Updated How to Create Loop Videos Using Filmora for 2024

Updated How to Create Loop Videos Using Filmora for 2024

Morgan Lv12

How to Create Loop Videos Using Filmora

A loop fashion lookbook will be familiar to you if you are a fashion YouTuber. Here we will show you how to record shots and make a creative lookbook to show off your best outfits in an excellent way with Wondershare Filmora.

loop video

Shots recording for loop masking

The first and most crucial step for creating a good loop video is to record perfect shots. Here are the steps to record video shots for loop videos.

How to create a loop video

Step1 Set your camera or phone on a tripod. Make sure it stands still and does not move.

set up a camera

Step2 Set it so that you have a door on one side and enough room for the subject to walk through the door and move out of the frame.

move out of the frame

Step3 Make sure all your outfits are ready.

outfits ready

Step4 Start recording on your camera. Walk through the door wearing the first outfit. Change your outfits and repeat the step with all your dresses. It would help if you kept the camera rolling while recording all these clips. Turning the recording on and off with every shot will result in many small movements.

Editing footage with a professional video editor - Wondershare Filmora

After recording the shots, the next step is to edit them. Wondershare Filmora is the best software for this purpose. Creating a loop video using filmora is an easy task.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Below is the step-by-step guide on using Wondershare Filmora to create a loop masking or lookbook video.

How to edit a loop lookbook video

Step1 Download and install Wondershare Filmora on your PC or Mac.

Step2 Launch Wondershare Filmora, import the video clip into Filmora and place it on the first track.

import clip into filmora

Step3 Find a frame with an empty background, i.e., without the subject, and freeze the frame.

empty background frame

Step4 Extend the frozen frame and cut out the rest of the video.

extend the frozen frame

Step5 We are done with the first track so lock it.

lock first track

Step6 Import the clip again on the second track. And find the sections of the clips where the subject is walking in the video. Cut the remaining part.

import the clip on the second track

Step7 It will create several small sections on the second track.

second track sections

Step8 Put the first clip at the start of the timeline and move the playhead to find the frame containing enough room for the second outfit.

put the first outfit clip

Step9 Move the second outfit to that playhead area.

put the second outfit

Step10 Double-click on the clip, go to effects, and choose a single-line mask.

choose single line mask

Step11 Drag the mask to the point where it shows the outfit on its right side.

drag the mask line

Step12 Blur the mask edges by increasing blur numbers.

blur the mask edges

Step13 Click on the add button to add a mask keyframe and move the play head forward until the first outfit leaves the frame.

add a mask keyframe

Step14 Move the mask to the left to reveal the entire frame, and repeat the same process with all outfits.

reveal the frame and repeat with all outfits

Step15 After finishing all outfits, copy the clip from the first outfit. And paste it on top of all the tracks after the last outfit. And add a mask keyframe to this section too.

add a mask frame

Step16 Unlock the first track and move the playhead to find the point where the subject with 4th outfit moves out of the frame. Then, cut the remaining part of the freeze frame on the right.

unlock first track

Step17 Now move the playhead to the first frame and find where it coincides with the last part of the final frame. Cut the previous piece.

move playhead to first frame

Post it on Instagram, and it will keep playing automatically and act like a loop video. Otherwise, duplicate this edited clip several times to create a longer loop video. Background music plays a vital role in these videos, setting the tone and pace. Follow all the steps in the correct order. Then, create and post loop videos on your social media platforms.

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Below is the step-by-step guide on using Wondershare Filmora to create a loop masking or lookbook video.

How to edit a loop lookbook video

Step1 Download and install Wondershare Filmora on your PC or Mac.

Step2 Launch Wondershare Filmora, import the video clip into Filmora and place it on the first track.

import clip into filmora

Step3 Find a frame with an empty background, i.e., without the subject, and freeze the frame.

empty background frame

Step4 Extend the frozen frame and cut out the rest of the video.

extend the frozen frame

Step5 We are done with the first track so lock it.

lock first track

Step6 Import the clip again on the second track. And find the sections of the clips where the subject is walking in the video. Cut the remaining part.

import the clip on the second track

Step7 It will create several small sections on the second track.

second track sections

Step8 Put the first clip at the start of the timeline and move the playhead to find the frame containing enough room for the second outfit.

put the first outfit clip

Step9 Move the second outfit to that playhead area.

put the second outfit

Step10 Double-click on the clip, go to effects, and choose a single-line mask.

choose single line mask

Step11 Drag the mask to the point where it shows the outfit on its right side.

drag the mask line

Step12 Blur the mask edges by increasing blur numbers.

blur the mask edges

Step13 Click on the add button to add a mask keyframe and move the play head forward until the first outfit leaves the frame.

add a mask keyframe

Step14 Move the mask to the left to reveal the entire frame, and repeat the same process with all outfits.

reveal the frame and repeat with all outfits

Step15 After finishing all outfits, copy the clip from the first outfit. And paste it on top of all the tracks after the last outfit. And add a mask keyframe to this section too.

add a mask frame

Step16 Unlock the first track and move the playhead to find the point where the subject with 4th outfit moves out of the frame. Then, cut the remaining part of the freeze frame on the right.

unlock first track

Step17 Now move the playhead to the first frame and find where it coincides with the last part of the final frame. Cut the previous piece.

move playhead to first frame

Post it on Instagram, and it will keep playing automatically and act like a loop video. Otherwise, duplicate this edited clip several times to create a longer loop video. Background music plays a vital role in these videos, setting the tone and pace. Follow all the steps in the correct order. Then, create and post loop videos on your social media platforms.

Steps to Create One Click Video Reverse Effect in Filmora

All great video editors use phenomenal video effects in their videos. One of the most professional effects is the reverse video effect. This unique effect is always challenging for the makers to shoot and portray on the screen flawlessly.

At the same time, it is intriguing and always draws the audience’s attention. In this article, you will learn to shoot and edit the video for reverse effects using Filmora. But first, we will learn what does video reverse effect mean. So let us get into this!

Part 1. What Is Video Reverse Effect?

It is a special video effect in which a motion of things starts in the backward direction. This unique effect is used to intrigue the audience.

For example, if a bullet is fired from a gun. With the reverse effect, you can rewind the footage, and the shot goes back into the gun. So today, you can easily rewind fast action scenes and get a wow reaction from the audience.

Famous Examples of Reverse Effect in Films

1- Demolition of a Wall (1896)

Filmmakers first used this striking effect in 1896 in a 90 seconds film, “Demolition of a wall.” Louis Lumiere was the one who made that video. Below is shown an image from the film.

demolition of a wall 1896

2- Tenet (2020)

It is a viral film by Christopher Nolan, which was a great success. He explained the concept of reverse entropy, in which you start moving back chronologically in time instead of forward. This concept is all shown through this special video reverse effect. Unfortunately, the audience had difficulty digesting this unique concept, which generated an awful response.

tenet 2020

Part 2. How To Shoot Video Reverse Effect?

The reverse effect is unique, so special attention should be paid while filming a video. This section will cover some of the crucial prerequisites to film a video.

Steady Camera

It would be best to have your camera placed on a steady surface or mounted on a tripod stand to lock the focus. We will split the area and perform different tasks to make it look smooth. The audience will not get the idea that you completed the tasks separately. And it helps in the editing process as well.

keep your camera steady

A Spacious Area

You will need a spacious area in which you will perform different tasks. Make sure your camera stands still while shooting all the frames of video. In an ample space, it becomes easier to do movements freely. It also helps prevent glitches in the final product.

Splitting of Area into Portions

Now you have to split your area into portions. Each task is in its part of the frame, and actions in one frame should not pass over into another. You will do one activity per portion. It makes the editing process a lot easier. Finally, we get all three videos to merge and make it look like a single video.

making three portions of the area

After covering the prerequisites, we will now learn the editing process of creating a video reverse effect.

Part 3. How To Edit Video Reverse Effect In Filmora? [Stepwise Guide]

Creating video reverse effects is much easier these days. Wondershare Filmora is going to help you a lot. Filmora is an exceptional platform for creating innovative and creative videos. It has advanced editing features, which help make professional videos.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Applying video reverse effects to your shots here is a wise guide. Please follow the instructions given below.

Step1 Downloading Filmora and Importing Files
  • After recording your shots, you will edit them in Filmora. But first, download Filmora from the website and install it.
  • After opening the software, import the recording files by clicking “Import Media.”

download the filmora

Step2 Drag the Shots to the Timeline
  • Drag the shots to the timeline and drop it. If Filmora asks for a matching resolution on the timeline, please click “Match to Media.” It will adjust your media resolution according to the timeline.

drag the shots to the timeline

  • Add videos of each action on the layers above by drag and drop.
Step3 Adding Image Mask to the Clips
  • Now you will add an image mask to the clips you shot at the area’s corners.
  • To simultaneously show each action in the final video, go to “Effects” and click on the search tab.
  • Please search “Image Mask.”
  • Now drag and drop this effect to the footage shot at corners of the area.

add image mask effect to the clips

Step4 Adjustment of the Image Mask of each Footage
  • Now we will adjust the image mask of each footage so that each will show the task without any glitches.
  • For that purpose, double-click on the video. Next, click on “Effects” in the top right corner of the screen. Then select “Image Mask” and make the necessary adjustments so that each mask shows each footage.

editing of image mask effect

Step5 Trimming the Video Clip
  • You can trim the footage to create a smooth movement in each portion. In this way, all the clips gel together in a single frame.

trim the clips

  • We have successfully gelled together three video clips in a single frame.
  • But all these videos are moving forward. So let us now apply the reverse effect to a video clip.
Step6 Apply Reverse Speed to Video Clip
  • Please right-click on the video and select “Show speed control.”
  • The Control panel will open in the right corner of the screen.
  • Then enable the “Reverse Speed” option. You will apply a reverse effect to that clip.

apply reverse speed to the clips

  • Your video is ready now, with one clip moving in reverse and two in the forward direction.
  • Take a look at the preview of your final product.
  • Apply some changes to it if needed.
Step7 Export the Final Project
  • Now it’s time to export the project to the device.
  • Please select “Export” in the top right corner of the screen. And ship it to the device.

export the video

Step8 Final Video

Now have a look at the final project. How smooth and perfect it looks. That’s it!

final video example

Conclusion

The reverse video effect has a unique characteristic of its own. And it will always work when you use it in your videos. The great success of many popular films is evident by the captivating feature that this effect has got. In this article, we have discussed the prerequisites and steps of creating a reverse video effect.

