Saturday, August 22, 2009
Monday, October 6, 2008
New Image Default in Gimp for Scrapbooking
1. Click file, then preferences
2. Choose "default image" from the menu on the left side of the preferences screen
3. On the right side under image size enter width 3600 and height 3600 and make sure "pixels" is chosen from the drop down box, then enter 300 for x-resolution and 300 for y-resolution and again choose pixels in that areas drop down box
4. It's up to you what you would like as the rest of the information. I like to start with white for the fill so that I remember to make a new transparent layer immediately, because a good rule of thumb is to NOT use the background for anything, as some tools, filters and other things don't seem to work properly on the background layer.
5. Click "ok" and this is what your new page will look like every time you start a new image. Close Gimp and re-start it to make the new default image take effect.
2. Choose "default image" from the menu on the left side of the preferences screen
3. On the right side under image size enter width 3600 and height 3600 and make sure "pixels" is chosen from the drop down box, then enter 300 for x-resolution and 300 for y-resolution and again choose pixels in that areas drop down box
4. It's up to you what you would like as the rest of the information. I like to start with white for the fill so that I remember to make a new transparent layer immediately, because a good rule of thumb is to NOT use the background for anything, as some tools, filters and other things don't seem to work properly on the background layer.
5. Click "ok" and this is what your new page will look like every time you start a new image. Close Gimp and re-start it to make the new default image take effect.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Two Tutorials in One: Easy Gradient and Shading of Object Edges
Gradient
1. If you have a path right click and choose "select from path" OR use the fuzzy select tool (magic wand icon) to select the edge of your object
2. Choose the gradient tool, choose gradient colors from color palette (in foreground and background colors)
3. You may need to switch the gradient direction by checking off the little box next to Gradient: (next to the gradient colors shown) depending upon what you would like on the inside of your object and what you want on the outside edges)
4. Next to Shape: choose "shaped angular" and leave the rest alone
5. click within your object at one edge and click again (this will drag out a "line") at the opposite edge (whatever is furthest away)
Shading:
1. Create a new transparent layer
2. In the layers dialog box choose overlay or dodge (play with this to see what effect you want)
3. Choose a soft edged paintbrush and right size and paint around the edges within the new layer
4. You may need to link the object to your new layer to keep the overpaint (where you went out of the lines) from showing up on new backgrounds
1. If you have a path right click and choose "select from path" OR use the fuzzy select tool (magic wand icon) to select the edge of your object
2. Choose the gradient tool, choose gradient colors from color palette (in foreground and background colors)
3. You may need to switch the gradient direction by checking off the little box next to Gradient: (next to the gradient colors shown) depending upon what you would like on the inside of your object and what you want on the outside edges)
4. Next to Shape: choose "shaped angular" and leave the rest alone
5. click within your object at one edge and click again (this will drag out a "line") at the opposite edge (whatever is furthest away)
Shading:
1. Create a new transparent layer
2. In the layers dialog box choose overlay or dodge (play with this to see what effect you want)
3. Choose a soft edged paintbrush and right size and paint around the edges within the new layer
4. You may need to link the object to your new layer to keep the overpaint (where you went out of the lines) from showing up on new backgrounds
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Make the Gimp (or any graphics program) faster
One word. RAM. If you can add RAM do it. It's very easy and very effective. I got 1GB on sale for $29.99 from a local retailer and had it in my computer in a matter of 5 minutes. You will notice a huge difference immediately. For scrapbooking it's probably best to have at least 1GB of RAM as the files tend to get fairly big.
Another tip is to change the "tile cache size" in Gimp. With the Gimp toolbox open, go to FILE --> PREFERENCES -->> ENVIRONMENT and change the "tile cache size." A good rule of thumb is to use about 80% of your computer's total RAM, so if you have 1GB of RAM enter 800. Last, click on the OK tab and you're done.
One last idea is to defragment your computer every so often. It takes a little time for your computer to perform this, but essential to keep everything organized, so that you have no wasted space on your drive.
Happy scrapping!
Another tip is to change the "tile cache size" in Gimp. With the Gimp toolbox open, go to FILE --> PREFERENCES -->> ENVIRONMENT and change the "tile cache size." A good rule of thumb is to use about 80% of your computer's total RAM, so if you have 1GB of RAM enter 800. Last, click on the OK tab and you're done.
One last idea is to defragment your computer every so often. It takes a little time for your computer to perform this, but essential to keep everything organized, so that you have no wasted space on your drive.
Happy scrapping!
Monday, May 19, 2008
How to: Preview Tiles/Make Scrapbook Paper with Tiles
How to Preview a Tile You've Made or Acquired
Once you have your tile image open
choose from the menu's on the top of your tile's image: filters-->map-->tile
"Tile" box will pop up:
Under "Tile to New Size" change the width to 500 and the height to 500; keep 'px' in the drop-down box selected; keep "Create New Image" box selected; choose OK
This opens your new image in a new window; it is separate from your tile image, so you can close it out and still have your tile. Or you can use this to make scrapbook paper by following the next tutorial.
How to Make Scrapbook Paper with Tiles
Follow the previous tutorial on How to Preview Tiles; Once you have your new separate image tiled, choose from the top menu on your new image: image-->scale image
"Scale" Image box will pop up:
Change the drop-down box from "pixels" to "inches" and change the width to 12 and the height to 12 or if you prefer to have an 8 1/2 x 11 scrapbook page change the width to 8.5 and the height to 11. Now change the x resolution to 300 and the y resolution to 300 as well and keep the drop down box in this area as px/inches (this gives the standard higher quality look for scrapbooking and you will get what you see in most cases instead of a choppy looking printout). Nothing else in this box needs to be changed, so choose OK and save your new digital scrapbook paper as a jpg file.
Once you have your tile image open
choose from the menu's on the top of your tile's image: filters-->map-->tile
"Tile" box will pop up:
Under "Tile to New Size" change the width to 500 and the height to 500; keep 'px' in the drop-down box selected; keep "Create New Image" box selected; choose OK
This opens your new image in a new window; it is separate from your tile image, so you can close it out and still have your tile. Or you can use this to make scrapbook paper by following the next tutorial.
How to Make Scrapbook Paper with Tiles
Follow the previous tutorial on How to Preview Tiles; Once you have your new separate image tiled, choose from the top menu on your new image: image-->scale image
"Scale" Image box will pop up:
Change the drop-down box from "pixels" to "inches" and change the width to 12 and the height to 12 or if you prefer to have an 8 1/2 x 11 scrapbook page change the width to 8.5 and the height to 11. Now change the x resolution to 300 and the y resolution to 300 as well and keep the drop down box in this area as px/inches (this gives the standard higher quality look for scrapbooking and you will get what you see in most cases instead of a choppy looking printout). Nothing else in this box needs to be changed, so choose OK and save your new digital scrapbook paper as a jpg file.
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