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About the Header

  • dinadaiuto
  • Nov 29, 2025
  • 4 min read

Updated: 5 days ago

For the header image for my blog page, I chose two pictures that represent the hobbies that bring me the most happiness: being in nature and documenting my life creatively through drawing and photography. The first image I chose is a sketchpad with a drawing of a bird on it, and the second image is a forest scene. These two visuals immediately communicate to my audience the type of hobbies that are behind my blog before they even begin reading. On my “About Me” page, I mention hiking, spending time outdoors, and expressing myself through art and photography. Pairing a forest landscape with a sketchpad reinforces those themes visually. I want my blog to feel like a safe and creative space where I can reflect on my experiences, and the combination of nature and art helps set that tone for visitors.


Below is the exact image used for my header:


Image Sources & Originals


I found both images using the Creative Commons search portal (https://search.creativecommons.org/). To the left is the original image of the bird drawing on a sketch pad without my editing. This bird drawing image was found using Google Images' advanced search with the selected tools: “Transparent background” and “Creative Commons licenses” applied to the search. The sketchpad image, titled “Sketchpad, with drawing of a bird” by a creator “eady”, from the Open Clip Art Library (posted in December 2012), was identified on PublicDomainFiles.com as free of known copyright restrictions, so I knew that I had the right to reuse and modify it for my creative purposes.




I was drawn to the second image as it reminded me of the trails I frequently hike. To the right is the original image without my modifications. I found this image using the Flickr media search engine. For this second image, “Forest Path” by Atraktor Studio, is labeled as a Public Domain Work. Because both images are in the public domain or free of copyright restrictions, I am legally allowed to reuse and modify them. I also made sure to download a high-resolution version of the forest image (2976x1984) so that it would not become pixelated when used as the background header.



The Editing Process


In the process of creating the header, I worked with multiple layers in Pixlr, which reflects what Lev Manovich (2011) describes as the structure of contemporary image-editing software. This was my first time using Pixlr Express but I found it very user friendly and similar to other softwares I’ve used in the past, however I felt like it had less image editing capabilities than Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. Overall though, it had enough photo editing options for me to easily make a header which I appreciated. Rather than working on a single flat image, I uploaded both pictures as separate layers. This layering system allowed me to manipulate each image independently. For the bird sketch layer, I applied an effect called “Ivan,” which increased contrast and added a pink tone, and then adjusted the opacity to 88% so that the forest branches subtly showed through.

This demonstrates what Manovich (2011) calls media-specific tools (such as filters and color adjustments) as well as automation, since the software applies algorithmic transformations to the image based on selected parameters. I resized the image to make it smaller and put the image off to the the left side of the total composition.

For the forest layer, I adjusted the hue to make it greener, applied a saturation boost using the “Rangeen” effect.


Then I used the “Reflect” filter (as pictured in my screenshot to the left) to mirror the top branches across the entire background to make the background super interesting

and almost trippy to look at . The reflect filter is a clear example of computational manipulation which is something that could not exist in traditional physical media in the same way.


Comparison to MS Paint Constraints


Compared to the single-layer bitmap process described by Patrick Davison (2014) in his discussion of MS Paint, my process was much more flexible and layered. MS Paint constructs images as flat grids of pixels, where edits are often destructive and limited by resolution and basic tools. In contrast, my header image relied on multiple adjustable layers, opacity controls, filters, and color modifications. While both processes involve manipulating pixels digitally, the software I used allows for smoother transformations, non-destructive editing, and complex compositing. Davison (2014) explains how MS Paint’s limitations such as jagged lines and lack of advanced filters can produce a distinct visual style shaped by technological constraints. My editing process, however, reflects the more advanced capabilities Manovich describes, where digital images are treated as coded data that can be layered, filtered, and algorithmically transformed.



Conclusion


At first I wanted to just add my own photography as the header of my blog page which is what I’ve done for every other page in my portfolio but in the end I found that creating this header image helped me understand how contemporary editing software can significantly increase both creative possibilities and visual meaning.


Image Sources:


  1. “Sketchpad, with drawing of a bird” by eady, provided via Open Clip Art Library (Public Domain). Retrieved from http://www.publicdomainfiles.com/show_file.php?id=13550826612701



References:


Davison, P. (2014). Because of the pixels: On the history, form, and influence of MS Paint. Journal of Visual Culture, 13(3), 275–297. https://doi.org/10.1177/1470412914544539


Manovich, L. (2011). Inside Photoshop. Computational Culture, (1). http://computationalculture.net/article/inside-photoshop


 
 
 

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