GIMP Tutorials » gimp

How to create Web 2.0 Glossy Buttons

admin — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:30:51 +0000

Here’s a video tutorial we created to show how to make those cool 3D glossy “web 2.0″-style buttons:

The HD version (or full screen) will help you see the detailed settings, although everything is explained in the video.

Hope you enjoy!

Adding Custom Patterns to GIMP

admin — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 18:25:43 +0000

How can I add my own patterns in GIMP?

Save your pattern as a .pat file and into the patterns directory of gimp.

Where to Install Plugins in GIMP

admin — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 18:15:29 +0000

Download the script from the website and leave it on your desktop. Open your home folder and go to view-show hidden files (or press control+h). Scroll down till you see the Gimp folder and click on it. Look for the folder called scripts. Now cut and paste the script you downloaded into this folder. Once you reopen Gimp you’ll find the filter under Filters/Light and Shadow.

Photo Touch-Up – Remove Spots

admin — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 18:03:10 +0000

Before:-

After:-

1. Download The Gimp

2. Open the Image in The Gimp.

3. At the Toolbox, Click on the Clone Tool.

4. Ctrl+Click near the Dust to set a new clone source.

5. Click+Hold on the Dust to paint and remove it.

Make Image Color with Black and White Background

admin — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 18:00:31 +0000

Before:-

After:-

1. Download The Gimp

2. Open the Image in The Gimp.

3. At the Toolbox, Click on the Free Select Tool.

4. Select the entire object by clicking on the sides of the object. Make sure the first dot and the last dot is linked.

5. At the Menu bar, Click on Select -> Invert.

6. At the Menu bar, Click on Colors -> Desaturate.

7. At the Desaturate Window, Select Lightness -> Click OK.

8. At the Menu bar, Click on Select -> None.

9. Done.

Simple Photo Editing

admin — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 17:53:24 +0000

OK, so here is a simple and fun project for all of you GIMP beginners like myself. I am not a professional so cut me some slack if you think my style stinks!

I got the idea while looking through some photos of my 8 year old son learning how to surf last summer. Yeah I know, he’s a good looking kid! Anyways, I wanted to do something fun for him. The idea was to “superimpose” my boy surfing a really big wave! Here is how I did it.

I started with a copy of the original image. Then I found the “perfect wave” photo to use for my project. So basically, I have two photos. Both .jpg’s and both on my hard drive where I can find them.

Next I used the “Paths” tool to basically click a constant outline around the image. I found it much easier to do this if i enlarged the image first using the “zoom” tool. Just take your time and click constantly around the perimeter of the image. Do not worry about being perfect or getting all of the interior “background” portions. Just make a complete outline of the image staying as close to the line as you can. Next, click (select)(from path) and then (feather). The feather option allows you to soften the hard edge of your cutout. You will have to experiment with the size of the feathering. The default is 10 pixels but it really depends on the size of your image. Next, with the image still selected, choose (edit)(cut) or (edit)(copy).

If you cut it, The result will look something like this.

Now it’s time to open the new image.

Go to (file)(open) and choose the image that you want to place your “cutout” on to. For me, it is the image of a big wave. Once you have opened up the new image, just click on (edit)(paste as)(new layer).

Once I pasted the cut image as a new layer, I removed the area of background from between his arms by using the same technique as earlier to outline it with the “paths” tool, then (select)(from path)(feather). This allows the background to show through and adds to the realism.

Then, once you have your prepared “layer” image you can move it around, with the “move” tool. Rotate it with the “rotate” tool and resize it with the “resize” tool. Make the layer fit into your new image exactly how you want. Once you are happy with the result, I would suggest saving it in two different formats. Save the first one as a .xcf (GIMP) format, so you can play around with it later. Then also save it as a .jpg or .png file to share with you friends and family.

The resulting photo for my small project turned out pretty good. If you click on the photo, you can enlarge it. You may notice that it isn’t perfect. But it does look pretty awesome! My boys and wife loved it too.

Selective Colorization – Color in a Black and White Image

admin — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 14:25:27 +0000

Open the full-color version of the image you wish to transform.

Select Visible.

Layer -> New Layer. Set it to Transparency.

Edit -> Paste Into.

Anchor the pasted image onto the new Layer.

Colors -> Desaturate.

Basically what you’ve done is created a Black and White version of the image on a clear transparency above the color version.

Then use the eraser feature to erase the part that you want colored. Zoom in, use different size brushes, etc.

This results in a really cool effect where you have the part of the image that you ‘erased’ in full color, and the rest of the image in black and white.

If you want to, try applying a Gaussian blur to the layer with the black and white. This makes the black and white ‘background’ appear blurred, while the main color image stays focused.

How to Make Fire with GIMP

admin — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 18:53:53 +0000

How to Make Fire or Flames with GIMP:

This is what we will be making:

Step 1: Open up a new canvas. Make it any size you want. Mine is 400×300.

Step 2: Fill canvas with black and make a new transparent layer.

Step 3: The fire will be made with 3 colors, red, yellow, and white. With your red color the basic shape of the fire, Similar to below.

Step 4: With your yellow brush make the second layer, make sure there is still red showing. See below.

Step 5: Repeat, now with white. Once your done with the red white and yellow, it should look similar to the screen below.

Step 6: The fire looks like it has been done by a 3-year-old. Now you will need to add a gaussian blur(Filters–>Blur–>Gaussian Blur). Set Vert and Horiz to 100. It should look similar to the image below.

Step 7: It looks alright but still doesn’t look realistic. Now make a new transparent layer and goto Filters–>Render–>Clouds–>Solid Noise. See the settings similar to below. X-Value=13 Y-Value=7

Step 7: Duplicate the layer with the clouds.

It should look like this by now;

Step 8: Now create a new transparent layer. And goto Filters–>Render–>Clouds–>Plasma. Turbulance=5

Step 9: And now goto Layers–>Colors–>Desaturate. And then set both cloud layers options to Overlay.

IF you want a little more random movement on the fire you can just goto filters–>distort–>IWarp. And play around with it.

All done!

How to Make an eBook Cover

admin — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 18:33:43 +0000

Making an eBook cover with GIMP is very doable, which is a relief, since it can keep you from having to spend tons of money on Photoshop.

I searched all over the internet for a tutorial on how to do it well in GIMP and there wasn’t much out there. So a buddy of mine (graphic artist) and I worked at it and figured it out. We created a guide, because to really make a professional-looking ebook cover takes quite a few steps. (You want your ebook cover to be pretty polished, not some ugly looking thing that will turn away buyers!)

The detailed instructions for the tutorial are over on the main site: www.makeebookcovers.com.

How to Fill Text with Patterns or Colors

admin — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 20:28:05 +0000

Text Filled with a Spiral Gradiant

1. Create your text, using white for the font color (just for this tutorial). From the tool options, click the ‘Path from Text’ button. (This creates a path that outlines the text.)
2. Keeping on the same text layer, click ‘Select…From Path’. This selects an outline of the text.
3. Choose the Gradiant tool from the toolbox. For the gradient, choose something cool like ‘Full Spectrum’. Choose some cool shape, like ‘Spiral’.
4. With the path selected (the outline of your font), and the Gradiant tool active, drag across your font. Try it different ways, angles, distances, starting and stopping points to see how the gradiant changes.
5. Select None and flatten your layers!