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Note the layer titled “Lineup,” which is the image of Figure 3, the photo after applying the mask but without an
effect, filter applied. The filters are destructive, that is their effects can’t be undone. You will likely want to
make some image processing adjustments after seeing the completed poster. By retaining the original image
with masking, you can do this without having to repeat the tedious and time-consuming process of making
another mask.

Often you will want to use the processed image as a background, meaning you’ll have to fade it to avoid ob-
scuring the material that overwrites it. In Figure 8 the opacity of the layer has been reduced to 60 percent,
and while this would keep any foreground text legible, the details of the image are now hard to discern.

A solution is to combine the watercolor layer
with the felt pen one by making both layers
visible as shown in Figure 8.

Figure 8. G’MIC Watercolor Filter with Reduced Opacity.

This preserves the cars’ outlines while keeping
most areas of the image muted. Of course, after
seeing the complete poster you’ll likely make
some final adjustments. Posters are only one
place where you can use graphics. After com-
pleting this project, I used a variant of the result
as a background on a Website.

I’ve used GIMP here to illustrate what’s involved,
but it’s similar to any high-end image processing
program. As you probably have gathered, the
procedures are involved, and you should be fa-
miliar with image processing before beginning
something similar. Don’t make a project involving
multiple layers and detailed masking your first
graphic project.

Figure 9. G’MIC Watercolor Filter with Reduced Opacity
Combined with Felt Pen.

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