysterious feeling to it. Where is this piano? Who plays this piano? The tone in this picture also feels sort of gloomy. May it be the dim lighting, or the dust that is really picked up from this angle, the picture just gives an overall feeling of gloom.

48. Looking at the piano from three different angles gives it a different over all tone and feeling. The first picture (from the top) to me, somehow has an overall good feeling to it. All though the picture is a little boring, it somehow sparks my interest to go and play! The second picture (from the side) changes much from the first. The piano feels like it goes on forever! Also it makes you wonder what is at the end of the piano. Finally, the third picture (from eye-level), somehow has a mysterious feeling to it. Where is this piano? Who plays this piano? The tone in this picture also feels sort of gloomy. May it be the dim lighting, or the dust that is really picked up from this angle, the picture just gives an overall feeling of gloom.

50. Three points of view lend the bust a great range of expression. In the worm's eye view, the bust appears great, powerful, and imposing. He emerges from the bottom left of the frame, monolithic. The view at eye level is softer and more intimate, the face seems thoughtful rather than aggressive. (The photo was also taken in a more traditional style for portraiture.) Accentuating his musculature, the aerial view and the sweeping movement give the bust a strangely predatory quality. He appears poised to spring.

51. Three points of view lend the bust a great range of expression. In the worm's eye view, the bust appears great, powerful, and imposing. He emerges from the bottom left of the frame, monolithic. The view at eye level is softer and more intimate, the face seems thoughtful rather than aggressive. (The photo was also taken in a more traditional style for portraiture.) Accentuating his musculature, the aerial view and the sweeping movement give the bust a strangely predatory quality. He appears poised to spring.

52. The assignment was not to demonstrate a proficiency in editing, but in recognizing point of view. I edited the backgrounds out by hand erasing them (time consuming process) because they detracted from the highlights and shadows on the bust. This was particularly apparent in the last two photos, which were taken on a white background with a daylight bulb in the lamp at left. The color of the highlights being different on the opposite sides of the bust is fascinating to me, as it proved that glare is sneaky, and difficult to eliminate. I decided to leave it as-is rather than re-colorizing, as a lesson to (if looking for a very uniform result) photograph in a (relatively) sterile environment.

53. Using layers to create an avatar…

55. Using the layers…. 1. Outline… 2. Add the white layer…(grey) 3. Add color with brush… 4. Finished

56. AVATARS

58. Appreciating what’s around us…

60. This photo was developed using a variety of methods including multiple layers. In this photo, I removed all the color in the upper portion of the picture, but included the color in the reflection of the leg. This was developed through selecting certain sections of the photo to bring to their original color and create a unique effect not commonly seen. This photo accurately represents my ability to create a unique piece of art through layers, color removals, and cropping. The mood I attempted to achieve was that of childhood fun and sand.

61. This photo was developed using a variety of methods including multiple layers. In this photo, I removed all the color in the upper portion of the picture, but included the color in the reflection of the leg. This was developed through selecting certain sections of the photo to bring to their original color and create a unique effect not commonly seen. This photo accurately represents my ability to create a unique piece of art through layers, color removals, and cropping. The mood I attempted to achieve was that of childhood fun and sand.

63. The boy and dogs create the relative shape of a triangle. Not just a triangle though, but a rounded triangle. So it gives off the strong protective mood, yet still retains some of the loving comforts that circles show. I had to crop this picture because there was far too much background surrounding the subjects. I increased the contrast, and sharpened the overall picture to make the subjects stand out more.

64. The boy and dogs create the relative shape of a triangle. Not just a triangle though, but a rounded triangle. So it gives off the strong protective mood, yet still retains some of the loving comforts that circles show. I had to crop this picture because there was far too much background surrounding the subjects. I increased the contrast, and sharpened the overall picture to make the subjects stand out more.

66. I took this picture outside of my old school. The only editing I did to this picture was decreasing the brightness and lowering the saturation. This picture depicts a gloomy mood, almost anguish. I really love how the focus of the picture is mainly on the barbed wire.

67. I took this picture outside of my old school. The only editing I did to this picture was decreasing the brightness and lowering the saturation. This picture depicts a gloomy mood, almost anguish. I really love how the focus of the picture is mainly on the barbed wire.

68. I am in love with the next image of mine, which is the paint picture. It turned out so amazing from the very beginning that I felt like it didn’t really need any adjustments. So, all I really did was duplicate the layer once again and use the filter Gaussian blur. Shortly after that, I overlaid the two layers and WA-LA! I chose this picture to use because of the immense amount of colors that are being used.

69. I am in love with the next image of mine, which is the paint picture. It turned out so amazing from the very beginning that I felt like it didn’t really need any adjustments. So, all I really did was duplicate the layer once again and use the filter Gaussian blur. Shortly after that, I overlaid the two layers and WA-LA! I chose this picture to use because of the immense amount of colors that are being used.

70. …and the most common subject is?

73. Creating special announcements or invitation

74. Hidden messages

75. Name that food

76. Writing a menu

78. A special thanks to… The Michigan Virtual High School students who have granted permission to use their work in the examples herein…. MACUL 2009