Photo: Color variation for background, how is it done?

[Amy Choue]

I had finished two Affinity Photo courses in the summer but didn't have time to absorb much of what I learned. I seem to remember something similar to this was covered there but couldn't really pick that out. So here's a beginner question about Photo. How can I create backgrounds like the ones in the images I attach here? I haven't learned the terminology properly, so I'm not sure how I can correctly put this, but these two images show backgrounds in a single color but in many different tints/shades? Is creating this effect simple? Or is it actually quite complicated? Or is it like, there are simple ways to do this with limited results, and there are advanced ways to do this with many more possibilities? 

[GarryP]

There are probably lots of ways to do what you want and each one will be ‘better’ depending on exactly what you mean by “like the ones in the images”.

I’ve attached an image which should give you a hint as to how to quickly create something similar using some Live Filters and Adjustments, but there will be lots of other techniques. (The Procedural Texture used is “Simple Perlin Noise”.)

If you want something really quickly, a web search for texture background should give you something you can either use right away or tweak as necessary.

The more details you can give about which particular aspects of the examples you want to try and replicate, the better we can give more specific advice.

[Amy Choue]

Thank you Garry, for the comments! Between the two images I attached, the first one is closer to what I want to do. (In terms of what has been done to the background, are they the same? Are they actually different? Or is this a silly, non-question. I do not know). I've searched "texture background" and I think the first image might not be done with "texture background." Over the summer, I wanted to learn Photo to become able to create book covers for the books I was planning to publish. I came to realize that creating good book covers on my own is impossible, for the near future at least, and began working with a designer. So that kind of background is what I want for a book cover. In this cover, there will be a portrait and I would like this portrait to have a background in infinitely differing shades like that. If this is something not that difficult to do, I would be praciting this myself with many different colors (yellow, red, blue....). In the first image (Monk's Dream), it almost seems tiny black dots were used here and there? I don't know, but if it's something actually done (using really tiny dots to create visual effect) in graphic design, and if it's something quite difficult for a beginner, then I'll have to put it off for some years. 

There were some other examples that I liked for exactly the same reason, but cannot really remember them now. 

[GarryP]

What you want to do probably isn’t very difficult to do but you might need to do quite a bit of experimenting to get it exactly how you want it.

I’ve attached a video showing one simple way to get something like it, or at least part-way there.

Try experimenting with colours, Blend Modes, different Blur Filters and Noise settings until you get something you like.

[Amy Choue]

Many thanks! This is awesome! I actually started to have a sense of how it can be done! 

[GarryP]

You’re welcome.

It would be interesting to see the end result in the “Share Your Work” section if you feel like letting others see it.

[thomaso]

This thread also mentions some ways to create a blurry background … for instance with gradient(s), light effect, vignette …

[Amy Choue]

Hi, thomaso, thank you for pointing me to this! Though I'm overwhelmed and thinking about maybe 200 hours of concentrated parsing and practicing to get to be able to replicate some of this. I know only a tiny bit of Photo editing, but just knowing this tiny bit helped me see just how much there is to learn. So enormously much. 

[GarryP]

I reckon you’ll be able to learn the basics faster than you think.

A lot of this sort of work is achieved by being able to take a few simple techniques and figuring out how to apply them together in different/interesting ways.

In the meantime, the forums will be here to help when you get stuck.

[Amy Choue]

I almost gave up on learning Photo and Designer, but working with a designer with whom I cannot really communicate well (ha... sigh), I am thinking: I'll really have to learn this! 

Forum is an amazing place. I'm deeply thankful.  That's the only way I can put it.