How To Make Your Pictures Look Like Comic Book / Graphic Novel Art With GIMP ver. 2

As I stated in a previous post, I have been all over the web trying to find a way in which a no-talent-hack, such as myself, could possibly create any semblance of what one could call 'art.' As a firm believer in Open Source Software, I wanted to find a way (preferably a good way), to create the comic book/graphic novel look I wanted with my photos. I wanted to find a fast and easy method of reproducing the same overall end effect. This is another simple formula I use. (see also ver. 1 and ver. 3)

Download GIMP (Windows .exe, and source available on site. Also available through your Linux package manager.)
Install GIMP (via Windows .exe, per install instructions in the source archive, or via your Linux package manager.)
Choose the photograph you are wanting to use. It is best to use a high resolution photograph (at least 1024x768, at least 300dpi). The photograph used in this example (of Carla Bruni-Sarkozy) was 2,592 × 3,888, however it has been scaled down for display purposes.
Auto adjusting the color levels will usually help the overall quality of the end result. (Colors->Levels->Auto->OK)
(See previous for illustration of this step)
Duplicate the current layer. (Layer->Duplicate Layer)
Layer->Duplicate Layer

Layers Pallate
Apply 'Threshold' to the 'Background copy' layer. (Colors->Threshold)
Colors->Threshold

Threshold->Auto->OK
At this point in the process the bulk of the preparation is complete. Although the resulting images are all quite similar, selecting each of the different Layer Modes will produce a varied outcome. A few examples are shown below.
Layers Mode = Normal

Layers Mode = Normal Result

Layers Mode = Multiply Result

Layers Mode = Overlay Result

Layers Mode = Soft Light Result

Layers Mode = Grain Merge Result

Layers Mode = Darken Only Result

Layers Mode = Burn Result

Layers Mode = Value Result