Text and images are pretty much polar opposites, but quite often they intersect — usually in the form of text being used in images.
This necessitates a features that all image-editing programs seem to share — the text tool.
Gimp’s text tool is much like any other standard image editor’s text tool, but we’ll cover it today in some detail.
Solid colors are all very well and good, but a little variety is nice, too.
Gradients and patterns can add that variety. They can also add too much variety, but used wisely, they can be just right.
Palettes and colormaps are useful additions to the party, so we’ll cover the basics of all these in this lesson.
In Gimp’s main menu is a “Colors” drop-down with 20+ options that we will briefly explore in this second part of Coloring in Gimp.
The first nine entries in the color menu are a variety of color tools that can also be found under Tools > Color Tools and as options that can be added to the toolbox.
The remaining entries are no less useful and/or interesting.
The color selection dialog includes a number of different modes for color-selection.
Its features and functionality are standard but wide-ranging, so you can use what works best for you each time you pick a new color.
The Gimp toolbox is a window (or dock) featuring multiple icons, each of which are tools that perform tasks in Gimp.
A basic understanding of each tool is necessary to fully utilize the functionality that Gimp has to offer.
But first, let’s give an honorable mention to the toolbar spaces above and below the cluster of tool icons.
Customizations and preferences are, of course, my priority when working with any new application.
Even in the cases that I do not yet know my preferences, I like to know what options are available to be customized as I go.
To that end, let’s go through some basics of how Gimp is set up — vs. how it can be set up — along with some of the operational aspects.
Gimp is an acronym for the GNU Image Manipulation Program.
It is a free, open source raster image editor available on multiple operating platforms (Windows, Linux, OS X, etc.)
Gimp features a customizable interface, photo enhancement and digital retouching features, as well as support for multiple hardware devices and file formats.
It is expandable by way of plugins and extensions that can be added or created via its scripting interface.
As a cross-platform image-editor, Gimp is unparalleled.
Two of the most basic image-manipulation/editing programs are Microsoft Paint — or just Paint — and KolourPaint
Paint is included with each version of Windows. We’ll be discussing the Window 7 version.
KolourPaint is a part of the KDE package. I’m currently using version 16.08.2.
There are many similarities between the two programs — many features and functionalities that work the same.
Let’s explore some of those features.
When was the last time you backed up your data?
Today is the official yearly reminder to quit procrastinating and save all that precious electronic media that you can’t imagine living without… but haven’t backed up since… well, it’s been a few days… or weeks… or…
Because, seriously, if you can’t remember how long it’s been, it might as well have not happened since this time last year!
Let’s go and do it!
I’m a programmer.
In my family, there is a very defined line between capabilities.
On one side of the line, you have the logic-oriented programmers, and on the other side of the line you have the artists.
And, as my Dad and fellow-programmer often says, “I don’t do graphics”.
You would have to hear the emphasis and take in his posture during such a statement to truly understand the humor behind it — but he’s not joking.
I, too, have difficulties on the graphical-front, but have found it necessary, from time to time, to dip my toes into the image-related kiddie pool.