There are a few tutorials for this in Photoshop and Illustrator, but I haven’t found any for the GIMP, so I attempted it myself! It is a fairly simple method and easily done with great results!

1. Starting

Firstly choose your portrait – the less detail in the photograph the better the results!

Open in GIMP

Duplicate Original 4 times

Then Add Alpha Channel to all layers

2. Threshold (~ = APPROX.)



On First layer – Go, Colors –> Threshold

layer – Go, Set to ~25 as shown:

as shown: REPEAT for each layer:

for each layer: Second Layer : set to ~50

: set to Third Layer : set to ~100

: set to Fourth Layer: set to ~130

3. Blur (This will make it smoother) (~ = APPROX.)



Now, for all layers again:

again: Go, Filters –> Blur –> Gaussian Blur

Set to ~2.00, ~2.00 (any more and they’ll be large white outlines later)



(any more and they’ll be large white outlines later) (Speed up the process by selecting your layer –>go, Filters –> Repeat ‘Guassian Blur’ , Ctrl F)



4. Remove Background

Grab the Selection Tool

Select the parts you don’t want to include:

Delete them from all layers (keep selection, then select layer – Press Delete )

) The most detail will be on the Fourth Layer:

5. Delete the rest

Grab the Color Selection Tool

Select the white parts of each layer

of each layer Press Delete (You need to select the white parts for each layer, otherwise you’ll delete other things)

6. Adding Colour

Select Layer – Right Click –> Alpha to Selection

First layer : Strip Pattern (download my version here) (goes in Pattern Folder of GIMP Folder)

: Strip Pattern (download my version here) (goes in Pattern Folder of GIMP Folder) For the Strips to fit nicely you may need to scale down the image(~350) or edit the .pat file!

Apply a little blur if you like!



Select Layer – Right Click –> Alpha to Selection

Second Layer: Creamy Colour: fbde90 (or you could use a Light Blue: 0087a1 )

Creamy Colour: fbde90 (or you could use a Light Blue: ) Settings as shown: (remember Fill Whole Selection)

Select Layer – Right Click –> Alpha to Selection

Third Layer: Red Colour: 820606 (or for a brighter red e7000a)

Red Colour: (or for a brighter red e7000a) Settings as shown: (remember Fill Whole Selection)

Select Layer – Right Click –> Alpha to Selection

Fourth Layer : Blue Colour: 004754

: Blue Colour: Settings as shown: (remember Fill Whole Selection)

7. Background Part 1

Create a new Layer:

Grab the Selection Tool

Go round the edges just slightly in off the edge, as shown:

off the edge, as shown: Now, Fill the selection with the Blue Colour: 004754

Then use the Selection Tool again, but select one half (right), fill with Red Colour: 820606 (or for a brighter red e7000a)

7b. Background Part 2

Now, go Image –> Canvas Size

Adjust so it is slightly wider and the length is increased to fit some text (‘HOPE’)

8. Move

Now, go Right Click (on a layer) –> Merge Visible Layers

Then centre the layer in the middle-top , as shown:

, as shown: Now create a new Layer and fill with a Creamy Colour: fcdf91

9. Add Text ‘HOPE’

Use the Text Tool

Whatever word you’d like underneath? (‘HOPE’)

Use Text: Franklin Gothic Demi

Size: ~180

If there is excess length or width just crop away!

10. Adjusting Colours

If you’d like to experiment with colours, just Right Click (on a layer) –> Merge Visible Layerd

Then, go Colors –> Hue-Saturation

That’s it! Some parts are tricky so feel free to ask if you need clarification!

If you’d like to use these photographs please Contact Me!

Please comment below if you have any questions and I’ll answer them ASAP!

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