If this article has helped you, please mention your experience in the comment box. Also, please share this article with your friends and colleagues. Keep creating!

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Applying video reverse effects to your shots here is a wise guide. Please follow the instructions given below.

Step1 Downloading Filmora and Importing Files
  • After recording your shots, you will edit them in Filmora. But first, download Filmora from the website and install it.
  • After opening the software, import the recording files by clicking “Import Media.”

download the filmora

Step2 Drag the Shots to the Timeline
  • Drag the shots to the timeline and drop it. If Filmora asks for a matching resolution on the timeline, please click “Match to Media.” It will adjust your media resolution according to the timeline.

drag the shots to the timeline

  • Add videos of each action on the layers above by drag and drop.
Step3 Adding Image Mask to the Clips
  • Now you will add an image mask to the clips you shot at the area’s corners.
  • To simultaneously show each action in the final video, go to “Effects” and click on the search tab.
  • Please search “Image Mask.”
  • Now drag and drop this effect to the footage shot at corners of the area.

add image mask effect to the clips

Step4 Adjustment of the Image Mask of each Footage
  • Now we will adjust the image mask of each footage so that each will show the task without any glitches.
  • For that purpose, double-click on the video. Next, click on “Effects” in the top right corner of the screen. Then select “Image Mask” and make the necessary adjustments so that each mask shows each footage.

editing of image mask effect

Step5 Trimming the Video Clip
  • You can trim the footage to create a smooth movement in each portion. In this way, all the clips gel together in a single frame.

trim the clips

  • We have successfully gelled together three video clips in a single frame.
  • But all these videos are moving forward. So let us now apply the reverse effect to a video clip.
Step6 Apply Reverse Speed to Video Clip
  • Please right-click on the video and select “Show speed control.”
  • The Control panel will open in the right corner of the screen.
  • Then enable the “Reverse Speed” option. You will apply a reverse effect to that clip.

apply reverse speed to the clips

  • Your video is ready now, with one clip moving in reverse and two in the forward direction.
  • Take a look at the preview of your final product.
  • Apply some changes to it if needed.
Step7 Export the Final Project
  • Now it’s time to export the project to the device.
  • Please select “Export” in the top right corner of the screen. And ship it to the device.

export the video

Step8 Final Video

Now have a look at the final project. How smooth and perfect it looks. That’s it!

final video example

Conclusion

The reverse video effect has a unique characteristic of its own. And it will always work when you use it in your videos. The great success of many popular films is evident by the captivating feature that this effect has got. In this article, we have discussed the prerequisites and steps of creating a reverse video effect.

If this article has helped you, please mention your experience in the comment box. Also, please share this article with your friends and colleagues. Keep creating!

How to Use GIMP GREEN SCREEN

Chroma key with gimp green screen is the method by which photographers (and videographers) use a monochromatic backdrop, then replace the blue or green “screen” with a virtual background. This is the method employed during every evening weather broadcast: the newscaster is standing in front of a blank screen, but the viewers at home see a weather map.

Green screen Chroma key can also be used with photography. Subjects can be photographed in front of a monochromatic screen, and a virtual background can be put behind the subject once the screen is removed. For example, a duck can be photographed in front of a green or blue tarp, which is then replaced by a photograph of a river.

Filmora Audio Recorder

Record computer system audio

Capture microphone audio

Customize recording volume

Record screen and webcam as well

Try It Free Try It Free

How to use green screen in gimp

If you take a picture with a solid colored background (blue or green works best), then you can have a computer program pull out the blue or green pixels and replace them with another color or a transparent layer. This process is called “chroma key” and is used in weather forecasts and other special effects. The terms “green screen” and “blue screen” also refer to the chroma key process.

These directions outlined below describe how to use GIMP to add a transparent layer and remove blue or green pixels from an image. This allows you to layer images on different backgrounds or use pictures as Sprites in Scratch or Greenfoot.

Brief outline of process:

  1. Start GIMP
  2. Open the picture file.
  3. Create an “Alpha Channel” (Transparent Pixels)
  4. Select “Like Colored Pixels” (Click on the Green or Blue background)
  5. Control->K to delete the pixels and reveal the Transparent background.
  6. Save the picture as a .gif file. (Not .jpg!)

Detailed Directions:

  1. Start GIMP: (The “Gnu Image Manipulation Program”)
  2. Click the “K” menu
  3. Select “Graphics”
  4. Select “GIMP Image Editor”

Note about the GIMP:

Most computer applications run in one window. GIMP will run different windows for each function or object you are working with. (Separate windows for paintbrush menus, images, backgrounds, etc . . .)

  1. Select “File-> Open”
  2. Navigate to your File Area and select a chroma key picture
  3. Once your picture opens, add the “Alpha Channel”
    a. Select “Layer” from the picture menu bar
    b. Select “Transparency”
    c. Select “Add Alpha Channel”
  4. Click the “Select Region by Color” icon.
  5. Click once on the green or blue color in the background.
  6. Press “Control -> K” on the keyboard to delete the colors. The background will appear as a gray checkerboard pattern.
  7. Repeat the click and “Control-K” process to remove the background colors.
  8. Once the background colors are removed, save the picture:
    a. Select “File-Save As” from the menu bar.
    b. Type “LastnamePicture.gif” as the filename.
  9. Select “Convert to Indexed” - Click Export
  10. Click “OK”
  11. the picture should save.
  12. You can now use this picture in Scratch for a sprite, or in other graphics projects to combine with backgrounds.

Best GIMP alternative to edit images

Krita

Krita is an application for image creation and image manipulation. We focus on painting, illustration, concept art and other creative work. This is a short an incomplete list of the most important features Krita provides.

Krita provides an OpenGL based canvas in addition to an unaccelerated canvas. Krita’s filters, histogram computation and image recomposion are multi-threaded and make use of multiple cores if available. The effect of filters is previewed on-canvas.

Key Features

  • File Formats

Krita has support for a variety of file formats. Not all file formats are supported equally well, and for some there is only import, not export. Krita supports metadata for kra, ora, tiff, jpeg and png file formats.

  • Color models

Krita does not support indexed color models. In general, Krita does not support color models without an alpha channel. Krita supports different channel depths, from 8 bits integer to 32 bits floating point per channel.

  • Layer types

Krita supports the both layers and masks. Masks are associated with a single layer, while layers are grouped in a hierarchy.

  • Tools

There are several types of tools: vector tools, raster tools, guidance tools, canvas tools and selection tools. Note some types of content are not implement as tools but as “shapes” that can be inserted, for instance richt text, text-on-a-path or geometric shapes.

  • Brush engines

Krita is different from other applications in that it supports brush engine plugins. These brush engines are used in the pixel tools to stroke your painting.

  • Filters

Krita provides filters that can be used directly, i.e. destructively on the pixels of a layer, when painting, or dynamically as a filter layer or filter mask.

Paint.Net

Paint.net is a free and very capable image editing software for Windows. Great alternative to Photoshop for people that do not need all the stuff PS offers.

In order to handle multiple images easily, Paint.NET uses a tabbed document interface. The tabs display a live thumbnail of the image instead of a text description. This makes navigation very simple and fast. Extensive work has gone into making Paint.NET the fastest image editor available. Whether you have a netbook with a power-conscious Atom CPU, or a Dual Intel Xeon workstation with 16+ blazingly fast processing cores, you can expect Paint.NET to start up quickly and be responsive to every mouse click.

Key Features

  • **Performance

Extensive work has gone into making Paint.NET the fastest image editor available. Whether you have a netbook with a power-conscious Atom CPU, or a Dual Intel Xeon workstation with 16+ blazingly fast processing cores, you can expect Paint.NET to start up quickly and be responsive to every mouse click.

  • **Layers

Usually only found on expensive or complicated professional software, layers form the basis for a rich image composition experience. You may think of them as a stack of transparency slides that, when viewed together at the same time, form one image.

  • **Automatically Updated

Updates are free, and contain new features, performance improvements, and bug fixes. Upgrading to the latest version is very simple, requiring only two clicks of the mouse.

  • **Special Effects

Many special effects are included for enhancing and perfecting your images. Everything from blurring, sharpening, red-eye removal, distortion, noise, and embossing are included. Also included is our unique 3D Rotate/Zoom effect that makes it very easy to add perspective and tilting. Adjustments are also included which help you tweak an image’s brightness, contrast, hue, saturation, curves, and levels. You can also convert an image to black and white, or sepia-toned.

  • **Powerful Tools

Paint.NET includes simple tools for drawing shapes, including an easy-to-use curve tool for drawing splines or Bezier curves. The Gradient tool, new for 3.0, has been cited as an innovative improvement over similar tools provided by other software. The facilities for creating and working with selections is powerful, yet still simple enough to be picked up quickly. Other powerful tools include the Magic Wand for selecting regions of similar color, and the Clone Stamp for copying or erasing portions of an image. There is also a simple text editor, a tool for zooming, and a Recolor tool.

  • **Unlimited History

Everybody makes mistakes, and everybody changes their mind. To accommodate this, _every action you perform on an image is recorded in the History window and may be undone. Once you’ve undone an action, you can also redo it. The length of the history is only limited by available disk space.

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is the commercial image editor that set the standard in creative illustration and design work with a sophisticated, layer-based workflow and robust, professional feature set.

Over the years, Photoshop developed from a small photo editing tool to an Industry-leading software that dictates the global graphic designing and multimedia industries. With every new version, Adobe introduces in the Photoshop; the graphic designing communities wait to check out the next big leap where Photoshop can take them.

Key Features of Adobe Photoshop

  • Layers

With Layers palette, you can draw or design various elements of your document independently in layers and stack them up as per the order of display. With this advantage, control over every single object is catered at the click of a mouse. Mistakes happen, but the effects of the mistake are limited to the part of the canvas; you can choose to work on the particular part and leave the rest of the canvas as it is. This benefit is lacking in the traditional painting method. Artists are not allowed to relax at any part of the drawing or painting once their concentration is diverted and a stroke of painting goes wrong! They are bound to change the whole canvas.

