Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

For some time, there is fashion to print the so-called “photobooks“, of books in carta lucida, hardcover inside enclose our digital photos printed directly on the pages. Usually the company that allows printing of photo book also releases graphic software very basic with which apply some effects all photo (the effects are very simple, ranging from clipart the feints adhesive tape). This technique may be in fact very useful in prints.

The initiative of the “Photobook” is fun, and may like, but the possibility of the effects made available are scarce. In today's tutorial we see how add a border to dots (of the type “newspaper” a few years ago) to a photo with Gimp. This is also a fundamental effect, but as we begin to see how these resources are created graphic.

First take a photo that fits. I will choose the picture of a beautiful subject.

Since the levels tab, by clicking on the button, create a new layer white which we will call “Picture frame“.

With the instrument “Rectangular Selection” ( ) select the image so as to leave a border of about 30px, then with the tool “Filling” ( ) we color selection black.

At this point apply a blur (“Filters” – “Blur” – “Gaussian“) with radius 30px. Immediately after we apply the effect newspaper: “Filters” – “Distortions” – “Newsprint” with the following variables.

We finish the tutorial eliminating the black areas image: “Colors” – “Staining for alpha” choosing black.

And here is the final result.

As always here are variations on the theme.