The secrets on how to make artwork of the Sam/Jack ship family thread

[Jumble]

I tried to use the intelligent select tool today, and well... it selected, but then I couldn't do anything. I think I skipped a step somewhere...

I had the same problem *headdesk* I don't even want to think about what happened when I tried to use the foreground select tool It was baaaaaaaaaaad!

See, I told you it would be more 'intelligent' than me Glad I'm not the only one with a headache

[RepliCartertje]

okay, I was looking for some tutorials we can do so here are a few, if you find other be sure to share them, then we can make a selection and decided what we wanna make.

How to create a lightsaber

blending two images with gimp

turning people into stones

using Gimp to get the Andy Warhol effect

hot wallpaper with flames

Moasic Grid To Photos - Apply a nifty mosaic to photos without using the filter!

old photo

[josiane]

Errrr...I'm guessing here...when you paste the pic in, you can do it a few different ways....I think you may have the background layer selected when you paste, so it lets you edit it around until you either anchor the layer, or try to paste something else or work on a different layer (at that point, if you haven't anchored already, it does it automatically for you). I think this could be what's happening....

To paste into a new layer, the easiest way to do it is to click paste, and immediately click the new layer icon on the bottom left of the layers display box. That anchors your pasted area onto a new layer. Then you can edit it and do whatever you like.





Yep, just select the area you want with the free select. Then go to Select - Invert, then Edit - Cut. If you want a blended edge, double click on the free select tool and it will bring up the tool dialogue box, just click feathering and select the radius. The lower the number, the more defined the edge, the higher, the more blended it will be. Make sure you specify this before you select the area.

Thanks for these tips Oma - I've been having problems with both of these things too! Will try it out later

I tried to use the intelligent select tool today, and well... it selected, but then I couldn't do anything. I think I skipped a step somewhere...

CQ, Oma and Jumble, with the intelligent select, have you made sure you've ringed the whole area around with it? As soon as you click the last line bit in place, hit <return> and then the line around it should kind of shimmer, and then you can copy and paste onto your background. If you're still having problems let me know and I'll see if I can make screenshots or something to help you

Just downloaded GIMP to compare it with PS...and just wanted to say...I don't understand a bit of it...well a bit...but not much Applause for all that use it...(probably you just have to learn the program like you have to do with PS as well)
Btw...why isn't there with GIMP one full screen program? it's confusing...okay..
oh and can you work with brushes in GIMP or not?

*runs back to PS*
*huggles it, and promises never to leave it*

Oh and my sigs are 550x190...and sometimes 600x190/600x180...and a while ago my standard was 500x200 but I didnt like it so I changed

Yes, you can use brushes in Gimp - I'm not very good at using them yet but they are there!

[Luvnjoe]

Okay, I'm revealing how little I really know, here...

What is the difference between a brush and a font? And when would you use a brush? And why? And who can post a good example of said usage?

See...? *Mutters Walter-like* I feel so stupid!

[SamJackShipLover]

A font is a lettertype. To write words.

A brush is used for decoration mostly, can be everything. Like hearts, stars, flowers, and also text (but not single letters, complete words, usually with a little decoration on it). Can be very large or very small. You "stamp" the brush onto what you're making.

On this one I used lots of heart brushes and the I wrote the word Lunch in Scriptina font:


On this one "duty before love" was written in 2 different fonts. In the middle I used a brush that looks like tape, to make it look I taped the pic. The 3 XXX on the right is also a brush:


And on this one, I stamped a couple of brushes in the shape of lips:



Does this help?

EDIT: Oh, and I have to add, I don't use brushes a lot anymore. At the moment just on wallpapers, and mostly splatter brushes. Like on these (click for larger obviously):





And the curly thing on the 2nd one is also a brush

[Jumble]

Okay, I'm revealing how little I really know, here...

What is the difference between a brush and a font? And when would you use a brush? And why? And who can post a good example of said usage?

See...? *Mutters Walter-like* I feel so stupid!

As far as I know, a font is what you use to put in words, whereas a brush puts in patterns like this

You go Dialogues>brushes and choose a brush from the window. Then just swish it around in your sig/wp window. You can change the shape of the brushes in the choice window. I've only been playing with whats in there so am probably not much help I think you should be able to change the colour of the brush, but have no idea how

What I need to know is, having downloaded lots of brushes from the sites posted here, how do I actually use them with Gimp?