  • Selection Tools

Photoshop’s selection tools are so handy to use that designers worldwide are addicted to the set of selection tools Photoshop offers. However, there are a bunch of competitive software and open-source software designed to give tough competition for Photoshop. Users are still stuck with Adobe’s torch bearer software due to the ease its tools provide.

  • Pen Tool

Today, Photoshop cannot be imagined without a Pen tool. Though the pen tool, by nature, works for drawing paths along with the anchor points, the creative scope it provides is limitless. The tool is designed so flexibly that the designer can draw any shape or edit the existing shapes as good as he is using his bare hand. The amount of control we have through placing the anchor points in the right places is taken further with the three types of Anchor points that can allow you to draw and edit paths precisely.

  • Shapes

The outlook of the shape layers in Photoshop may be limited, but the capabilities of the feature go a step further than what we assume about it. In the traditional marquee selection tools, the selection is limited to the raster process, and in many cases, the output will result in the sharp pixilated edges, which are never good looking. But the shape layers can act as an individual object within the document with its attribute to maintain the finest quality.

  • Vector Mask

The layer masks create a masking portion of an object by using the grayscale color combination (Shades of Gray). Once the masking part is done, the area of the object under the layer mask disappears.

  • Retouching Tools

Retouching tools are an accumulation of various tools such as Stamp tool, Pattern Stamp tool, Spot Healing tool, Healing tool, Patch tool, Redeye tool and much more. Though the numbers are more, every tool has its importance. The development of retouching tools did not happen overnight. Adobe was working hard identifying the problems of the photographers and finding the solutions for the problems from time to time.

Affinity Photo

Affinity Photo is a professional, full-featured raster graphics editor. Working in Affinity Photo is always live and you can pan and zoom at 60fps, with live previews and non-destructive application.

Whatever your genre of choice, be it landscapes, portraits, macro or anything else, Affinity not only has an unbeatable set of tools to help you, but it’s also laid out in an intuitive way that is ideal for newcomers and those switching from other software alike. There are a series of modules, called Personas, that bring you dedicated interfaces, such as Tone Mapping, RAW Developing and even a powerful liquify interface that makes complex reshaping a breeze! Even better, you can take the full functionality of the desktop app on the road, thanks to the iPad version, which is the most powerful mobile editing solution available. With so much on offer for so little, it’s time that you incorporated Affinity Photo into your workflow and moved your photography to the next step. To get you started, we’re going to give you some great tips to get the most from this brilliant software and get you well on the way to creating your own Masterpieces.

  • **Develop RAW Files Like A Pro

The first milestone in any photographer’s journey is unquestionably learning to shoot RAW. This image format captures even more data than JPEG and can be tweaked to create the perfect image or a solid base for further editing. To take advantage, all you need to do is open up your RAW file of choice into Affinity Photo and the Develop Persona will load up automatically. From here you can apply exposure adjustments, recover highlights and shadows and even craft a split toning effect. There’s a Curves adjustment for precision tweaks, a savvy noise reduction component and a lens correction module to combat distortion. It has everything you need for that all-important first step to brilliance.

  • **Professional Skin Retouching At The Click Of A Button

If you shoot portraits, you’ll doubtless know about the power of frequency separation. This technique is favored by many pros to get that glossy high-end look that screams professional. While it may sound complicated, in Affinity Photo it’s as simple as going to the Photo Persona and clicking on Filters>Frequency Separation. Once you’ve done this, you can set your Gaussian Blur amount in real-time, click Apply and the software will split your shot into two layers, one with the color and one with the detail. From here, you can remove blemishes, add your own dodge and burn and tidy up colors – a game changer!

  • **Ramp Up Your Dynamic Range With Tone Mapping

Amazingly, Affinity Photo has its very own Tone Mapping Persona with a full suite of tools to get your well on the way to high dynamic range images, whether you have a series of bracketed shots – identical photos taken at different exposures – or a single shot as we’ve used. Opening this Persona brings up a toolbar on the right-hand side with the usual exposure and enhancement tools, though also gives you access to Tone Compression, Local Contrast and detail sliders. There’s even a series of presets to get you started. Like most of Affinity, the effects can be seen in real-time and are completely reversible, meaning there’s no such thing as a permanent mistake. What we love most about the Tone Mapping Persona is the subtlety compared to others on offer, meaning you’re able to keep your shots looking natural while still getting the most from your work!

  • **Adjustments Are Plentiful And Powerful

Adjustments refer to a series of functional layers that apply specific effects to your shots. These can be as simple as Exposure, Vibrance or Brightness and Contrast, which do what they say on the tin, all the way up to more powerful options like Gradient Maps, Channel Mixers and Color Balance for creative effects and color corrections. Because they’re layers, they can be altered at any time in your editing process and moved around as you see fit. They affect any layers below them in the Layer palette but can be set to cast an effect on only a single-pixel layer by using the brilliant Mask to Below feature. You can also stack as many Adjustments as you wish, giving you a huge amount of flexibility to fine-tune your work in any way possible.

  • **Layers Offer You The Ultimate Creative Freedom

An editing software that doesn’t allow Layers will really set back your creative choices. Happily, Affinity Photo gives you full control over its layer system. This means that you can bring in additional elements into your scene. You can then take advantage of Affinity’s hugely powerful selection engine to select the parts you wish to cut out or scroll through the full list of Blending Modes for a more refined and creative look. To add the birds to our shot, we took one landscape and added in a shot of birds taken against a white sky. From here, it’s as easy as setting the Blending Mode to Multiply and voila, the white sky has gone. Of course, there’s no need to stop there, and you can find yourself creating in-depth composites that are truly only limited by your imagination - set yourself free!

Pixlr

Pixlr makes it easy to transform everyday images into stunning works of art. Whether you’re applying a quick fix to your photos or adding your personal touch with effects, overlays, or borders, Pixlr has everything you need to make your moments beautiful.

For now, Pixlr is free for all users: individuals to the enterprise. There is no news yet if and when the platform is set to charge people from using it. For content creators and artists on the go, Pixlr is a great app to use. It is free and available on the web. Regardless of your device, you only need an internet connection to get access to a free app but with serious functionalities. You just open your files from your device through the app like you would any popular image editing software and you are good to go. Furthermore, images edited on Pixlr are set to private. This makes your interaction with the app, over the net, is secure. Also, Pixlr does not store any copy of your images in their systems.

Key Features

  • **Free and Safe

Pixlr, for now, is free. There is also no indication that the company will charge users soon. It is a legitimate site that does not engage in fraudulent activities or perpetuate any hidden charges. The images that you edit or make on Pixlr are also free for commercial use. For freelance artists and small businesses, this is the perfect starter app. For enterprises with content creators in the field, it is good to let employees know about Pixlr’s no-cost offer.

  • **Versatile and Lightweight

Any browser can access Pixlr. Users can access the image editing suite regardless of device type and operating system. If you are on Mac, Windows, or Linux using Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Chrome, Pixlr is available at your disposal. All you need to have is a Flash plug-in.

If you are on mobile using iOS or Android, you can download the native apps. They do not take much of space and memory. It is a true lightweight app that packs a punch when it comes to functionality.

  • **Quick Fix

Pixlr is known for being the lightweight app that packs so many editing tools and functionalities at no cost. But, maybe, more importantly, it also includes many tools for quick fixes. This is something essential for people on the go or those that just need minor adjustments. Just open your browser on any device and apply touch-ups. You do not have to open your laptop or go to your desktop for simple needs.

  • **Spot heal

Super useful, the spot heal tool can help remove scratches or blemishes by simply clicking on the area. Additional options: Besides size of brush, you have a choice of Pixlr choosing to blend the area with nearby area values or generate a pattern. Generally, you will only want to choose a pattern if you’re blending an area that has a pattern (e.g., a chain-link fence).

  • **Dodge

Use the dodge tool to lighten specific areas. Note that this is a tool that deals with contrast (light vs. dark) and not color, although color may sometimes appear to change based on your lightening. Additional options: You can change brush size and exposure settings. You can also choose to focus your lightening on shadows, midtones, or highlights.

  • **Sponge

The sponge tool enhances or sops up color, depending on your settings. It’s a great tool for saturating or desaturating specific areas of an image. Additional options: You can change the brush size and brush strength, but the most important setting is whether you want to saturate (increase) or desaturate (decrease) coloring.

Conclusion

When choosing an object for use in chroma key, it is important to verify the background “screen” color does not exist on the object. For example, choosing a blue background for a blue butterfly would be a poor choice: portions of the butterfly would be deleted along with the background.In addition, it would be a good idea to become familiar with basic GIMP functions before attempting this tutorial: a basic knowledge of the Layers dialog and toolbox items is necessary prior to attempting this photo editing technique.

Try It Free Try It Free

How to use green screen in gimp

If you take a picture with a solid colored background (blue or green works best), then you can have a computer program pull out the blue or green pixels and replace them with another color or a transparent layer. This process is called “chroma key” and is used in weather forecasts and other special effects. The terms “green screen” and “blue screen” also refer to the chroma key process.

These directions outlined below describe how to use GIMP to add a transparent layer and remove blue or green pixels from an image. This allows you to layer images on different backgrounds or use pictures as Sprites in Scratch or Greenfoot.

Brief outline of process:

  1. Start GIMP
  2. Open the picture file.
  3. Create an “Alpha Channel” (Transparent Pixels)
  4. Select “Like Colored Pixels” (Click on the Green or Blue background)
  5. Control->K to delete the pixels and reveal the Transparent background.
  6. Save the picture as a .gif file. (Not .jpg!)

Detailed Directions:

  1. Start GIMP: (The “Gnu Image Manipulation Program”)
  2. Click the “K” menu
  3. Select “Graphics”
  4. Select “GIMP Image Editor”

Note about the GIMP:

Most computer applications run in one window. GIMP will run different windows for each function or object you are working with. (Separate windows for paintbrush menus, images, backgrounds, etc . . .)

