How to Make a Bobble Head Image of Yourself

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Image of a bobblehead doll.
Image Credit: Juan Moyano/Hemera/Getty Images

Turning your own head into a bobblehead is something you can do yourself in just a few minutes, provided you have the right software. To do this, you need a photo editor that lets you work with layers. Photoshop is perhaps the most well-known, however you can download a program like GIMP that works much the same as Photoshop. GIMP is an open-source program completely free to use, while Photoshop is available to use for 30 days without paying. Other programs like Paint.net also let you work in layers although the process is slightly different.

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Step 1

Open a photo of yourself in an image editor like GIMP or Photoshop. For best results, the photo should show you at least from the waist up to emphasize the bobblehead effect compared to the rest of your body.

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Step 2

Zoom into the photo if needed.

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Step 3

Click the lasso tool from the Photoshop toolbox and drag it around the outline of your head.

In GIMP, this is called the "Free Select Tool" and it has a slightly different process. Click the bottom middle of your chin to create an anchor point, move the mouse to the left corner of your chin to and click it again to create a second anchor point. A straight line appears between the anchor points. Continue clicking around the outline of your face and hair, until you get back to the first anchor point, then click it to close the lasso.

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Step 4

Press "Ctrl-C" on the keyboard to copy the head you encircled. Press "Ctrl-V" to paste a copy of the head over the photo in a new layer.

Step 5

Select "Transform" from the Photoshop Edit menu and click "Scale." In GIMP, select the "Scale" tool in the toolbox, which looks like two rectangles joined by an arrow. Drag one corner of the rectangle around the head outward to make it bigger. Press "Enter."

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Step 6

Click the arrow tool in the toolbox. This is called the "Move" tool in Photoshop. Drag the bobblehead so that the bottom of the chin is where your chin originally was. You can drag it down a bit, but make sure some of your neck is still visible and the smaller head is completely hidden by the bobblehead.

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Step 7

Clean up any areas around the head that were included in the copy by mistake using the Eraser tool from the toolbox.

Step 8

Save the file as a new JPG image. In GIMP, click the "File" menu and select "Export." In Photoshop, select "Save As" from the File menu. Type a new name for the image, like "bobblehead" in the Name field. In the File Type menu, select "JPG."

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