Around Halloween time, many people like to create customized decorations to use around the house or to decorate other areas (such as the workplace). Creating a pumpkin image featuring your own face (or the face of others) is one way to accomplish this. This guide on how to put your face on a virtual pumpkin]] will instruct you on how to find a free pumpkin image on the Internet and combine it with one of your favorite photos of yourself. The final product can be used for Halloween decorations, greeting cards or for the foundation of an actual pumpkin carving.
This project should take anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes and is suitable for any skill level. All you'll need is a photograph of yourself on a simple background that doesn't blend in with your focal image too much. Photoshop will be the image editor used for this tutorial. However, you can use any 2D image editing program you wish for the task.There are also numerous websites that offer programs to aid in the process of placing a photo onto an image of a pumpkin, and some of these will be discussed below.
Step 1: Find a Pumpkin Image
Thankfully, the Internet is a great source for legally attained pumpkin coloring pages. Even better, most of the images are free for crafting purposes. The following sites have pumpkin images available at no charge: Parenting.com, Familycrafts.About.com and Raisingourkids.com. http://parenting.leehansen.com/downloads/coloring/autumn/pumpkin.htmhttp://familycrafts.about.com/cs/halloweenprint/l/blcolorpumpkin1.htmhttp://www.raisingourkids.com/hol/halloween/coloring/pumpcat.shtml
Step 2: Turn Your Photograph Into a Flat Graphic
After you find a photograph that meets the criteria stated in the introduction, you will need to convert it into a graphical black and white image. The simplest way to do this is with threshold.
- 1. Open your photograph.
- 2. Go to Image -> Adjustments -> Threshold.
- 3. Move the indicator to the left to add more white or to the right to add more black.
Using Threshold
After Threshold is Used
Step 3: Add the New Image to the Pumpkin
At this point, you need to place your photograph and the pumpkin in the same file. Then, resize the threshold image to fit into the pumpkin.
- 1. Open both images drag one to the other's window.
- 2. Edit -> Free Transform
- 3. If you can't see the size handlebars, go up to the transform menu and type 50% for both height and width.
- 4. Once the handlebars are in sight, click and drag them holding Shift until the bulk of the image is positioned in the pumpkin outline.
Using Free Transform
Step 4: Visually Merging the Two Images
For the final step, you'll just need to combine the pictures together and clean up the edges.
- 1. Invert the colors of the photograph layer with Ctrl I.
- 2. Change the layer mode on the image to Darken. This will make the white blend in and vanish visually.
- 3. Now erase any part of the picture hanging outside the pumpkin edges. Click E to access the eraser tool.
Using the Darken Layer Mode
Final Image
Step 5: Helpful Websites
If you want to streamline the process, you may want to use a "pumpkinizing" website that can help you turn your photo into a Jack-O-Lantern-ready image. These sites create images that can serve as silhouettes on actual pumpkins as well as virtual ones. Glassgiant.com is one such site. http://www.glassgiant.com/pumpkinizer/
References
Fast Facts
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If you need a freely available image editor, give Gimp a try.
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To avoid accidentally deleting your original photograph, save your threshold picture as a new file using File -> Save As.
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When attempting to drag an image to another window, be sure to have the select tool active by clicking V.
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Perform the threshold step before sizing the photograph down. This will lessen the chance of the image becoming pixelated (jagged).
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For extra flair, use a gradient made from orange and dark orange to color the pumpkin. This will add extra depth and a burst of color.
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Use a bevel style on the altered photograph to get a carved effect.