  1. Select “File-> Open”
  2. Navigate to your File Area and select a chroma key picture
  3. Once your picture opens, add the “Alpha Channel”
    a. Select “Layer” from the picture menu bar
    b. Select “Transparency”
    c. Select “Add Alpha Channel”
  4. Click the “Select Region by Color” icon.
  5. Click once on the green or blue color in the background.
  6. Press “Control -> K” on the keyboard to delete the colors. The background will appear as a gray checkerboard pattern.
  7. Repeat the click and “Control-K” process to remove the background colors.
  8. Once the background colors are removed, save the picture:
    a. Select “File-Save As” from the menu bar.
    b. Type “LastnamePicture.gif” as the filename.
  9. Select “Convert to Indexed” - Click Export
  10. Click “OK”
  11. the picture should save.
  12. You can now use this picture in Scratch for a sprite, or in other graphics projects to combine with backgrounds.

Best GIMP alternative to edit images

Krita

Krita is an application for image creation and image manipulation. We focus on painting, illustration, concept art and other creative work. This is a short an incomplete list of the most important features Krita provides.

Krita provides an OpenGL based canvas in addition to an unaccelerated canvas. Krita’s filters, histogram computation and image recomposion are multi-threaded and make use of multiple cores if available. The effect of filters is previewed on-canvas.

Key Features

  • File Formats

Krita has support for a variety of file formats. Not all file formats are supported equally well, and for some there is only import, not export. Krita supports metadata for kra, ora, tiff, jpeg and png file formats.

  • Color models

Krita does not support indexed color models. In general, Krita does not support color models without an alpha channel. Krita supports different channel depths, from 8 bits integer to 32 bits floating point per channel.

  • Layer types

Krita supports the both layers and masks. Masks are associated with a single layer, while layers are grouped in a hierarchy.

  • Tools

There are several types of tools: vector tools, raster tools, guidance tools, canvas tools and selection tools. Note some types of content are not implement as tools but as “shapes” that can be inserted, for instance richt text, text-on-a-path or geometric shapes.

  • Brush engines

Krita is different from other applications in that it supports brush engine plugins. These brush engines are used in the pixel tools to stroke your painting.

  • Filters

Krita provides filters that can be used directly, i.e. destructively on the pixels of a layer, when painting, or dynamically as a filter layer or filter mask.

Paint.Net

Paint.net is a free and very capable image editing software for Windows. Great alternative to Photoshop for people that do not need all the stuff PS offers.

In order to handle multiple images easily, Paint.NET uses a tabbed document interface. The tabs display a live thumbnail of the image instead of a text description. This makes navigation very simple and fast. Extensive work has gone into making Paint.NET the fastest image editor available. Whether you have a netbook with a power-conscious Atom CPU, or a Dual Intel Xeon workstation with 16+ blazingly fast processing cores, you can expect Paint.NET to start up quickly and be responsive to every mouse click.

Key Features

  • **Performance

Extensive work has gone into making Paint.NET the fastest image editor available. Whether you have a netbook with a power-conscious Atom CPU, or a Dual Intel Xeon workstation with 16+ blazingly fast processing cores, you can expect Paint.NET to start up quickly and be responsive to every mouse click.

  • **Layers

Usually only found on expensive or complicated professional software, layers form the basis for a rich image composition experience. You may think of them as a stack of transparency slides that, when viewed together at the same time, form one image.

  • **Automatically Updated

Updates are free, and contain new features, performance improvements, and bug fixes. Upgrading to the latest version is very simple, requiring only two clicks of the mouse.

  • **Special Effects

Many special effects are included for enhancing and perfecting your images. Everything from blurring, sharpening, red-eye removal, distortion, noise, and embossing are included. Also included is our unique 3D Rotate/Zoom effect that makes it very easy to add perspective and tilting. Adjustments are also included which help you tweak an image’s brightness, contrast, hue, saturation, curves, and levels. You can also convert an image to black and white, or sepia-toned.

  • **Powerful Tools

Paint.NET includes simple tools for drawing shapes, including an easy-to-use curve tool for drawing splines or Bezier curves. The Gradient tool, new for 3.0, has been cited as an innovative improvement over similar tools provided by other software. The facilities for creating and working with selections is powerful, yet still simple enough to be picked up quickly. Other powerful tools include the Magic Wand for selecting regions of similar color, and the Clone Stamp for copying or erasing portions of an image. There is also a simple text editor, a tool for zooming, and a Recolor tool.

  • **Unlimited History

Everybody makes mistakes, and everybody changes their mind. To accommodate this, _every action you perform on an image is recorded in the History window and may be undone. Once you’ve undone an action, you can also redo it. The length of the history is only limited by available disk space.

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is the commercial image editor that set the standard in creative illustration and design work with a sophisticated, layer-based workflow and robust, professional feature set.

Over the years, Photoshop developed from a small photo editing tool to an Industry-leading software that dictates the global graphic designing and multimedia industries. With every new version, Adobe introduces in the Photoshop; the graphic designing communities wait to check out the next big leap where Photoshop can take them.

Key Features of Adobe Photoshop

  • Layers

With Layers palette, you can draw or design various elements of your document independently in layers and stack them up as per the order of display. With this advantage, control over every single object is catered at the click of a mouse. Mistakes happen, but the effects of the mistake are limited to the part of the canvas; you can choose to work on the particular part and leave the rest of the canvas as it is. This benefit is lacking in the traditional painting method. Artists are not allowed to relax at any part of the drawing or painting once their concentration is diverted and a stroke of painting goes wrong! They are bound to change the whole canvas.

  • Selection Tools

Photoshop’s selection tools are so handy to use that designers worldwide are addicted to the set of selection tools Photoshop offers. However, there are a bunch of competitive software and open-source software designed to give tough competition for Photoshop. Users are still stuck with Adobe’s torch bearer software due to the ease its tools provide.

  • Pen Tool

Today, Photoshop cannot be imagined without a Pen tool. Though the pen tool, by nature, works for drawing paths along with the anchor points, the creative scope it provides is limitless. The tool is designed so flexibly that the designer can draw any shape or edit the existing shapes as good as he is using his bare hand. The amount of control we have through placing the anchor points in the right places is taken further with the three types of Anchor points that can allow you to draw and edit paths precisely.

  • Shapes

The outlook of the shape layers in Photoshop may be limited, but the capabilities of the feature go a step further than what we assume about it. In the traditional marquee selection tools, the selection is limited to the raster process, and in many cases, the output will result in the sharp pixilated edges, which are never good looking. But the shape layers can act as an individual object within the document with its attribute to maintain the finest quality.

  • Vector Mask

The layer masks create a masking portion of an object by using the grayscale color combination (Shades of Gray). Once the masking part is done, the area of the object under the layer mask disappears.

  • Retouching Tools

Retouching tools are an accumulation of various tools such as Stamp tool, Pattern Stamp tool, Spot Healing tool, Healing tool, Patch tool, Redeye tool and much more. Though the numbers are more, every tool has its importance. The development of retouching tools did not happen overnight. Adobe was working hard identifying the problems of the photographers and finding the solutions for the problems from time to time.

Affinity Photo

Affinity Photo is a professional, full-featured raster graphics editor. Working in Affinity Photo is always live and you can pan and zoom at 60fps, with live previews and non-destructive application.

Whatever your genre of choice, be it landscapes, portraits, macro or anything else, Affinity not only has an unbeatable set of tools to help you, but it’s also laid out in an intuitive way that is ideal for newcomers and those switching from other software alike. There are a series of modules, called Personas, that bring you dedicated interfaces, such as Tone Mapping, RAW Developing and even a powerful liquify interface that makes complex reshaping a breeze! Even better, you can take the full functionality of the desktop app on the road, thanks to the iPad version, which is the most powerful mobile editing solution available. With so much on offer for so little, it’s time that you incorporated Affinity Photo into your workflow and moved your photography to the next step. To get you started, we’re going to give you some great tips to get the most from this brilliant software and get you well on the way to creating your own Masterpieces.

  • **Develop RAW Files Like A Pro

The first milestone in any photographer’s journey is unquestionably learning to shoot RAW. This image format captures even more data than JPEG and can be tweaked to create the perfect image or a solid base for further editing. To take advantage, all you need to do is open up your RAW file of choice into Affinity Photo and the Develop Persona will load up automatically. From here you can apply exposure adjustments, recover highlights and shadows and even craft a split toning effect. There’s a Curves adjustment for precision tweaks, a savvy noise reduction component and a lens correction module to combat distortion. It has everything you need for that all-important first step to brilliance.

  • **Professional Skin Retouching At The Click Of A Button

If you shoot portraits, you’ll doubtless know about the power of frequency separation. This technique is favored by many pros to get that glossy high-end look that screams professional. While it may sound complicated, in Affinity Photo it’s as simple as going to the Photo Persona and clicking on Filters>Frequency Separation. Once you’ve done this, you can set your Gaussian Blur amount in real-time, click Apply and the software will split your shot into two layers, one with the color and one with the detail. From here, you can remove blemishes, add your own dodge and burn and tidy up colors – a game changer!

  • **Ramp Up Your Dynamic Range With Tone Mapping

Amazingly, Affinity Photo has its very own Tone Mapping Persona with a full suite of tools to get your well on the way to high dynamic range images, whether you have a series of bracketed shots – identical photos taken at different exposures – or a single shot as we’ve used. Opening this Persona brings up a toolbar on the right-hand side with the usual exposure and enhancement tools, though also gives you access to Tone Compression, Local Contrast and detail sliders. There’s even a series of presets to get you started. Like most of Affinity, the effects can be seen in real-time and are completely reversible, meaning there’s no such thing as a permanent mistake. What we love most about the Tone Mapping Persona is the subtlety compared to others on offer, meaning you’re able to keep your shots looking natural while still getting the most from your work!

  • **Adjustments Are Plentiful And Powerful

Adjustments refer to a series of functional layers that apply specific effects to your shots. These can be as simple as Exposure, Vibrance or Brightness and Contrast, which do what they say on the tin, all the way up to more powerful options like Gradient Maps, Channel Mixers and Color Balance for creative effects and color corrections. Because they’re layers, they can be altered at any time in your editing process and moved around as you see fit. They affect any layers below them in the Layer palette but can be set to cast an effect on only a single-pixel layer by using the brilliant Mask to Below feature. You can also stack as many Adjustments as you wish, giving you a huge amount of flexibility to fine-tune your work in any way possible.

