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

[RepliCartertje]

Does anyone know if you can do something like this in GIMP only with the free select tool instead of the lasso?

I haven't quite figured out how to do blending well yet.

There is a lasso tool on Gimp too acually, I downloaded it too to see if I could help people too, I think it works in the same way as PS so here is a screencap of it. It's the one in the blue slightly highlighted...

Click feathered to make the blending better

[Melora]

yay Lies has texture links, I love your textures, so be sure to share them... I love textures..

By any change you don't have any brushes with text on (and I don't mean a font) I really lack that

Also maybe we can do a tutorial together one time, I mean to see how different we can be Remeber the time we did it Lies

I don't know if this is what you are looking for, but I found this one that I really like.

Here is a link to the Photoshop version: Handwriting by Obsidian Dawn

There is also a GIMP version at deviant art: Handwriting by Obsidian Dawn (GIMP)

It has a really nice variety of handwriting text brushes. The Obsidian Dawn site also has some other nice brushes and patterns as well.

[Melora]

There is a lasso tool on Gimp too acually, I downloaded it too to see if I could help people too, I think it works in the same way as PS so here is a screencap of it. It's the one in the blue slightly highlighted...

Click feathered to make the blending better

Thanks, Eve.

I figured it was the same thing in both. Now I just have to get that practice that starlover1990 recommended. We'll see if I can actually make it work.

[Oma-1]

Me too. The more I see on here, the more I realise how little I know

LOL, me too! I'm definitely up for a tut!!

*waves* Hello all!

Ok, so I'm on the GIMPAGE bandwagon and have made a very basic sig. What I want to know is how to size it so it becomes the right size for a signature without stretching the images in the picture? This may be a dumb question but whilst I'm pretty set on making vids, I am a total newbie when it comes to artwork. Help is greatly appreciated.

But anyway...this is what I made. very verrrry basic

[url]http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg252/sarailovesjack/4x18_0040-1.jpg[/urlG]

Oh, lovely!

You can either resize it using the scale button on the toolbar (looks like a little pic behind a big pic with an arrow). Click on the little chain link (when it's all in one link it keeps the perspective, when split in two it will warp the pic). Then you can adjust it to the size you want, although it will make it really small.

A better option, instead of trying to re-scale everything, would be to move the text up so it's on a level with Jack's mouth, then use the crop tool (looks like a scalpel) to select a section the right size for a sig. That way you still get their expressions and keep the sizes of their faces the same.

When I'm making a sig, I always start by opening a new image and specifying the size I want it (usually 600 x 170 or 180), and then add the pics in as layers and adjust the sizes then. That way I'm not left with trying to squish something I really like to get the size right (like I used to do ). Fortunately, your pic will work well just with using the crop tool.




If anyone else does stuff in a different way to me, I'd love to hear about it! I'm sure half the time I do things in a way that is really long winded when there are shortcuts I could use.

Yet another question for our Gimp gurus... For some reason, Gimp is automatically anchoring the floating layer when I add another layer. So I'll start off with a background, then paste in a picture which is layer 2. I edit it a bit, then paste in another layer, or add text... and all of a sudden, layer 2 is part of the background, which makes it completely uneditable. I don't think... no, I know it wasn't doing this last night. Why does Gimp hate me so???

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.

Does anyone know if you can do something like this in GIMP only with the free select tool instead of the lasso?

I haven't quite figured out how to do blending well yet.

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.

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!

[starlover]

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

[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.........