Using nodes for image effects - affecting only a portion of an image.

Hi. I am trying to use Blender to get an effect on an image I created in Gimp. The image I am working with is here:


I am trying to just affect the blue “eye” part. I want to make it neon and glow like in the Creature Factory dvd. I’ve tried connecting it to different matte nodes to try to get the result I want. I’ve tried doing it with an RGB curve and making it high contrast but the white at the top of the head is bright too so that is selected. I’ve manage to get it so I am affecting everything but that part somehow but don’t know how to invert that. So I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions. Should I just try to get the affect in GIMP somehow? Is the nodes mainly for 3D work or can you use it for 2D as well? Any guidance would be appreciated. Thank you.

You should provide the visir as a separate image to the compositor and then jsut blur that and composite alpha over the other image. But since this is allready a gimp image I’d do it in Gimp since it is easier and probably faster unless you doing some other animation stuff with it in blender.

Thanks for the reply. I know people often use Blender and then touch up in Gimp, was trying to see if it was a two way street and I think I got hit by a car in the process. :eek:

It is possible if you use the right image formats and if you keep in mind that you will have to do the layer magic of blender yourself.

It is possible, but it will be harder than just doing it in gimp.

The compositor is best for 3D stuff, and animation.

since that color is very distinct, you can use the difference key nodes to isolate it. see my video tuts. http://www.vimeo.com/album/16278