  • **Layers Offer You The Ultimate Creative Freedom

An editing software that doesn’t allow Layers will really set back your creative choices. Happily, Affinity Photo gives you full control over its layer system. This means that you can bring in additional elements into your scene. You can then take advantage of Affinity’s hugely powerful selection engine to select the parts you wish to cut out or scroll through the full list of Blending Modes for a more refined and creative look. To add the birds to our shot, we took one landscape and added in a shot of birds taken against a white sky. From here, it’s as easy as setting the Blending Mode to Multiply and voila, the white sky has gone. Of course, there’s no need to stop there, and you can find yourself creating in-depth composites that are truly only limited by your imagination - set yourself free!

Pixlr

Pixlr makes it easy to transform everyday images into stunning works of art. Whether you’re applying a quick fix to your photos or adding your personal touch with effects, overlays, or borders, Pixlr has everything you need to make your moments beautiful.

For now, Pixlr is free for all users: individuals to the enterprise. There is no news yet if and when the platform is set to charge people from using it. For content creators and artists on the go, Pixlr is a great app to use. It is free and available on the web. Regardless of your device, you only need an internet connection to get access to a free app but with serious functionalities. You just open your files from your device through the app like you would any popular image editing software and you are good to go. Furthermore, images edited on Pixlr are set to private. This makes your interaction with the app, over the net, is secure. Also, Pixlr does not store any copy of your images in their systems.

Key Features

  • **Free and Safe

Pixlr, for now, is free. There is also no indication that the company will charge users soon. It is a legitimate site that does not engage in fraudulent activities or perpetuate any hidden charges. The images that you edit or make on Pixlr are also free for commercial use. For freelance artists and small businesses, this is the perfect starter app. For enterprises with content creators in the field, it is good to let employees know about Pixlr’s no-cost offer.

  • **Versatile and Lightweight

Any browser can access Pixlr. Users can access the image editing suite regardless of device type and operating system. If you are on Mac, Windows, or Linux using Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Chrome, Pixlr is available at your disposal. All you need to have is a Flash plug-in.

If you are on mobile using iOS or Android, you can download the native apps. They do not take much of space and memory. It is a true lightweight app that packs a punch when it comes to functionality.

  • **Quick Fix

Pixlr is known for being the lightweight app that packs so many editing tools and functionalities at no cost. But, maybe, more importantly, it also includes many tools for quick fixes. This is something essential for people on the go or those that just need minor adjustments. Just open your browser on any device and apply touch-ups. You do not have to open your laptop or go to your desktop for simple needs.

  • **Spot heal

Super useful, the spot heal tool can help remove scratches or blemishes by simply clicking on the area. Additional options: Besides size of brush, you have a choice of Pixlr choosing to blend the area with nearby area values or generate a pattern. Generally, you will only want to choose a pattern if you’re blending an area that has a pattern (e.g., a chain-link fence).

  • **Dodge

Use the dodge tool to lighten specific areas. Note that this is a tool that deals with contrast (light vs. dark) and not color, although color may sometimes appear to change based on your lightening. Additional options: You can change brush size and exposure settings. You can also choose to focus your lightening on shadows, midtones, or highlights.

  • **Sponge

The sponge tool enhances or sops up color, depending on your settings. It’s a great tool for saturating or desaturating specific areas of an image. Additional options: You can change the brush size and brush strength, but the most important setting is whether you want to saturate (increase) or desaturate (decrease) coloring.

Conclusion

When choosing an object for use in chroma key, it is important to verify the background “screen” color does not exist on the object. For example, choosing a blue background for a blue butterfly would be a poor choice: portions of the butterfly would be deleted along with the background.In addition, it would be a good idea to become familiar with basic GIMP functions before attempting this tutorial: a basic knowledge of the Layers dialog and toolbox items is necessary prior to attempting this photo editing technique.

Try It Free Try It Free

How to use green screen in gimp

If you take a picture with a solid colored background (blue or green works best), then you can have a computer program pull out the blue or green pixels and replace them with another color or a transparent layer. This process is called “chroma key” and is used in weather forecasts and other special effects. The terms “green screen” and “blue screen” also refer to the chroma key process.

These directions outlined below describe how to use GIMP to add a transparent layer and remove blue or green pixels from an image. This allows you to layer images on different backgrounds or use pictures as Sprites in Scratch or Greenfoot.

Brief outline of process:

  1. Start GIMP
  2. Open the picture file.
  3. Create an “Alpha Channel” (Transparent Pixels)
  4. Select “Like Colored Pixels” (Click on the Green or Blue background)
  5. Control->K to delete the pixels and reveal the Transparent background.
  6. Save the picture as a .gif file. (Not .jpg!)

Detailed Directions:

  1. Start GIMP: (The “Gnu Image Manipulation Program”)
  2. Click the “K” menu
  3. Select “Graphics”
  4. Select “GIMP Image Editor”

Note about the GIMP:

Most computer applications run in one window. GIMP will run different windows for each function or object you are working with. (Separate windows for paintbrush menus, images, backgrounds, etc . . .)

  1. Select “File-> Open”
  2. Navigate to your File Area and select a chroma key picture
  3. Once your picture opens, add the “Alpha Channel”
    a. Select “Layer” from the picture menu bar
    b. Select “Transparency”
    c. Select “Add Alpha Channel”
  4. Click the “Select Region by Color” icon.
  5. Click once on the green or blue color in the background.
  6. Press “Control -> K” on the keyboard to delete the colors. The background will appear as a gray checkerboard pattern.
  7. Repeat the click and “Control-K” process to remove the background colors.
  8. Once the background colors are removed, save the picture:
    a. Select “File-Save As” from the menu bar.
    b. Type “LastnamePicture.gif” as the filename.
  9. Select “Convert to Indexed” - Click Export
  10. Click “OK”
  11. the picture should save.
  12. You can now use this picture in Scratch for a sprite, or in other graphics projects to combine with backgrounds.

Best GIMP alternative to edit images

Krita

Krita is an application for image creation and image manipulation. We focus on painting, illustration, concept art and other creative work. This is a short an incomplete list of the most important features Krita provides.

Krita provides an OpenGL based canvas in addition to an unaccelerated canvas. Krita’s filters, histogram computation and image recomposion are multi-threaded and make use of multiple cores if available. The effect of filters is previewed on-canvas.

Key Features

  • File Formats

Krita has support for a variety of file formats. Not all file formats are supported equally well, and for some there is only import, not export. Krita supports metadata for kra, ora, tiff, jpeg and png file formats.

  • Color models

Krita does not support indexed color models. In general, Krita does not support color models without an alpha channel. Krita supports different channel depths, from 8 bits integer to 32 bits floating point per channel.

  • Layer types

Krita supports the both layers and masks. Masks are associated with a single layer, while layers are grouped in a hierarchy.

  • Tools

There are several types of tools: vector tools, raster tools, guidance tools, canvas tools and selection tools. Note some types of content are not implement as tools but as “shapes” that can be inserted, for instance richt text, text-on-a-path or geometric shapes.

  • Brush engines

Krita is different from other applications in that it supports brush engine plugins. These brush engines are used in the pixel tools to stroke your painting.

  • Filters

Krita provides filters that can be used directly, i.e. destructively on the pixels of a layer, when painting, or dynamically as a filter layer or filter mask.

Paint.Net

Paint.net is a free and very capable image editing software for Windows. Great alternative to Photoshop for people that do not need all the stuff PS offers.

In order to handle multiple images easily, Paint.NET uses a tabbed document interface. The tabs display a live thumbnail of the image instead of a text description. This makes navigation very simple and fast. Extensive work has gone into making Paint.NET the fastest image editor available. Whether you have a netbook with a power-conscious Atom CPU, or a Dual Intel Xeon workstation with 16+ blazingly fast processing cores, you can expect Paint.NET to start up quickly and be responsive to every mouse click.

Key Features

  • **Performance

Extensive work has gone into making Paint.NET the fastest image editor available. Whether you have a netbook with a power-conscious Atom CPU, or a Dual Intel Xeon workstation with 16+ blazingly fast processing cores, you can expect Paint.NET to start up quickly and be responsive to every mouse click.

  • **Layers

Usually only found on expensive or complicated professional software, layers form the basis for a rich image composition experience. You may think of them as a stack of transparency slides that, when viewed together at the same time, form one image.

  • **Automatically Updated

Updates are free, and contain new features, performance improvements, and bug fixes. Upgrading to the latest version is very simple, requiring only two clicks of the mouse.

  • **Special Effects

Many special effects are included for enhancing and perfecting your images. Everything from blurring, sharpening, red-eye removal, distortion, noise, and embossing are included. Also included is our unique 3D Rotate/Zoom effect that makes it very easy to add perspective and tilting. Adjustments are also included which help you tweak an image’s brightness, contrast, hue, saturation, curves, and levels. You can also convert an image to black and white, or sepia-toned.

  • **Powerful Tools

Paint.NET includes simple tools for drawing shapes, including an easy-to-use curve tool for drawing splines or Bezier curves. The Gradient tool, new for 3.0, has been cited as an innovative improvement over similar tools provided by other software. The facilities for creating and working with selections is powerful, yet still simple enough to be picked up quickly. Other powerful tools include the Magic Wand for selecting regions of similar color, and the Clone Stamp for copying or erasing portions of an image. There is also a simple text editor, a tool for zooming, and a Recolor tool.

  • **Unlimited History

Everybody makes mistakes, and everybody changes their mind. To accommodate this, _every action you perform on an image is recorded in the History window and may be undone. Once you’ve undone an action, you can also redo it. The length of the history is only limited by available disk space.

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is the commercial image editor that set the standard in creative illustration and design work with a sophisticated, layer-based workflow and robust, professional feature set.

Over the years, Photoshop developed from a small photo editing tool to an Industry-leading software that dictates the global graphic designing and multimedia industries. With every new version, Adobe introduces in the Photoshop; the graphic designing communities wait to check out the next big leap where Photoshop can take them.

Key Features of Adobe Photoshop

  • Layers

With Layers palette, you can draw or design various elements of your document independently in layers and stack them up as per the order of display. With this advantage, control over every single object is catered at the click of a mouse. Mistakes happen, but the effects of the mistake are limited to the part of the canvas; you can choose to work on the particular part and leave the rest of the canvas as it is. This benefit is lacking in the traditional painting method. Artists are not allowed to relax at any part of the drawing or painting once their concentration is diverted and a stroke of painting goes wrong! They are bound to change the whole canvas.

