Multiple frames, GIMP questions, textures, and Fine edge tool?

[Sirashley]

Okay, I'm broke and can't afford Photoshop CS5, so with that said, I'm using GIMP and trying to learn as much as I can until I can afford Photoshop... I created the image from three photos, the source photos are at the bottom... I'm not so concerned with the overall quality of this image as I am learning the techniques... So my questions are this, does anyone know of a tool in GIMP that is similar to the "Fine Edge Tool" in photoshop. If you look at the final image, the image of me looks very pasted, the fine edge tool can help smooth the transition and edges of layers, but so far, I can't find anything in GIMP that works. I was just wondering if anyone perhaps knew of a plug-in or something that will work. I know the creators of Gimp are promising a Fine Edge tool in future versions, but I thought I'd ask if anyone knew of something that would work for now... Second, does the stone texture on the face look convincing??? I was going for the old-school greek statue sort of look... Just curious... Thanks for your time

Final Image




Here are the three source images I used to create the final image

 

[Proteus617]

Do you mean "refine edge"? No idea, and I doubted. What Gimp does have is a much more powerful edge finding tool than Pshop. There are 20 ways to skin that cat but it usually works like this: Duplicate your source layers. Possibly tweak them a bit in preparation for the edge finder. Fiddle with the parameters of the edge finder algorithms and output to a mask. Refine the mask using threshold, levels, whatever and paint out the extraneous junk then hit it with some gaussian to feather the edges. Any strangeness you can paint out or in (the mask being active with a fuzzy brush).

 

[Sirashley]

Yeah I meant "Refine edge"... my bad, its just most of the guys that have been trying to help me use Photoshop, and I'm stuck on Gimp. So I've been trying to find ways around their tutorials. Maybe I'm wrong, but it just seems like using the Refine edge tool in Photoshop will produce similar results as to the way you mentioned, but it takes far less time. Either was it doesn't matter, for now, that way will have to do for me...

 

[Proteus617]

I was never very fast at making the mask, but refining the mask goes pretty quickly with the adjustment tools you already know. Some things are much easier and faster in Pshop. I don't think this is one of them.

 

[KmH]

Are you, or anyone in your immediate family, in school?

CS6 (code name Superstition) has been in Beta testing since last July. I look for CS6 to be released in April/May 2012.

Adobe will be instituting a new upgrade pricing policy with the release of CS6. Only CS5 owners will be eligable for upgrade pricing.

In past years Adobe granted upgrade pricing back 3 release levels, so CS2, CS3, CS3 Extended, CS4, and CS4 Extended owners currently qualify for CS5 upgrade pricing.

Current CS2, CS3, CS3 Extended, CS4, and CS4 Extended owners need to seriously consider upgrading to CS5 while they can still get upgrade pricing.
Adobe Photoshop CS5 Upgrade

While the full retail price of CS5 is currently $699, I will not be surprised if CS6 costs more.