GIMP Tutorial: Easy Border Layer Masks Using GIMP

Making your own layer masks for borders/framing is fairly easy to accomplish using GIMP.

Meet Doug (I really like his cool hat). I found Doug's picture here while looking for information on photo filters and PS actionscripts.

The image:

1. Open your image and establish a center guide on your image for your selection (you can use either rectangle or ellipse selections, doesn't matter)

2. Create a new layer, move it to the bottom, flood fill it with any color of your choice, or use a pattern or background image, the choice is yours.

3. Create a new transparent layer, move it to the top, change layer mode to screen so you can see the image layer under it, flood fill that layer with black. (We're creating the selection mask on this layer)

4. Create your selection, and center it on the top "mask" layer filled with black, flood fill the new selection with white. Select - None.

5. Use Gaussian blur of 75px on the mask layer.

6. Filters - Artistic - Cubism: tile size 6, saturation 3.2, use background should be checked.

7. Edit - Cut the mask layer

8. On the image layer, right click in dialog, add mask layer, choose default settings. Edit - Paste. Anchor the floating selection.

9. Your done. But you can now replace the bottom background layer with ANYTHING you want simply by replacing it with a pattern, another image, or different color.

I'll be using the image of Doug to show how to create your own border layer mask using GIMP. Check out the video tutorial below (best viewed full screen):

November 21st is International GIMP Day!

The first beta release of GIMP occurred on November 21, 1995.

Show your support by creating your own GIMP splash using GIMP and then share it with others.

My new GIMP splash screen for the upcoming 2.8:

(Click image for a larger view)

If you like it, feel free to use it as your own GIMP splash screen.

GIMP Tutorial: Create Cool Text Art From Your Photographs Using GIMP

From this:

To this:

Take almost any image and convert it to text art using GIMP's GIMPressionist filter. Two things you need to know right off the bat:

1) You'll need to create a GIMPressionist brush (using a .pgm extension,NOT .gbr or .gih) and upload it to .gimp-2.6/gimpressionist/Brushes. You can make your text brush however you wish, unique to you. If yourgimpressionist folder doesn't have a Brushes folder, you'll need to create one or the brush may not work.

2) You'll need to use an updated version of G'MIC and Tom Kiel'sPhotoIllustration filter. You'll see me point out the Dragan preset in G'MIC, but I created that preset personally. You'll need to go toArtistic/PhotoIllustration and input the settings provided below and save the preset to your Faves. Run the filter a second time or run Colors – Curvesto darken it further:

My GIMPressionist brush looks like the following (feel free to use it, if you want, just be sure to change the extension to .pgm):

Now the video:

Best viewed FULL SCREEN.

Enjoy! 

GIMP Tutorial: PSP Quilted Text Tutorial Converted to GIMP

The original tutorial was found at http://www.state-of-entropy.com/ under PSP 5, and  can easily be adapted to GIMP with minimal differences.

Using GIMP 2.6.11

Step 1:

Open any size drawing, with a white background.

Use any font you wish, but rounded fonts work best.

My drawing is 640 x 480, using Cooper Black font @ 150px centered on the drawing.

Save a Path from Text, after centering the font in its permanent location.

Right click the text layer and choose "Layer to Image Size".

Merge the text layer down onto the white background layer.

Duplicate the resulting layer. You should now have two black text on white background layers.

Step 2:

Select/highlight the bottom-most layer and run a Gaussian blur of (12 px).

Now run Emboss (Filters/Distorts/Emboss) using the following settings:

Step 3:

Select/highlight the top-most layer and change the layer mode to Difference.

TIP: Also check out Overlay and Soft light modes for making pretty awesome 3D text.

The edges are still a little jagged and can be easily fixed by running Gaussian blur of 3px on the top-most layer.

Flatten the image.

Step 4:

Add pattern layers or color layers (do not fill selections with color or patterns on the original layer) and choose Hard Light or Grain Merge for your layer mode. Feel free to experiment with the different modes to see their results.

Using the text path, I inverted the selection for the background, then created a second pattern layer for the text with the path selection not inverted, using Burn as the layer mode.

This is the result:

That's it. Enjoy! :)

Somewhat Painless Plaid Tutorial Using GIMP and G'MIC

Using GIMP 2.6.11  and G'MIC 1.4.9.2.

You can download G'MIC for your specific OS, here.

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First let me state that I didn't come across this idea on my own. I've been following a conversation at Gimp Chat, that discusses various methods of creating plaid designs. You can follow that discussion here.

Akky shared a few beautiful flower images on Gimp Chat. One in particular was to my liking. You can view this image and others here in the same thread.

This image is scaled, to get the larger image grab it from Gimp Chat.

Rod shares how to smooth the palette of colors here - (Colors/Info/Smooth Palette). This is good information to know, but it doesn't create a 45 degree diagonal palette. It would be nice if there was such an option.