  • Selection Tools

Photoshop’s selection tools are so handy to use that designers worldwide are addicted to the set of selection tools Photoshop offers. However, there are a bunch of competitive software and open-source software designed to give tough competition for Photoshop. Users are still stuck with Adobe’s torch bearer software due to the ease its tools provide.

  • Pen Tool

Today, Photoshop cannot be imagined without a Pen tool. Though the pen tool, by nature, works for drawing paths along with the anchor points, the creative scope it provides is limitless. The tool is designed so flexibly that the designer can draw any shape or edit the existing shapes as good as he is using his bare hand. The amount of control we have through placing the anchor points in the right places is taken further with the three types of Anchor points that can allow you to draw and edit paths precisely.

  • Shapes

The outlook of the shape layers in Photoshop may be limited, but the capabilities of the feature go a step further than what we assume about it. In the traditional marquee selection tools, the selection is limited to the raster process, and in many cases, the output will result in the sharp pixilated edges, which are never good looking. But the shape layers can act as an individual object within the document with its attribute to maintain the finest quality.

  • Vector Mask

The layer masks create a masking portion of an object by using the grayscale color combination (Shades of Gray). Once the masking part is done, the area of the object under the layer mask disappears.

  • Retouching Tools

Retouching tools are an accumulation of various tools such as Stamp tool, Pattern Stamp tool, Spot Healing tool, Healing tool, Patch tool, Redeye tool and much more. Though the numbers are more, every tool has its importance. The development of retouching tools did not happen overnight. Adobe was working hard identifying the problems of the photographers and finding the solutions for the problems from time to time.

Affinity Photo

Affinity Photo is a professional, full-featured raster graphics editor. Working in Affinity Photo is always live and you can pan and zoom at 60fps, with live previews and non-destructive application.

Whatever your genre of choice, be it landscapes, portraits, macro or anything else, Affinity not only has an unbeatable set of tools to help you, but it’s also laid out in an intuitive way that is ideal for newcomers and those switching from other software alike. There are a series of modules, called Personas, that bring you dedicated interfaces, such as Tone Mapping, RAW Developing and even a powerful liquify interface that makes complex reshaping a breeze! Even better, you can take the full functionality of the desktop app on the road, thanks to the iPad version, which is the most powerful mobile editing solution available. With so much on offer for so little, it’s time that you incorporated Affinity Photo into your workflow and moved your photography to the next step. To get you started, we’re going to give you some great tips to get the most from this brilliant software and get you well on the way to creating your own Masterpieces.

  • **Develop RAW Files Like A Pro

The first milestone in any photographer’s journey is unquestionably learning to shoot RAW. This image format captures even more data than JPEG and can be tweaked to create the perfect image or a solid base for further editing. To take advantage, all you need to do is open up your RAW file of choice into Affinity Photo and the Develop Persona will load up automatically. From here you can apply exposure adjustments, recover highlights and shadows and even craft a split toning effect. There’s a Curves adjustment for precision tweaks, a savvy noise reduction component and a lens correction module to combat distortion. It has everything you need for that all-important first step to brilliance.

  • **Professional Skin Retouching At The Click Of A Button

If you shoot portraits, you’ll doubtless know about the power of frequency separation. This technique is favored by many pros to get that glossy high-end look that screams professional. While it may sound complicated, in Affinity Photo it’s as simple as going to the Photo Persona and clicking on Filters>Frequency Separation. Once you’ve done this, you can set your Gaussian Blur amount in real-time, click Apply and the software will split your shot into two layers, one with the color and one with the detail. From here, you can remove blemishes, add your own dodge and burn and tidy up colors – a game changer!

  • **Ramp Up Your Dynamic Range With Tone Mapping

Amazingly, Affinity Photo has its very own Tone Mapping Persona with a full suite of tools to get your well on the way to high dynamic range images, whether you have a series of bracketed shots – identical photos taken at different exposures – or a single shot as we’ve used. Opening this Persona brings up a toolbar on the right-hand side with the usual exposure and enhancement tools, though also gives you access to Tone Compression, Local Contrast and detail sliders. There’s even a series of presets to get you started. Like most of Affinity, the effects can be seen in real-time and are completely reversible, meaning there’s no such thing as a permanent mistake. What we love most about the Tone Mapping Persona is the subtlety compared to others on offer, meaning you’re able to keep your shots looking natural while still getting the most from your work!

  • **Adjustments Are Plentiful And Powerful

Adjustments refer to a series of functional layers that apply specific effects to your shots. These can be as simple as Exposure, Vibrance or Brightness and Contrast, which do what they say on the tin, all the way up to more powerful options like Gradient Maps, Channel Mixers and Color Balance for creative effects and color corrections. Because they’re layers, they can be altered at any time in your editing process and moved around as you see fit. They affect any layers below them in the Layer palette but can be set to cast an effect on only a single-pixel layer by using the brilliant Mask to Below feature. You can also stack as many Adjustments as you wish, giving you a huge amount of flexibility to fine-tune your work in any way possible.

  • **Layers Offer You The Ultimate Creative Freedom

An editing software that doesn’t allow Layers will really set back your creative choices. Happily, Affinity Photo gives you full control over its layer system. This means that you can bring in additional elements into your scene. You can then take advantage of Affinity’s hugely powerful selection engine to select the parts you wish to cut out or scroll through the full list of Blending Modes for a more refined and creative look. To add the birds to our shot, we took one landscape and added in a shot of birds taken against a white sky. From here, it’s as easy as setting the Blending Mode to Multiply and voila, the white sky has gone. Of course, there’s no need to stop there, and you can find yourself creating in-depth composites that are truly only limited by your imagination - set yourself free!

Pixlr

Pixlr makes it easy to transform everyday images into stunning works of art. Whether you’re applying a quick fix to your photos or adding your personal touch with effects, overlays, or borders, Pixlr has everything you need to make your moments beautiful.

For now, Pixlr is free for all users: individuals to the enterprise. There is no news yet if and when the platform is set to charge people from using it. For content creators and artists on the go, Pixlr is a great app to use. It is free and available on the web. Regardless of your device, you only need an internet connection to get access to a free app but with serious functionalities. You just open your files from your device through the app like you would any popular image editing software and you are good to go. Furthermore, images edited on Pixlr are set to private. This makes your interaction with the app, over the net, is secure. Also, Pixlr does not store any copy of your images in their systems.

Key Features

  • **Free and Safe

Pixlr, for now, is free. There is also no indication that the company will charge users soon. It is a legitimate site that does not engage in fraudulent activities or perpetuate any hidden charges. The images that you edit or make on Pixlr are also free for commercial use. For freelance artists and small businesses, this is the perfect starter app. For enterprises with content creators in the field, it is good to let employees know about Pixlr’s no-cost offer.

  • **Versatile and Lightweight

Any browser can access Pixlr. Users can access the image editing suite regardless of device type and operating system. If you are on Mac, Windows, or Linux using Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Chrome, Pixlr is available at your disposal. All you need to have is a Flash plug-in.

If you are on mobile using iOS or Android, you can download the native apps. They do not take much of space and memory. It is a true lightweight app that packs a punch when it comes to functionality.

  • **Quick Fix

Pixlr is known for being the lightweight app that packs so many editing tools and functionalities at no cost. But, maybe, more importantly, it also includes many tools for quick fixes. This is something essential for people on the go or those that just need minor adjustments. Just open your browser on any device and apply touch-ups. You do not have to open your laptop or go to your desktop for simple needs.

  • **Spot heal

Super useful, the spot heal tool can help remove scratches or blemishes by simply clicking on the area. Additional options: Besides size of brush, you have a choice of Pixlr choosing to blend the area with nearby area values or generate a pattern. Generally, you will only want to choose a pattern if you’re blending an area that has a pattern (e.g., a chain-link fence).

  • **Dodge

Use the dodge tool to lighten specific areas. Note that this is a tool that deals with contrast (light vs. dark) and not color, although color may sometimes appear to change based on your lightening. Additional options: You can change brush size and exposure settings. You can also choose to focus your lightening on shadows, midtones, or highlights.

  • **Sponge

The sponge tool enhances or sops up color, depending on your settings. It’s a great tool for saturating or desaturating specific areas of an image. Additional options: You can change the brush size and brush strength, but the most important setting is whether you want to saturate (increase) or desaturate (decrease) coloring.

Conclusion

When choosing an object for use in chroma key, it is important to verify the background “screen” color does not exist on the object. For example, choosing a blue background for a blue butterfly would be a poor choice: portions of the butterfly would be deleted along with the background.In addition, it would be a good idea to become familiar with basic GIMP functions before attempting this tutorial: a basic knowledge of the Layers dialog and toolbox items is necessary prior to attempting this photo editing technique.

Try It Free Try It Free

How to use green screen in gimp

If you take a picture with a solid colored background (blue or green works best), then you can have a computer program pull out the blue or green pixels and replace them with another color or a transparent layer. This process is called “chroma key” and is used in weather forecasts and other special effects. The terms “green screen” and “blue screen” also refer to the chroma key process.

These directions outlined below describe how to use GIMP to add a transparent layer and remove blue or green pixels from an image. This allows you to layer images on different backgrounds or use pictures as Sprites in Scratch or Greenfoot.

Brief outline of process:

  1. Start GIMP
  2. Open the picture file.
  3. Create an “Alpha Channel” (Transparent Pixels)
  4. Select “Like Colored Pixels” (Click on the Green or Blue background)
  5. Control->K to delete the pixels and reveal the Transparent background.
  6. Save the picture as a .gif file. (Not .jpg!)

Detailed Directions:

  1. Start GIMP: (The “Gnu Image Manipulation Program”)
  2. Click the “K” menu
  3. Select “Graphics”
  4. Select “GIMP Image Editor”

Note about the GIMP:

Most computer applications run in one window. GIMP will run different windows for each function or object you are working with. (Separate windows for paintbrush menus, images, backgrounds, etc . . .)

