Plant Face Portrait Effect in Affinity Photo

In this tutorial, we will learn how to create a plant face portrait effect in Affinity Photo.

Go to the following links to download the images and font for the plant face portrait tutorial:

• Girl
• Flower 1
• Flower 2
• Butterfly 1
• Butterfly 2
• Bodoni MT Italic Font

Step 1

First, go to File > Open and select the pic of the girl.

Step 2

Second, grab the Selection Brush Tool from the Tools Panel. In the Context Toolbar, set the Mode to Add, and make sure the Snap to Edges box is checked. Take the brush and select the woman.

Step 3

Once you’ve selected the woman, go to the Context Toolbar and select Refine. Set the Output to New Layer, then click Apply.

Step 4

With the new layer selected, Press CTRL + C to copy it. Then, go to File > New. Go to Web and select FHD 1080p. Click Create.

Step 5

Press CTRL + V to paste the woman onto the new document.

Step 6

Go to the Transform Panel and turn on the Lock Aspect Ratio. Then, resize the woman.

Step 7

Next, grab the Flood Fill Tool from the Tools Panel. Take the tool and click on the document. Drag the new layer beneath the girl.

Step 8

Now, grab the Gradient Tool from the Tools Panel. Drag the gradient tool from the top to the bottom.

Step 9

Select the bottom color stop. Then, double click the color in the Swatches Panel to bring up the Color Chooser. Set the color to #09CA73 in the hex code area.

Step 10

After that, select the top color stop and set it to the following hex code #DD7C10.

Step 11

Now, go to the Context Toolbar and set the Type to Radial, and click on Reverse Gradient so that the green color is at the top.

Step 12

In the Layers Panel, select the layer of the girl. Press CTRL + J to duplicate it. Name the duplicated layer Split Face.

Step 13

In the Layers Panel, select the layer of the girl. Press CTRL + J to duplicate it. Name the duplicated layer Split Face.

Step 14

Once you’ve selected half of the girl’s face, go to the Context Toolbar and click Selection.

Step 15

Next, grab the Move Tool. Hold Shift and drag the selection of the face diagonally down.

Step 16

Press CTRL + J to duplicate the selection onto a new layer. Then, press CTRL + D to deselect the selection.

Step 17

Grab the Selection Brush Tool from the Tools Panel. Take the brush and select the hole area of the girl’s face. Make sure you’re on the Add Mode and that Snap to Edges is checked in the Context Toolbar.

Step 18

After you’ve made the selection, go to the Edit menu and select Fill With Secondary Color. The selection should be filled with black.

Step 19

Go to the Swatches Panel and double click on the black color to bring up the Color Chooser. Enter the following hex code #A27259.

Step 20

Then, go back to the Edit menu and select Fill With Secondary Color so that the selection can be filled with the new color.

Step 21

With the selection still active, press CTRL + J to put the selection onto a new layer. Label this layer Filled Face in the Layers Panel. After that, press CTRL + D to deselect the selection.

Step 22

In the Layers Panel, select the Filled Face layer. Then, click the fx (layers effect) icon. Check the Outer Shadow. Set the Blend Mode to Multiply, Opacity to 50%, Radius to 10 px, Offset to .5 px, Intensity to 50%. After that, go to Color and set it to the following hex code #684939.

Step 23

Then, check Bevel/Emboss. Set the Type to Inner, Radius to 5 px, Soften to 3 px, Azimuth to -108.4 degrees, and Elevation to 65.5 degrees. After that, go to Highlight. Set the Blend Mode to Screen and set the Color to #684939.

Step 24

Now, select the Split Face layer (the one with just the face) in the Layers Panel. Click the fx icon in the Layers Panel. Select the Outer Shadow.

Step 25

Set the Blend Mode to Normal, Opacity to 60%, Radius to 15 px, Offset to 1 px, Intensity to 40%, and the Angle to 45 degrees.

Step 26

After that, select Inner Glow. Set the Blend Mode to Screen, Opacity to 50%, Radius to 5 px, and Intensity to 10%.

Step 27

Now, go to File > Open and select the yellow reddish flower pic with the stem. We’ll be adding the flowers inside the head to create the plant face portrait.