Same applies to textures. Have downloaded some, but don't know what to do next.

I get the feeling that most of the people explaining things assume I know stuff that I don't, not realising that I need explanations step by step! Trouble is, when you've been doing this stuff yourself for ages, you tend to do things automatically and when explaining it to complete novices you inadvertently miss bits out. Not meaning to complain, I've picked up lots of useful stuff from everyone, just there's lots that go clean over my head

Luvnjack I'm sure I saw you explain somewhere about how you put the texture over you new sig, but now I can't find it! Do you mind repeating it for me? Pretty Please?

Edit: Ok, SamJackShiplover did that far better than me!

[Luvnjoe]

Thanks, Lies! Another question:

If I download a brush, where should I save it so I can use it later? In my fonts folder? But that doesn't seem right...Is there a folder for brushes somewhere?
And if not, where should I make one so it's readily available in my editing program?

[SamJackShipLover]

Thanks, Lies! Another question:

If I download a brush, where should I save it so I can use it later? In my fonts folder? But that doesn't seem right...Is there a folder for brushes somewhere?
And if not, where should I make one so it's readily available in my editing program?

Anne, not Jann

Fonts and brushes are 2 seperate things. Fonts are just saved where all windows fonts are. I save the brush files to C / program files / Adobe Photoshop CS2 / Presets / Brushes, then they appear in photoshop. Of course, if you use another programme, I'm not sure where your presets are.

Oh, and I recommend ... I've got sooo many brushes, it takes ages to load photoshop. So I put them all in groups (ie, hearts, flowers) and save the groups outside the presets, that way when opening PS, the brushes don't get loaded. If I need them, I'll just import them, or restart PS after I moved the group back to presets.

EDIT: I see you already changed my name

[SamJackShipLover]

Jumble, I can't help you with your GIMP brush question. But the use of textures probably is the same in every programme.

1. Open the texture in GIMP
2. Select the whole texture (CTL A in photoshop)
3. Copy the texture (CTRL C?)
4. Go to your sig or whatever
5. Paste the texture (CTRL V). It should appear on a new layer, if not, make a new layer first and then paste
6. Play around with the layer modes (I guess GIMP has them too), and with the opacity.

Did that help?

[Jumble]

Thanks, Lies! Another question:

If I download a brush, where should I save it so I can use it later? In my fonts folder? But that doesn't seem right...Is there a folder for brushes somewhere?
And if not, where should I make one so it's readily available in my editing program?

See, now, that's the question I should have asked, Lol!

Jumble, I can't help you with your GIMP brush question. But the use of textures probably is the same in every programme.

1. Open the texture in GIMP
2. Select the whole texture (CTL A in photoshop)
3. Copy the texture (CTRL C?)
4. Go to your sig or whatever
5. Paste the texture (CTRL V). It should appear on a new layer, if not, make a new layer first and then paste
6. Play around with the layer modes (I guess GIMP has them too), and with the opacity.

Did that help?

Thanks! I'll go and play.........

[Luvnjoe]

What I need to know is, having downloaded lots of brushes from the sites posted here, how do I actually use them with Gimp?

Same applies to textures. Have downloaded some, but don't know what to do next.
<snip>

Luvnjack I'm sure I saw you explain somewhere about how you put the texture over you new sig, but now I can't find it! Do you mind repeating it for me? Pretty Please?

Edit: Ok, SamJackShiplover did that far better than me!

LOL! I had the same question as you, Jumble. I hope someone answers it soon!

I have my textures just saved like any other pic. For my "Kingdom of Eternal Optimism" sig, I did the following:

First, I downloaded the texture. I copied and pasted it as my background. Didn't make any changes to it at all. Then, I opened the fishing pic, and did the same. Copy, paste. Then, I made it b&w (color, hue&saturation, desaturate), and made it transparent (layer, transparency, color to alpha).
After that, I just slapped on the text. Can't remember the exact name of the font right now.

Anyway, it's been a hit, even though I didn't do much!

[SamJackShipLover]

Textures aren't saved in your programme like brushes. Just some random place.
And yep, you can just use textures as background, or on top, or in the middle. Just play with layer styles of the texture, and your other layers as well.

Luvnjack: not doing much, but making it look good, is just the trick

[starlover]

I'm bad...I am the one asking the question and Lies has to solve it all...

