14 replies to this topic

[Loco]

Does anyone here know how to take away logos from ontop of a picture?
I know I dont explain it so well, but I will attach an image so that you will see what I want help with.
There are about 5 to 10 images that I need the help with removing "logos" on. Call it the painters trademark,
that need to be taken away so that I can use them in baldurs gate.
The images that ive scavenged form internet are TOP CLASS.. Most are amazingly well done.

It would be easiest if you would just do it if or me and then send them to me. Or someone could teach me, though I am a hard man to teach!
And yes send it... This is for my personal use, and the one who made the portraits do not want it reuploaded in a different way.

Edited by Loco, 29 January 2010 - 12:30 PM.

[berelinde]

Artists put watermarks on paintings to make it harder to harvest them without going through the artist's preferred channels. Sometimes, you can obtain permission (and a clean copy) by contacting the artist. It isn't such a long shot. That's how I got a portrait for Haldamir. I told the artist that I wanted to use the portrait for a non-commercial NPC mod, and she sent me a clean image and her permission to use it almost immeditely. As long as you give credit and provide links to the artist's portfolio, most are happy enough for the publicity.

Other than that, especially if you were planning on using these for your own personal use and not distributing them elsewhere, the only way I know to get rid of them would be to paint over them, or use portions not covered by the watermark. In the painting you posted, you wouldn't really need the portion covered by the watermark.

[Loco]

'berelinde', on 29 January 2010 - 01:41 PM, said:

In the painting you posted, you wouldn't really need the portion covered by the watermark.

True but the other paintings are different. I guess i can ash the artist, though it seems that artist will be a hard bet to be honest, to convince.
So what do you mean a paint over? I have no skills in photoshop etc etc. I shall try to ask the author for her paintings without her/his logos on.
Thanks anyway!

[Miloch]

In this case, you could just crop the image to the subject's head and shoulders like other BG portraits. There's no way you'd want to use that full image for a portrait. As for how to do that, just draw a rectangle around the part you want and "cut" or "crop" - you can even do that in MS Paint. Just follow the specs for portraits in the readme in your game folder.

[Loco]

'Miloch', on 29 January 2010 - 01:54 PM, said:

In this case, you could just crop the image to the subject's head and shoulders like other BG portraits. There's no way you'd want to use that full image for a portrait. As for how to do that, just draw a rectangle around the part you want and "cut" or "crop" - you can even do that in MS Paint. Just follow the specs for portraits in the readme in your game folder.

There are other better portraits... Though those ones have the watermark right on top of them.

Edited by Loco, 29 January 2010 - 02:09 PM.

[Miloch]

For something like that, you would have to use a smudge tool or similar to rub out the logo. Not really that easy, and it would degrade the image, but once you downsize to portrait dimensions, you might not be able to tell the difference.

I don't know how you would contact the author. The website in that logo doesn't have any links that I can see.

[berelinde]

With that image, I'd just crop it at the bottom of the beard and be done with it. Sure, you lose the cool medallion, but you get the awesome tattoos.

[Loco]

'berelinde', on 29 January 2010 - 05:13 PM, said:

With that image, I'd just crop it at the bottom of the beard and be done with it. Sure, you lose the cool medallion, but you get the awesome tattoos.

Hahaha, the tattos are nice to, true! But I want the medalion... I need it !! I need it all, Arghh .. hehehe, Now I sound completely psycho, which for the record I aint ;D

[berelinde]

'Loco', on 29 January 2010 - 08:21 PM, said:

...But I want the medalion... I need it !! I need it all, Arghh .. hehehe, Now I sound completely psycho, which for the record I aint ;D

Despite your screen name!



I'm not the kind of person who would tell you how to remove watermarks from copyrighted material, but if I were, I would tell you to google the words "gimp rubber stamp tool". Just sayin'.

Small print: The above non-advice was not provided by the person going by the screen name berelinde, and even if it was, it would be for the sole purpose of enabling a BG2 fan to convert some artwork for his sole personl use, not to be redistributed, repackaged, etc., etc.

[Sam.]

I don't even notice the watermark once it's resized. Might not be the best positioning ever, but oh well.

Edited by Sam., 29 January 2010 - 06:27 PM.

[Hoppy]

'Loco', on 29 January 2010 - 02:07 PM, said:

'Miloch', on 29 January 2010 - 01:54 PM, said:

In this case, you could just crop the image to the subject's head and shoulders like other BG portraits. There's no way you'd want to use that full image for a portrait. As for how to do that, just draw a rectangle around the part you want and "cut" or "crop" - you can even do that in MS Paint. Just follow the specs for portraits in the readme in your game folder.

There are other better portraits... Though those ones have the watermark right on top of them.

Great portrait for a character using the "Buccaneer" kit from The Darkest Day


Where do you find these Loco?


I bet Nix (a great portrait maker and a member here) could make one without the logos

Edited by Hoppy, 29 January 2010 - 06:43 PM.

[Sam.]

I guess this one's a little more noticeable, but it's still not that bad. In the smaller portrait, you probably couldn't see the watermark at all.

[Loco]

'Hoppy.', on 29 January 2010 - 06:40 PM, said:

Where do you find these Loco?

These ones espacialy comes from a artist called nathie...
Link to her/his site is here (this site you CAN download the artists paintings, no limits, very good qualite).

http://nathie.deviantart.com/gallery/#

"Hagen von Tronje" is my favourite portrait, without a doubt! I hope nathie doesnt track me down and shout nasty words at me now, for posting links and such

'berelinde', on 29 January 2010 - 06:14 PM, said:

I'm not the kind of person who would tell you how to remove watermarks from copyrighted material, but if I were, I would tell you to google the words "gimp rubber stamp tool". Just sayin'.

Small print: The above non-advice was not provided by the person going by the screen name berelinde, and even if it was, it would be for the sole purpose of enabling a BG2 fan to convert some artwork for his sole personl use, not to be redistributed, repackaged, etc., etc.

Thanks Berelinde, lets see what I can come up with from google ;D. You answered my first question just fine, so now I wont post more in this thread(am afraid we already went off topic), unless more help will be provided and I must thank them as well ;D. Thanks again for the help people!

One last question though... If I want to post custom portraits somewhere, which thread would that be? I have loads
Most are from unknown artists, which I have no clue who made actualy.

Edited by Loco, 30 January 2010 - 12:59 PM.

[Loco]

Oh it should be known. If you do like to hunt down paintings and arts and such. This is the site to enter "www.deviantart.com"

Edited by Loco, 29 January 2010 - 08:19 PM.

[Loco]

I know I told you guys that I wouldnt post here anymore, though I just want to let you know about my progress. I used the Gimp program, and then I used the "Copy Tool" (or what its called). One portrait came out fine as hell, though I cant post it here due to obvious reasons. Anyway by using that tool it does work to take away the Watermark, though it takes a lot of time and patience, you might have to do it over and over again a couple of times. The thing is that it works so fine because the portraits will be smaller when applying to Baldurs Gate, so it will look a lot better on those smaller resolutions... It should be known though that the portrait that turned out fine for me, were good even on a higher resolution. Beginners luck id say, and about an hours work! Well I had spare time to kill ;D