GIMP Graphic Tutorials?

[Ember]

Most people in the bc use PSP but I was wondering if anyone had a good GIMP tutorial. I was also wondering if it is possible to add the glowy things?

[Herdrix]

I know my way around GIMP, anything specific you'd like to know?

What do you mean by glowy thing?

[Ember]

I figured out the glowy thing. But I cant figure out out lines...

[Deleted]

I'm not an expert or anything, but I know the 'basics' (such as transperrency, light & color-effects, etc), so I may be able to cover some areas too, if you'd like..

[Ember]

Yes please do Gry!

[Deleted]

I've done a fair share on this today, and I hope to be able to finish it within a couple of days..

[Deleted]

GIMP
Basics for 'Milk-cartons'

Text: me
Images: gimp.org

I wasn't sure about what to include, so I figured I'd just start with the topics I knew to be relevant, for then to add to that as the topics are being brought up..

1. HOW TO DRAW STRAIGHT LINES

- I knew less than 'squat' about picture-editing when I first started using GIMP, so I figured I might as well start up by explaining this for those who are as 'green' to this as I once was..
- Unlike the default 'Paint'-program, doesn't GIMP have any specific tool for this.
- The first thing to do, is deciding witch tools you're gonna use. Any of the red-highlighted tools in the pictured toolbox can do lines.

- When you've activated the chosen tools, click on the start-up point for your line. A single dot will appear on the screen. The size of this dot represents the current brush size, -which you can change in the Brush Dialog, and the shape of it, depends on the brush.

- Then you hold down the Shift button, and the line appears as it would be if drawn from the start-up point to the current "whereabouts" of your mouse-pointer.

- Let go of the Shift-button, and the line's drawn.

2. THE TRANSPARENCY-FEATURES

- The number one 'issue' for a 'Milk-carton', is without a doubt how to make the transparent backgrounds. And in GIMP, does that go hand in hand with the ability get rid of the white background when we're adding pics to an image, (like banners, 'siggies', etc). Personally, do I usually put together the pictures in 'Paint', before moving on to GIMP, but I guess that's just a matter of habit..
- First of all.. The transparency-feature requires that the images are in png, gif and/or bmp-format in order to work (there might be more, but those are the ones I know how to 'handle').
- There are two tools, witch means two options for you to choose from, due to how to do this:..

1) The Wand/Fuzzy-selector
(-Top row, 4th tool from the left in the pictured tool-box):
By using this tool, are you singling out a certain area to become transparent. That will save you the trouble of temporary re-coloring the white-colored features that's included in the pic. On the other hand, does this means trouble if the pictured babyz has got a hair-style that leaves you with a 'gazillion' tiny areas 'in between', like this curly style from my own selection;

2) The Color-chooser (-Top row, 5th tool from the left in the pictured tool-box).
This is the way to go in order to avoid the above mention problem, as you by using this tool, are singling out a specific color (usually white) that's becoming transparent. This is the way to go if re-coloring the white in clothes, etc. is to be considered 'peace of cake', compared to what you'd be facing by 'leaving behind' loads of tiny areas that's supposed to be transparent (like the pictured style).
- When you've made your choice due to the selector, click somewhere on the white background. -Doing that, will cause the affected areas to start 'vibrating'.
- With that being done, enter 'Colors' in the tool-bar above the image (default placement), scroll down, and click 'Color to alpha'. By doing that, a box will show up with a (from my point of view) misleading pre-view of your image (that I never bother to look at), where you click OK (or whatever word that's being used for accepting the change), and voila! -You've 'wiped out' the unwanted whites..

3. ADDING IMAGES

- In 'Paint' (the version following Win7), is this to be done by choosing 'Passed from' in the menu-line (in XP, is the feature in question to be found in the bottom of the 'Edit'-menu, if I remember it correctly).
- In GIMP, on the other hand, do you add more pics to your image/banner by entering 'File' in the menu-line.
- Scroll down, and click 'Pass as a new layer', -for then to find & open (double-click) the picture of your choice.
- Remove the white background as explained above.
- With that being done, choose the 5th tool (from the left) on the 2nd row (from the top) in order to move it to the placement of your choice.

4. HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN BRUSHES & PATTERNS

- Let's say you've hexed some clothes, and want them to appear as them selfs in the closet.. In order to do that, do you have to add the bmp in the graphic-program, witch means you've got to copy them into the program as brushes/patterns, for then to 'Tinker' them..
1) Open the file of your choice.
2) Copy it: Edit -> Copy.
3) Past as: Edit -> Past as.. -> choose Pattern or brush among the 4 options.
4) Name it: Gimp-brushes -> .gbr -suffix, -patterns -> .pat, and click 'OK'.

5. BRUSHES & PATTERNS TO BMP

- Left-click on the brush/pattern of your choice, and choose 'Save as image'.
- Use an image-converter (I use Irfanview. It's free, and the download-link is to be found in the tutorial at 'Milkshake') to make it a 256 color bitmap (bmp).

6. DOWNLOADABLE FEATURES

- GIMP, as it is when you first get it, is quiet 'lame', if I may say so. It's only got a couple of brushes beside the basic different-sized circles, and the same goes for what the patterns are concerned.. But the thing with GIMP, is that it easily, and free of charge, can me made into a fab program, that's 'right up there' along with 'PSP' & 'Adobe Photoshop'. -I'd even say it's the unquestionable winner when it comes to downloadable brushes patterns, as the developers managed to enable the ones made for 'Adobe Photoshop' in their last version, GIMP 2.6.. Besides that, are there loads of scripts & 'plug-in's that provides you with pretty much whatever tool/effect you may please..
- Here are the links to my personal favorites:
themetoday.com/2009/09/50-high-quality-free-gimp-brushes-packs/
registry.gimp.org/
free-brushes.com
gimpstuff.org
idesignbrushes.com
www.allgraphicdesign.com
hawksmont.com
www.gimp.org

Good Luck!

[Herdrix]

Also, for transparency you can select the selection you want transparent with the wand tool (4th button on the top row) then invert your selection. With the selection inverted hit ctrl+c and then ctrl+shift+v to paste in a new window. so...





If there is anything you'd specifically want, I'd be able to help with those.. I don't know what would be useful to you and what wouldn't!

[Jalee]

Creamy points Gry! That was super awesome of you

[Ember]

A bazillion thanks to you guys!