  1. Select “File-> Open”
  2. Navigate to your File Area and select a chroma key picture
  3. Once your picture opens, add the “Alpha Channel”
    a. Select “Layer” from the picture menu bar
    b. Select “Transparency”
    c. Select “Add Alpha Channel”
  4. Click the “Select Region by Color” icon.
  5. Click once on the green or blue color in the background.
  6. Press “Control -> K” on the keyboard to delete the colors. The background will appear as a gray checkerboard pattern.
  7. Repeat the click and “Control-K” process to remove the background colors.
  8. Once the background colors are removed, save the picture:
    a. Select “File-Save As” from the menu bar.
    b. Type “LastnamePicture.gif” as the filename.
  9. Select “Convert to Indexed” - Click Export
  10. Click “OK”
  11. the picture should save.
  12. You can now use this picture in Scratch for a sprite, or in other graphics projects to combine with backgrounds.

Best GIMP alternative to edit images

Krita

Krita is an application for image creation and image manipulation. We focus on painting, illustration, concept art and other creative work. This is a short an incomplete list of the most important features Krita provides.

Krita provides an OpenGL based canvas in addition to an unaccelerated canvas. Krita’s filters, histogram computation and image recomposion are multi-threaded and make use of multiple cores if available. The effect of filters is previewed on-canvas.

Key Features

  • File Formats

Krita has support for a variety of file formats. Not all file formats are supported equally well, and for some there is only import, not export. Krita supports metadata for kra, ora, tiff, jpeg and png file formats.

  • Color models

Krita does not support indexed color models. In general, Krita does not support color models without an alpha channel. Krita supports different channel depths, from 8 bits integer to 32 bits floating point per channel.

  • Layer types

Krita supports the both layers and masks. Masks are associated with a single layer, while layers are grouped in a hierarchy.

  • Tools

There are several types of tools: vector tools, raster tools, guidance tools, canvas tools and selection tools. Note some types of content are not implement as tools but as “shapes” that can be inserted, for instance richt text, text-on-a-path or geometric shapes.

  • Brush engines

Krita is different from other applications in that it supports brush engine plugins. These brush engines are used in the pixel tools to stroke your painting.

  • Filters

Krita provides filters that can be used directly, i.e. destructively on the pixels of a layer, when painting, or dynamically as a filter layer or filter mask.

Paint.Net

Paint.net is a free and very capable image editing software for Windows. Great alternative to Photoshop for people that do not need all the stuff PS offers.

In order to handle multiple images easily, Paint.NET uses a tabbed document interface. The tabs display a live thumbnail of the image instead of a text description. This makes navigation very simple and fast. Extensive work has gone into making Paint.NET the fastest image editor available. Whether you have a netbook with a power-conscious Atom CPU, or a Dual Intel Xeon workstation with 16+ blazingly fast processing cores, you can expect Paint.NET to start up quickly and be responsive to every mouse click.

Key Features

  • **Performance

Extensive work has gone into making Paint.NET the fastest image editor available. Whether you have a netbook with a power-conscious Atom CPU, or a Dual Intel Xeon workstation with 16+ blazingly fast processing cores, you can expect Paint.NET to start up quickly and be responsive to every mouse click.

  • **Layers

Usually only found on expensive or complicated professional software, layers form the basis for a rich image composition experience. You may think of them as a stack of transparency slides that, when viewed together at the same time, form one image.

  • **Automatically Updated

Updates are free, and contain new features, performance improvements, and bug fixes. Upgrading to the latest version is very simple, requiring only two clicks of the mouse.

  • **Special Effects

Many special effects are included for enhancing and perfecting your images. Everything from blurring, sharpening, red-eye removal, distortion, noise, and embossing are included. Also included is our unique 3D Rotate/Zoom effect that makes it very easy to add perspective and tilting. Adjustments are also included which help you tweak an image’s brightness, contrast, hue, saturation, curves, and levels. You can also convert an image to black and white, or sepia-toned.

  • **Powerful Tools

Paint.NET includes simple tools for drawing shapes, including an easy-to-use curve tool for drawing splines or Bezier curves. The Gradient tool, new for 3.0, has been cited as an innovative improvement over similar tools provided by other software. The facilities for creating and working with selections is powerful, yet still simple enough to be picked up quickly. Other powerful tools include the Magic Wand for selecting regions of similar color, and the Clone Stamp for copying or erasing portions of an image. There is also a simple text editor, a tool for zooming, and a Recolor tool.

  • **Unlimited History

Everybody makes mistakes, and everybody changes their mind. To accommodate this, _every action you perform on an image is recorded in the History window and may be undone. Once you’ve undone an action, you can also redo it. The length of the history is only limited by available disk space.

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is the commercial image editor that set the standard in creative illustration and design work with a sophisticated, layer-based workflow and robust, professional feature set.

Over the years, Photoshop developed from a small photo editing tool to an Industry-leading software that dictates the global graphic designing and multimedia industries. With every new version, Adobe introduces in the Photoshop; the graphic designing communities wait to check out the next big leap where Photoshop can take them.

Key Features of Adobe Photoshop

  • Layers

With Layers palette, you can draw or design various elements of your document independently in layers and stack them up as per the order of display. With this advantage, control over every single object is catered at the click of a mouse. Mistakes happen, but the effects of the mistake are limited to the part of the canvas; you can choose to work on the particular part and leave the rest of the canvas as it is. This benefit is lacking in the traditional painting method. Artists are not allowed to relax at any part of the drawing or painting once their concentration is diverted and a stroke of painting goes wrong! They are bound to change the whole canvas.

  • Selection Tools

Photoshop’s selection tools are so handy to use that designers worldwide are addicted to the set of selection tools Photoshop offers. However, there are a bunch of competitive software and open-source software designed to give tough competition for Photoshop. Users are still stuck with Adobe’s torch bearer software due to the ease its tools provide.

  • Pen Tool

Today, Photoshop cannot be imagined without a Pen tool. Though the pen tool, by nature, works for drawing paths along with the anchor points, the creative scope it provides is limitless. The tool is designed so flexibly that the designer can draw any shape or edit the existing shapes as good as he is using his bare hand. The amount of control we have through placing the anchor points in the right places is taken further with the three types of Anchor points that can allow you to draw and edit paths precisely.

  • Shapes

The outlook of the shape layers in Photoshop may be limited, but the capabilities of the feature go a step further than what we assume about it. In the traditional marquee selection tools, the selection is limited to the raster process, and in many cases, the output will result in the sharp pixilated edges, which are never good looking. But the shape layers can act as an individual object within the document with its attribute to maintain the finest quality.

  • Vector Mask

The layer masks create a masking portion of an object by using the grayscale color combination (Shades of Gray). Once the masking part is done, the area of the object under the layer mask disappears.

  • Retouching Tools

Retouching tools are an accumulation of various tools such as Stamp tool, Pattern Stamp tool, Spot Healing tool, Healing tool, Patch tool, Redeye tool and much more. Though the numbers are more, every tool has its importance. The development of retouching tools did not happen overnight. Adobe was working hard identifying the problems of the photographers and finding the solutions for the problems from time to time.

Affinity Photo

Affinity Photo is a professional, full-featured raster graphics editor. Working in Affinity Photo is always live and you can pan and zoom at 60fps, with live previews and non-destructive application.

Whatever your genre of choice, be it landscapes, portraits, macro or anything else, Affinity not only has an unbeatable set of tools to help you, but it’s also laid out in an intuitive way that is ideal for newcomers and those switching from other software alike. There are a series of modules, called Personas, that bring you dedicated interfaces, such as Tone Mapping, RAW Developing and even a powerful liquify interface that makes complex reshaping a breeze! Even better, you can take the full functionality of the desktop app on the road, thanks to the iPad version, which is the most powerful mobile editing solution available. With so much on offer for so little, it’s time that you incorporated Affinity Photo into your workflow and moved your photography to the next step. To get you started, we’re going to give you some great tips to get the most from this brilliant software and get you well on the way to creating your own Masterpieces.

  • **Develop RAW Files Like A Pro

The first milestone in any photographer’s journey is unquestionably learning to shoot RAW. This image format captures even more data than JPEG and can be tweaked to create the perfect image or a solid base for further editing. To take advantage, all you need to do is open up your RAW file of choice into Affinity Photo and the Develop Persona will load up automatically. From here you can apply exposure adjustments, recover highlights and shadows and even craft a split toning effect. There’s a Curves adjustment for precision tweaks, a savvy noise reduction component and a lens correction module to combat distortion. It has everything you need for that all-important first step to brilliance.

  • **Professional Skin Retouching At The Click Of A Button

If you shoot portraits, you’ll doubtless know about the power of frequency separation. This technique is favored by many pros to get that glossy high-end look that screams professional. While it may sound complicated, in Affinity Photo it’s as simple as going to the Photo Persona and clicking on Filters>Frequency Separation. Once you’ve done this, you can set your Gaussian Blur amount in real-time, click Apply and the software will split your shot into two layers, one with the color and one with the detail. From here, you can remove blemishes, add your own dodge and burn and tidy up colors – a game changer!

  • **Ramp Up Your Dynamic Range With Tone Mapping

Amazingly, Affinity Photo has its very own Tone Mapping Persona with a full suite of tools to get your well on the way to high dynamic range images, whether you have a series of bracketed shots – identical photos taken at different exposures – or a single shot as we’ve used. Opening this Persona brings up a toolbar on the right-hand side with the usual exposure and enhancement tools, though also gives you access to Tone Compression, Local Contrast and detail sliders. There’s even a series of presets to get you started. Like most of Affinity, the effects can be seen in real-time and are completely reversible, meaning there’s no such thing as a permanent mistake. What we love most about the Tone Mapping Persona is the subtlety compared to others on offer, meaning you’re able to keep your shots looking natural while still getting the most from your work!

  • **Adjustments Are Plentiful And Powerful

Adjustments refer to a series of functional layers that apply specific effects to your shots. These can be as simple as Exposure, Vibrance or Brightness and Contrast, which do what they say on the tin, all the way up to more powerful options like Gradient Maps, Channel Mixers and Color Balance for creative effects and color corrections. Because they’re layers, they can be altered at any time in your editing process and moved around as you see fit. They affect any layers below them in the Layer palette but can be set to cast an effect on only a single-pixel layer by using the brilliant Mask to Below feature. You can also stack as many Adjustments as you wish, giving you a huge amount of flexibility to fine-tune your work in any way possible.