Step 28

Next, grab the Selection Brush Tool from the Tools Panel. In the Context Toolbar, set the Mode to Add and check the Snap to Edges box. Take the brush and select the flower.

Step 29

After selecting the flower, press CTRL + C to copy the selection. Then, go back to the document and press CTRL + V to paste the flower.

Step 30

In the Layers Panel, label the flower layer Flower 1. Rename the Split Face layer with the effects Split Face S&G. Then, drag this layer to the top of everything. After that, place the flower layer between the Split Face S&G and the Filled Face layer. Resize the flower image. Rotate the flower image -30 degrees.

Step 31

With the Flower 1 layer still selected, click the Mask Layer icon in the Layers Panel to add a mask to this layer.

Step 32

Now, press CTRL and click the thumbnail of the Filled Face layer to reactivate its selection. Then, press CTRL + Shift + I to invert the selection.

Step 33

After that, click on the mask layer we added in the Layers Panel. Then, grab the Paint Brush Tool from the Tools Panel. In the Swatches Panel, make sure you’re on the black color. Take the brush and go over the part of the flower that’s protruding out of the head.

Step 34

Go to File > Open and select the other flower image.

Step 35

Grab the Selection Brush Tool from the Tools Panel. Take the brush and select the flower.

Step 36

Once you’ve made the selection of the flower. Press CTRL + C to copy the flower.

Step 37

In the Layers Panel, label this layer Flower 2. Next, drag the layer beneath the Split Face S&G. Then, resize the flower picture.

Step 38

Click the Mask Layer icon to add a mask to the Flower 2 layer.

Step 39

Press CTRL and select the thumbnail of the Filled Face layer.

Step 40

Now, press CTRL + Shift + I to invert the selection.

Step 41

Click the mask layer on Flower 2. Then, grab the Paintbrush Tool from the Tools Panel. Take the brush and mask the protruding part of the flower.

Step 42

With the Flower 2 layer selected, go to the Adjustments icon and select the Brightness and Contrast adjustment. Drag this layer into the Flower 2 layer. Then, set the Brightness to -20%.

Step 43

In the Layers Panel, drag the duplicated flower layer above the Flower 2 layer.

Step 44

After that, click the Mask Layer icon to add a mask to the duplicated Flower 1 layer.

Step 45

Press CTRL and select the thumbnail of the Filled Face layer. Then, press CTRL + Shift + I to invert the selection.

Step 46

Grab the Paintbrush Tool. Take the tool and remove pars of the flower that are protruding past the face. Make sure you have the mask layer selected.

Step 47

Next, go to File > Open and select the pic of the blackish butterfly.

Step 48

Grab the Selection Brush Tool from the Tools Panel. Make sure you’re on the Add Mode and that Snap to Edges is checked. Then, take the brush and select the butterfly.

Step 49

After you selected the butterfly, press CTRL + C to copy the butterfly. Then, press CTRL + V to paste the butterfly onto the other document.

Step 50

In the Layers Panel, label this layer Butterfly 1. Place this layer beneath the Split Face S&G layer. Then, resize the butterfly and place it at the top part of the girl’s head.

Step 51

Now, go to File > Open and select the second butterfly picture.

Step 52

Go to the Tools Panel and click the Selection Brush Tool. Take the brush and select the butterfly with its wings open in the foreground.

Step 53

Then, press CTRL + C to copy the butterfly, and press CTRL + V to paste the butterfly onto the other document.

Step 54

In the Layers Panel, label this layer Butterfly 2. Resize the butterfly and place it above the girl’s head to the left.

Let’s add some text to this plant face portrait effect.

Step 55

Grab the Frame Text Tool from the Tools Panel. Then, type your text. After that, go to the Swatches Panel and set the color of the text to white, and increase the size of the font in the Context Toolbar.

Step 56

After that, go to the Font Family and choose your font. The font I chose is Bodoni MT Italic.

Congratulations, this tutorial is complete! You’ve created a plant face portrait in Affinity Photo. For more Affinity Photo tutorials, check out this article on how to create a sliced head manipulation.