Now that you have the flower image and you performed a smooth palette on the image, it should look like this:

Now for the G'MIC tutorial:

You're going to need G'MIC and to create a small simple filter for your .gmic file. If you follow Zonderr's tutorial below, you shouldn't have any problems. If you're not interested in following that tutorial, you can place this code in your .gmic file:

#@gimp My first filter: my_first_filter_command, my_first_filter_command
#@gimp : note = note("It is my first filter, I am so excited!")
#@gimp : sep = separator()
#@gimp : Angle = float(45,0,360)
#@gimp : Fill the empty space = choice("in black","like the borders","by repeating the image")my_first_filter_command :
  -rotate $1,$2

If you need more help on finding or creating the .gmic file, even after following Zonderr's tutorial below, post a comment here or at Gimp Chat, or at G'MIC Flickr.

Step 1:

Lucky for us G'MIC users, Zonderr taught us to create a clever little beginner's filter, here.

It's simply titled "My First Filter".  It's a nifty filter and it does the job we need it for.

Step 2:

With your image containing the smooth palette, as shown above, go to Filters/G'MIC.

Click the image to enlarge.

Note ALL of the settings on the G'MIC menu, including Input/Output. When you have made all the necessary changes to your selection, press APPLY, not OK.

Change the angle to 90 degrees and click APPLY again.

 TIP: Make sure to pay attention to your Input/Output settings. Step 1 and 2 Input settings are "Active Default" and Output is "New Active Layers". In step 3, Input mode changes (see below). In steps 4 & 5, for both steps, Input  is "Active Default", Output is "In Place, default".

Step 3:

Switch to Layers in G'MIC and select the Average layer.

Under Input/Output, change the top Layer option to "Active and below".

Click APPLY again.

Your current top image layer should look like this:

Step 4:

Let's give it some cloth texture.

Go to Patterns and select Canvas (be sure to make sure the 2nd direction is activated). For the tutorial, I used default settings.  Change Input to "Active Layer" and Output to "In place, default". Click APPLY, not OK.

This looks more cloth-like, but its not seamless.

Step 5:

To make it seamless, move to Regular Array under Arrays & Frames and input the following settings as shown below (be sure to note the Input/Output settings - Input: Active Default, Output: In place, default):

Click image to enlarge.

Now your plaid pattern is seamless, and you can finally click "OK". The resulting image should look like the following:

You're done! :)

It might seem like a lot of work the first time around, but it actually goes very fast, as long as you remember to change the Input/Output settings when needed. Enjoy!

GIMP Tutorial: Make Awesome Gold, Silver, Brass, or Copper Text

Using GIMP 2.6.11.

There is a similar tutorial, for creating gold objects, by Rob A, found here. This tutorial is the "Text" spin-off, from Rob's tutorial.

Environment Image used:

Step 1:

Open any size image with a white background. My image is  800 x 400 px.

Select the Text tool and use any font of your liking. I am using Apple Garamond Bold, using black and size at 250. Center the text on your image using the Alignment tool.

Reselect the Text tool, select the existing text and click "Path from Text".

Step 2:

Right click the text layer and choose "Layer to image size". Right click the text layer again and choose "Flatten image".

Duplicate the flattened layer.

On the new duplicate layer, go to Colors - Invert.

Add a Gaussian blur of 12 px to the duplicate layer.

Turn off the duplicate inverted layer (click eye).

Step 3:

Select the bottom layer. Right click, "New Layer". Select white.

You should now have a blank white layer between the top and bottom layers.

Open the Environment image in GIMP (shown at the top of this tutorial). (You can also save this as a pattern in GIMP by saving it to your username/.gimp-2.6/patterns folder).

Go to Filters - Light and Shadow - Lighting Effects.

Choose the Environment tab, check Enable Environment Mapping and select the image you just opened from the list.

On the Bump Mapping tab, check Enable Bump Mapping, select the inverted text layer (top most), Linear, and .02 for Maximum Height.

On the Options tab, check the Transparent Background and High Quality Preview, then select OK.

Step 4:

In the Path Dialog, activate the text path selection.

Go to Select - Invert. Press the "Delete" key to remove the excess.

Select the bottom layer with the black text. Apply a Gaussian blur of 10 px to it.

You can use the Move tool to move the blurred layer out a bit (I use the arrow keys after selecting the Move tool and selecting the layer.) If you move the blurred layer out and transparent areas show up around the image, simply add a new white layer to the very bottom of your Layer dialog.

Link the blurred layer and the middle text layer to keep the shadow with the text, should you decide to move the text layer around.

Step 5:

To change the metallic look of your text change your Environment image when running Filters - Light and Shadow - Lighting Effects.

Here are 3 additional Environment images you can use:

Steel:

Brass:

Copper:

You don't have to start all over to change the metallic look. Just reselect the text layer and run Lighting Effects again, selecting the Environment image for the metal you want.

NOTE: You can use or create any pattern you wish, to use for an evironment map, other than the ones presented here in the tutorial.