  • **Layers Offer You The Ultimate Creative Freedom

An editing software that doesn’t allow Layers will really set back your creative choices. Happily, Affinity Photo gives you full control over its layer system. This means that you can bring in additional elements into your scene. You can then take advantage of Affinity’s hugely powerful selection engine to select the parts you wish to cut out or scroll through the full list of Blending Modes for a more refined and creative look. To add the birds to our shot, we took one landscape and added in a shot of birds taken against a white sky. From here, it’s as easy as setting the Blending Mode to Multiply and voila, the white sky has gone. Of course, there’s no need to stop there, and you can find yourself creating in-depth composites that are truly only limited by your imagination - set yourself free!

Pixlr

Pixlr makes it easy to transform everyday images into stunning works of art. Whether you’re applying a quick fix to your photos or adding your personal touch with effects, overlays, or borders, Pixlr has everything you need to make your moments beautiful.

For now, Pixlr is free for all users: individuals to the enterprise. There is no news yet if and when the platform is set to charge people from using it. For content creators and artists on the go, Pixlr is a great app to use. It is free and available on the web. Regardless of your device, you only need an internet connection to get access to a free app but with serious functionalities. You just open your files from your device through the app like you would any popular image editing software and you are good to go. Furthermore, images edited on Pixlr are set to private. This makes your interaction with the app, over the net, is secure. Also, Pixlr does not store any copy of your images in their systems.

Key Features

  • **Free and Safe

Pixlr, for now, is free. There is also no indication that the company will charge users soon. It is a legitimate site that does not engage in fraudulent activities or perpetuate any hidden charges. The images that you edit or make on Pixlr are also free for commercial use. For freelance artists and small businesses, this is the perfect starter app. For enterprises with content creators in the field, it is good to let employees know about Pixlr’s no-cost offer.

  • **Versatile and Lightweight

Any browser can access Pixlr. Users can access the image editing suite regardless of device type and operating system. If you are on Mac, Windows, or Linux using Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Chrome, Pixlr is available at your disposal. All you need to have is a Flash plug-in.

If you are on mobile using iOS or Android, you can download the native apps. They do not take much of space and memory. It is a true lightweight app that packs a punch when it comes to functionality.

  • **Quick Fix

Pixlr is known for being the lightweight app that packs so many editing tools and functionalities at no cost. But, maybe, more importantly, it also includes many tools for quick fixes. This is something essential for people on the go or those that just need minor adjustments. Just open your browser on any device and apply touch-ups. You do not have to open your laptop or go to your desktop for simple needs.

  • **Spot heal

Super useful, the spot heal tool can help remove scratches or blemishes by simply clicking on the area. Additional options: Besides size of brush, you have a choice of Pixlr choosing to blend the area with nearby area values or generate a pattern. Generally, you will only want to choose a pattern if you’re blending an area that has a pattern (e.g., a chain-link fence).

  • **Dodge

Use the dodge tool to lighten specific areas. Note that this is a tool that deals with contrast (light vs. dark) and not color, although color may sometimes appear to change based on your lightening. Additional options: You can change brush size and exposure settings. You can also choose to focus your lightening on shadows, midtones, or highlights.

  • **Sponge

The sponge tool enhances or sops up color, depending on your settings. It’s a great tool for saturating or desaturating specific areas of an image. Additional options: You can change the brush size and brush strength, but the most important setting is whether you want to saturate (increase) or desaturate (decrease) coloring.

Conclusion

When choosing an object for use in chroma key, it is important to verify the background “screen” color does not exist on the object. For example, choosing a blue background for a blue butterfly would be a poor choice: portions of the butterfly would be deleted along with the background.In addition, it would be a good idea to become familiar with basic GIMP functions before attempting this tutorial: a basic knowledge of the Layers dialog and toolbox items is necessary prior to attempting this photo editing technique.

Keyframes Interval: Everything You Need To Know

Many people may not understand what the Keyframe Interval stands for. However, it is a simple concept for video editors where the encoding settings determine the frequency at which the whole picture is transmitted.

The Keyframe Interval is responsible for how often a keyframe is generated within the video. A keyframe, also known as an i-frame, is a single frame that contains all of the necessary information for displaying a video. If the Keyframe Interval is set too high, it could lead to visible compression without compromising the quality of a video.

Keyframe Interval is essential in video streaming and recording, but it can be confusing. In this guide, we’ll help you understand this concept to enable you to create better animations.

Part 1. What Is Keyframe Interval

Keyframe Intervals, also known as “Keyframe Frequency” in Adobe Flash Media Live Encoder (FMLE) and vMix or “GOP size” by some encoders, is the frequency at which keyframes are generated in an animated sequence. This is an important parameter to consider when creating animations, as it can impact the animation’s file size, quality, and smoothness.

Keyframe Intervals are the distance in time between two keyframes. For example, if an animation is set to every 2 seconds interval and the frame rate is 30 per second, it means that every 60 frames, a keyframe is created.

keyframe interval in a video

Part 2. How Does Keyframe Interval Work?

Keyframes are important in video and animation because they mark specific points in time that can be used to create a smooth and consistent transition between different states or images. The Keyframe Interval is the amount of time that passes between two keyframes.

In order to create a smooth and consistent transition, the Keyframe Interval must be carefully calculated. In a 60-frame-per-second video, a keyframe is recorded every 5 or 300 frames. Delta frames are “difference” frames that provide an incremental change from the previous frame.

Keyframes are different from delta frames in that a higher keyframe value results in a clearer video with fewer transmission artifacts and vice versa.

The Keyframe Interval can be adjusted to create a faster or slower transition between two keyframes. A shorter Keyframe Interval will create a faster transition, while a longer one will create a slower transition.

For example, if you want your transition to look smoother, use a longer interval, like two seconds. Conversely, a zoom effect over a 0.2-second interval will be quicker.

Part 3. A concept closely connected to Keyframe Interval - Bitrates

The relationship between keyframes and bitrates is important to understand when creating video content. Keyframes are the frames in a video that are used to define the start and end points of an encoding process. The bitrate measures how much information is being transferred in a given time from one place to another.

When encoding video, keyframes are used to establish a consistent quality throughout the video. The bitrate is then used to determine how much information can be transferred without affecting the quality of the video. Thus, the higher the video’s bitrate, the better the quality.

Your mileage may vary regarding this explanation, as different encoders manage bitrates and keyframes in different ways.

For example, if you’re using an encoder like Wirecast, you might notice that broadcasting in a still background with someone talking results in a higher quality video as compared to a moving background. This can be reproduced using the same average bitrate and Keyframe Interval between them.

This happens because the delta frames have to share a lot more information to share in each frame in the video with a moving background. When you have an encoder like Wirecast, it’s working to keep your stream at an average bitrate. This can result in reduced quality if there is a lot of extra information in the delta frames.

Part 4. What You Need To Know To Set A Right Keyframe Interval

After understanding the important concepts in video editing, let’s see how to set the keyframe level in our videos appropriately.

Most streaming services will automatically set it for you based on your stream’s frame rate and bitrate. However, if you want to set the keyframe gap manually, there are a few things you need to keep in mind.

  • Set the frame interval at 2 seconds. Do not increase it from 4 seconds.
  • Disable the “auto” keyframe feature.
  • To allow for b-frames, use an encoding profile higher than baseline and use IDR-based keyframes.

Part 5. How To Change The Keyframe Interval On OBS Studio

Above is the basic knowledge of the keyframe interval. Then, how to apply it to your real video-editing work? In this part, we will choose OBS to show you the application process.

OBS Studio is a powerful yet free and open-source screen recorder and live streaming tool for Windows, macOS, and Linux. One of the most useful features of OBS Studio is its ability to change the keyframe interval on the fly without having to restart your recording or stream.

The process for changing the it in OBS Studio has been made more efficient since the classic version. However, some users may have trouble locating the new setting.

Here’s how to change the it on OBS Studio:

Step1 Launch the OBS Studio on your PC or laptop.

launching the obs studio

Step2 From the bottom right of the screen, open the “Settings” menu.

obs studio settings menu

Step3 On the Settings Window, click “Output” and configure the output mode to “Advanced.”

setting the output mode to advance in obs studio

Step4 Finally, edit the Keyframe Interval, set it to 2 seconds, and click “OK” to save your changes.

changing the keyframe interval value on obs studio

Part 6. Will Keyframe Interval Affect Your Video’s Quality?

When you try to set the keyframe gap by yourself, you may feel confused about the difference a higher or lower interval make to your video. Then, wil-l or how it affects your video’s performance?

In a stream, it determines the balance between smoothness and picture quality. A keyframe is a point that determines how often the entire frame is sent, as opposed to just the differences from the previous frame.

Therefore, if you set the Keyframe Interval higher, your video will be more stable with fewer artifacts but requires more bandwidth and processing power. Conversely, a lower Keyframe Interval value causes more artifacts but is less resource intensive.

A lower Keyframe Interval value will result in lower video quality, while a higher keyframe value will result in higher video quality. However, the optimal Keyframe Interval value can vary depending on the specific case.

For instance, you don’t need a higher Keyframe Interval for streaming a live video, but you have to use a higher Key Interval value for recording.

Video- What is the Maximum Bitrate & Keyframe Interval for OBS

The Bottom Line

In this article, we’ve explored Keyframe Interval, how it works, and the relationship between keyframes and bitrates. We also provided guidance on setting the Keyframe Interval correctly and changing it on OBS Studio.

Hopefully, the information provided in this guide was helpful, and you now have a better understanding of Keyframe Intervals.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

The Bottom Line

In this article, we’ve explored Keyframe Interval, how it works, and the relationship between keyframes and bitrates. We also provided guidance on setting the Keyframe Interval correctly and changing it on OBS Studio.

Hopefully, the information provided in this guide was helpful, and you now have a better understanding of Keyframe Intervals.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Also read:

  • Title: Updated How to Create Loop Videos Using Filmora for 2024
  • Author: Morgan
  • Created at : 2024-04-24 01:02:27
  • Updated at : 2024-04-25 01:02:27
  • Link: https://ai-video-editing.techidaily.com/updated-how-to-create-loop-videos-using-filmora-for-2024/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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Updated How to Create Loop Videos Using Filmora for 2024