FROM ME THIS WEEK
Setouchi Triennale
Chiharu Shiota‘s work
This week, I visited Takamatsu, Japan, for the Setouchi Triennale — an art festival held once every three years. Many works were breathtaking, including one by Chiharu Shiota. Most pieces couldn’t be photographed, but this one struck me deeply.
Threads of red intertwined with a weaving machine — intricate, tense, and alive. The color itself felt almost overwhelming, oozing a sense of urgency and emotion.
It made me wonder — how can we evoke that same feeling in digital design?
That cinematic, almost futuristic and experimental mood.
This week’s tutorial is my way of exploring that idea. Here’s one you can try today.
LEARN DESIGN
Want to turn a simple headshot into something cinematic?
Here’s how to create Duotone Exposure Portraits in Figma — a mix of color channels, contrast, and emotion.
👇 It’s simpler than it looks.
Rotating blend lines cover
🎁 Grab your starter file and follow along!
Video Tutorial is linked below.
Step 1 - Start with two portraits
Pick images with clean backgrounds — easier to remove later.
Side-facing subjects work best, since overlapping profiles create stronger visual tension.
Bonus: using the same person makes the result feel dramatic — like they’re split between two worlds.
2 portraits of same subject.
Step 2 – Arrange your shot
Remove both backgrounds with Figma’s built-in tool.
Set the layer opacity to around 50% — that transparency helps you preview the final blend.
Try flipping or resizing until it feels balanced. Focus on keeping the eyes intact and expression clear.
arrange two portraits
Step 3 – Convert to grayscale
Add the Greyscale filter using the Filter/Effect plugin. This keeps your color channels clean for the next step.
Export one of the layers — we’ll use it in Photopea.
Add greyscale filter in filter/effect plugin
Step 4 – The Photopea trick
Open your first image in Photopea, place the exported version on top.
Then the magic part:
On the top layer → deselect G and B channels.
On the bottom layer → deselect R.
You’ll instantly get that futuristic duotone color split.
Deselect the G and B channel in photopea.
Step 5 – Fine-tune the colors
Add a Selective Color adjustment layer.
Tweak reds and cyans until your contrast pops.
Subtle changes make all the difference.
Tweaking sliders in cyan channel.
Step 6 – Tada!
✨ Result time.
And there it is — your own Duotone Exposure Portrait.
It instantly adds depth and mood to an otherwise ordinary photo — something you can use in any client design or personal project.
Final result
Watch on Youtube
Like and share the video.
Leave a comment if you got any questions!
Thanks for reading!
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