*goes into a corner...being quiet*

[SamJackShipLover]

I'm bad...I am the one asking the question and Lies has to solve it all...

*goes into a corner...being quiet*

Wait a minute?

You were asking the question? Baddd Jann

Love ya anyway

[starlover]

Wait a minute?

You were asking the question? Baddd Jann

Love ya anyway

Yeah...I asked if there were Brushes in GIMP...coz I was looking at the program and found it weird...I keep it with Photoshop!

I'm bad I know(see the shipper thread )

Love ya too hon!

[Jumble]

LOL! I had the same question as you, Jumble. I hope someone answers it soon!

I have my textures just saved like any other pic. For my "Kingdom of Eternal Optimism" sig, I did the following:

First, I downloaded the texture. I copied and pasted it as my background. Didn't make any changes to it at all. Then, I opened the fishing pic, and did the same. Copy, paste. Then, I made it b&w (color, hue&saturation, desaturate), and made it transparent (layer, transparency, color to alpha).
After that, I just slapped on the text. Can't remember the exact name of the font right now.

Anyway, it's been a hit, even though I didn't do much!

Thanks! It was the copy and paste bit I didn't get, but now I understand. Get to my age, you have to be told everything at least twice before it makes sense, Lol! I really like that sig, and like you say simple, but beautiful

Textures aren't saved in your programme like brushes. Just some random place.
And yep, you can just use textures as background, or on top, or in the middle. Just play with layer styles of the texture, and your other layers as well.

Luvnjack: not doing much, but making it look good, is just the trick

Exactly what I'm aiming for - simpe but effective

[RepliCartertje]

I'm bad...I am the one asking the question and Lies has to solve it all...

*goes into a corner...being quiet*

Well what do I have to say then I started this thread and haven't helped out too much either lol

If anything I started the confusion with the text brushes instead of fonts

and I am making lost icons as we speak, first time I did that and well it is working out okay I'll post after I am done with more

[Oma-1]

What I need to know is, having downloaded lots of brushes from the sites posted here, how do I actually use them with Gimp?

Same applies to textures. Have downloaded some, but don't know what to do next.

On one of the links on the first page for brushes there were instructions on how to load them into gimp. I'll go hunt for it....

It was JT4L's post. Here's the link. Follow the instructions at the top for Gimp 2.2. The technical stuff further down basically says that if you have Gimp 2.4 (which all of you should have if you dl'd in the last few months) you can use photoshop brushes as well as gimp brushes

Jumble, I can't help you with your GIMP brush question. But the use of textures probably is the same in every programme.

1. Open the texture in GIMP
2. Select the whole texture (CTL A in photoshop)
3. Copy the texture (CTRL C?)
4. Go to your sig or whatever
5. Paste the texture (CTRL V). It should appear on a new layer, if not, make a new layer first and then paste
6. Play around with the layer modes (I guess GIMP has them too), and with the opacity.

Did that help?

The easiest way in Gimp to add a texture is to use the Open As Layers option in Edit. Click on that, find the file where you stored them, and when you click on open it puts it in your pic as a new layer. No need to open it separately then copy paste etc. I also use it for any pic I want to add.

LOL! I had the same question as you, Jumble. I hope someone answers it soon!

I have my textures just saved like any other pic. For my "Kingdom of Eternal Optimism" sig, I did the following:

First, I downloaded the texture. I copied and pasted it as my background. Didn't make any changes to it at all. Then, I opened the fishing pic, and did the same. Copy, paste. Then, I made it b&w (color, hue&saturation, desaturate), and made it transparent (layer, transparency, color to alpha).
After that, I just slapped on the text. Can't remember the exact name of the font right now.

Anyway, it's been a hit, even though I didn't do much!

Can you explain the color to alpha thing for me? I read a tut on it and just didn't get it at all To get stuff transparent, I've been using Colours-Curves-Alpha and moving the line down the graph thingy...I suppose its a similar thing...

[Oma-1]

Well what do I have to say then I started this thread and haven't helped out too much either lol

If anything I started the confusion with the text brushes instead of fonts

and I am making lost icons as we speak, first time I did that and well it is working out okay I'll post after I am done with more

(((Huggles Eve))) I think this thread is fab! I've learned so much already! So if you feel like you've not helped out too much, think again!!!

[Oma-1]

I made a WP using new a texture from a deviant art site and using the textbox the way you guys told me how It was sooooooo much quicker and easier! Thanks everyone!