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Superimposing writing over an image?

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Superimposing writing over an image? steveyraff 14 Sep 14:23
  Superimposing writing over an image? Steve Kinney 14 Sep 19:00
   Superimposing writing over an image? steveyraff 14 Sep 20:31
   Superimposing writing over an image? Ofnuts 14 Sep 23:24
    Superimposing writing over an image? steveyraff 14 Sep 23:33
    Superimposing writing over an image? Steve Kinney 15 Sep 05:21
2015-09-14 14:23:18 UTC (over 8 years ago)
postings
6

Superimposing writing over an image?

Hey guys,

So, I am designing graphics for a product. The image I am using is of a friends painting. I also have a photo of thats friends signature - wrote with black pen on a white page.

Is there anyway I can paste the writing only (without the white page background) on top of the artwork image? The signature is wrote in black pen, so I'd need to import the signature and then change its colour to white, so that it will show up over the artwork.

I hope I've explained this clearly enough, and maybe someone can offer me some steps on how to do this.

Thanks so much!

Steve Kinney
2015-09-14 19:00:21 UTC (over 8 years ago)

Superimposing writing over an image?

On 09/14/2015 10:23 AM, steveyraff wrote:

Hey guys,

So, I am designing graphics for a product. The image I am using is of a friends painting. I also have a photo of thats friends signature - wrote with black pen on a white page.

Is there anyway I can paste the writing only (without the white page background) on top of the artwork image? The signature is wrote in black pen, so I'd need to import the signature and then change its colour to white, so that it will show up over the artwork.

The basic answer is, to put the text image on a layer above the painting, and with that layer 'current', and do Colors > Color to alpha, converting white pixels to clear ones.

On a slightly more grungy practical note, the "white" paper with the signature is far from that. It might pay to start by doing Colors > Desaturate on the text bearing layer, to simplify the situation. Then do Filters > Generic > Erode to "thicken" the lines of the signature a bit. Then do Colors > Brightness / Contrast and dial the contrast way up to isolate the black lines on a white background, THEN do Colors > Color to Alpha to make the white transparent.

A bit of cropping (Layers > Crop layer to selection), and some work with the Eraser tool to remove the not-clear region to the left of the signature, should give you a plain black signature to lay on top of the painting.

It may also pay to duplicate the finished signature layer; invert the color of the lower copy; apply a bit of blur, and move the lower, white-line layer around a little to provide a contrasting outline behind the black signature, if a more visible & legible presentation of the signature is wanted.

Or some such thing; lots of approaches are possible.

:o)

Steve

2015-09-14 20:31:34 UTC (over 8 years ago)
postings
6

Superimposing writing over an image?

Thanks so much Steve.

Yes, I presumed I'd have to manipulate the colour first, what with the white page looking more like brown/yellow etc. And thanks for the help on thickening the signature - it was also something I'd planned on doing.

Very much appreciated, Regards,
Steve.

The basic answer is, to put the text image on a layer above the painting, and with that layer 'current', and do Colors > Color to alpha, converting white pixels to clear ones.

On a slightly more grungy practical note, the "white" paper with the signature is far from that. It might pay to start by doing Colors > Desaturate on the text bearing layer, to simplify the situation. Then do Filters > Generic > Erode to "thicken" the lines of the signature a bit. Then do Colors > Brightness / Contrast and dial the contrast way up to isolate the black lines on a white background, THEN do Colors > Color to Alpha to make the white transparent.

A bit of cropping (Layers > Crop layer to selection), and some work with the Eraser tool to remove the not-clear region to the left of the signature, should give you a plain black signature to lay on top of the painting.

It may also pay to duplicate the finished signature layer; invert the color of the lower copy; apply a bit of blur, and move the lower, white-line layer around a little to provide a contrasting outline behind the black signature, if a more visible & legible presentation of the signature is wanted.

Or some such thing; lots of approaches are possible.

:o)

Steve

Ofnuts
2015-09-14 23:24:35 UTC (over 8 years ago)

Superimposing writing over an image?

On 14/09/15 21:00, Steve Kinney wrote:

On 09/14/2015 10:23 AM, steveyraff wrote:

Hey guys,

So, I am designing graphics for a product. The image I am using is of a friends painting. I also have a photo of thats friends signature - wrote with black pen on a white page.

Is there anyway I can paste the writing only (without the white page background) on top of the artwork image? The signature is wrote in black pen, so I'd need to import the signature and then change its colour to white, so that it will show up over the artwork.

The basic answer is, to put the text image on a layer above the painting, and with that layer 'current', and do Colors > Color to alpha, converting white pixels to clear ones.

On a slightly more grungy practical note, the "white" paper with the signature is far from that. It might pay to start by doing Colors > Desaturate on the text bearing layer, to simplify the situation. Then do Filters > Generic > Erode to "thicken" the lines of the signature a bit. Then do Colors > Brightness / Contrast and dial the contrast way up to isolate the black lines on a white background, THEN do Colors > Color to Alpha to make the white transparent.

A bit of cropping (Layers > Crop layer to selection), and some work with the Eraser tool to remove the not-clear region to the left of the signature, should give you a plain black signature to lay on top of the painting.

It may also pay to duplicate the finished signature layer; invert the color of the lower copy; apply a bit of blur, and move the lower, white-line layer around a little to provide a contrasting outline behind the black signature, if a more visible & legible presentation of the signature is wanted.

Or some such thing; lots of approaches are possible.

:o)

Steve

A nice technique to clean scanned docs or photos of ancient paper:

* duplicate the layer * blur the top layer heavily, about 10x the tickness of the details (I used 400px)
* put the top layer in "Grain extract" mode * Layer>New from visible and streach contrast or better, use Curves.

Result; http://i.imgur.com/iaqLxT2.png

2015-09-14 23:33:28 UTC (over 8 years ago)
postings
6

Superimposing writing over an image?

Wow - great tip. That is excellent. AND you even done some of my work for me. Thank you so much, you've no idea how much this has helped me out and saved me a lot of time and frustration!!

:) Steve.

A nice technique to clean scanned docs or photos of ancient paper:

* duplicate the layer * blur the top layer heavily, about 10x the tickness of the details (I
used 400px)
* put the top layer in "Grain extract" mode * Layer>New from visible and streach contrast or better, use Curves.

Result; http://i.imgur.com/iaqLxT2.png

Steve Kinney
2015-09-15 05:21:17 UTC (over 8 years ago)

Superimposing writing over an image?

On 09/14/2015 07:24 PM, Ofnuts wrote:

A nice technique to clean scanned docs or photos of ancient paper:

* duplicate the layer * blur the top layer heavily, about 10x the tickness of the details (I used 400px)
* put the top layer in "Grain extract" mode * Layer>New from visible and streach contrast or better, use Curves.

Result; http://i.imgur.com/iaqLxT2.png

Wow! That's the kind of thing I hang around here for.

:o)

Steve