You're done! Enjoy! :)

GIMP Tutorial: Mitered & Grooved Picture Frames Using WrapMap

The download for WrapMap by Ofnuts can be found here. You only need the wrap-map-0.3.py file, the Sample-GIMP.xcf is only an example GIMP image of WrapMap's effect in action.

If you're a Windows user, just add the .py file to your C:/Users/username/.gimp-2.6/plug-ins folder.

If you're a Linux user, add the .py to your  home/username/.gimp-2.6/plug-ins folder, but right click the file, go to"Properties/Permissions tab" and tick the box for Execute: "Allow executing as a program".

Open GIMP. If you have successfully added WrapMap, you'll find it listed under Filters/Map/Wrap bitmap (bucket fill)

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Step 1:

Open any image you want to create a frame for. Once you have it opened, go to Image/Duplicate (CTRL + D). You are creating a duplicate copy of the image to work on. I don't advise working on original images. If your image is larger than 640 x 480, you might consider rescaling the image to a smaller size, or otherwise it will take considerably longer to run the WrapMap plug-in. If you're an impatient person, rescale the image (Image - Scale Image) to speed things up.

Step 2:

Create a transparent layer. On this layer, determine how wide you want your frame to be by creating a rectangle selection using the Rectangle select tool. See image below:

Fill this selection with a black/white linear gradient using the Blend tool.

Go to Colors - Curves and follow a pattern similar to this one below:

Your result should resemble this:

Now, go to Layers - Autocrop Layer. Then Select - None to turn off the selection. You should now have a layer that is cropped to the size of the selection. You can also turn off the layer by clicking the little eye, since you won't want it displaying over the top of your frame.

Step 3:

Create another transparent layer. Go to Select -  All. Then choose Select - Border set to 1px (leave the boxes unticked).

Go to Filters - Map - Wrap bitmap (bucket fill) and select the map layer you created earlier, I chose not to use soft mode, and then press OK to run it:

Your result should be similar to this:

Step 4:

Let's embellish this frame a little by adding some color, and some sort of bumped pattern.

On the frame layer, go to Colors - Colorize and using the sliders choose a color.

I used a darker blue from the image to keep it in color theme.

Now it needs some texture. But first, on the frame layer, using the Color select tool (check Antialiasing and Select transparent areas boxes), click anywhere inside the frame (where the image shows through) to get a selection. Select - Invert to invert the border selection.

Create a new transparent layer.

Using the Bucket fill tool, choose a pattern/texture that suits you (I chose a cracked concrete texture). Now fill the selection with this pattern/texture. Change that layer's mode:

(click to enlarge and copy pattern)

For a darker contrast - change to Multiply

For a lighter contrast - change to Overlay or Soft Light

I'll post both versions:

Dark using Multiply mode:

Click image for full size view.

And now Light using Soft Light mode:

Click image for full size view.

Keep in mind, if your pattern or texture of choice is a little too bold, you can reduce it's overall effect by reducing the opacity of that texture layer.

Step 5:

Whoa, wait...there's more! Did you say you wanted some raised or "bump mapped" texture? Once you pick out your pattern/texture for the top layer, highlight the frame layer once again and go to File - Map - Bump Map and choose the texture layer as Bump map.

This is something I did with an ornate tile pattern show below:

Click image for full view.

The result:

Click image for full view.

That's it, your done. Feel free to embellish it further, using different textures, colors, and patterns. The sky is the limit. :)

Thanks for stopping by.

So, You Want A Photoshop Gradient For GIMP, Huh?

I'm putting this out there because I ran across this issue when I was converting a Photoshop Tutorial using GIMP. The gradient in question wasn't available, so, like everyone else, I hit the internet and started searching for gradient conversion possibilities. Unfortunately, there are none.

No, Xnview doesn't work. No, renaming the file extension doesn't work. And NO, using the hex format via text file will not work, either. If none of these mentioned options jump out at you, don't fret, they don't work anyway.

But there is hope, and it's in the simple form of a very unique script, written by RobA. It's called Sample Gradient Along A Path, and can be found here.

Don't understand how to install scripts? No problem, read here.

Ok, now back to the gradients, and RobA's gem of a script:

The next best thing is finding an image of the gradient you want. There are many gradient images on the internet, most are small, but they will still work with this script. I typed :"PS gradients" searching under Images and found several. The gradient I was looking for was similar to metallic tubing, like copper, gold, or aluminum.

Some examples:

How to use the script:

Open any of the gradient images in GIMP, and select the Path tool. Set a Path across the gradient (like shown):

Right click on the Gradient Dialog (picture below shows the Gradient Dialog):

If you have the Sample Gradient Along A Path installed in the correct folder, when you right click in the above dialog, you should see it as an option in the menu selections. Choose it and the following menu pops up:

I doubled the samples and average, because I thought it would make the gradient more fluid. Then be sure to name your gradient, preferably not the same as an existing gradient. Click ok, and watch in the Gradient Dialog as your gradient is created.

That's it! You're done. Enjoy your new PS style gradient. :)