GIMP anyone? Anyone???!!

[Keroin]

Does anyone here have experience using the GIMP photo editor/art program. I'm a newbie and tearing my hair out trying to figure out a simple task. I need help. Big time. (And their forum board scares the poop out of me).

ARGH!

I'm a writer not a graphic artist!!!

/rant

 

[BiBunny]

I use it occasionally, but I don't know how to do any of the really fancy stuff. I just make banners and such with it. But I'll be glad to help if I can. What's your question?

 

[Keroin]

I use it occasionally, but I don't know how to do any of the really fancy stuff. I just make banners and such with it. But I'll be glad to help if I can. What's your question?

Thanks BB,

Basically, I just want to isolate one part of an image to place on a page. For example, if I just wanted to cut “me” out of my AV pic, and lose the beach, then drop that image, with no background, onto the web page. (I’m using WebBuilder 6). I’ve figured out how to use the “intelligent scissors” to clip the image and how to make it “float” but there seems to be no easy way to copy and paste it.

And when I try saving it on, say, a white background then I have to save the background too, which defeats the whole purpose of the clipping.

I say again…argh. Lol.

 

[BiBunny]

I actually know how to do this, but I can't remember exactly how off the top of my head. Let me play around with it and see if I can figure it out again. If someone else can answer K's question while I'm screwing around with it, please do!

 

[BiBunny]

Ok, if you cut the image out, can you just save the image sans background as a new file? Then, just open up the new file, right click to copy, close the new file, open the page you want to paste it on, and right click to paste? I think that's how I normally do it.

 

[Keroin]

Ok, if you cut the image out, can you just save the image sans background as a new file? Then, just open up the new file, right click to copy, close the new file, open the page you want to paste it on, and right click to paste? I think that's how I normally do it.

Tried that but it pastes with a white background. Poo. I'll keep fiddling.

If you think of anything else, let me know!

Thanks - K

 

[YourCaptor]

I think images with transparencys have to be saved in the GIF format.

That's kind of a large file though, the more practical option if possible is to place your image on a background that looks like part of your web page that you want the image on. Flatten it, save it in the web ready JPEG format and place it on your page. That will load 100x faster then GIF.

 

[Netzach]

PNG is also transparent, but IE6 can't handle it. I can do this in Pshop but forgot the GIMP commands for it.

 

[BiBunny]

Blech. I can't remember how to do it. I'll ask Kitty when she gets on. She's my graphic design person. I just blog on the websites.

 

[Homburg]

When I did this, and wow it took much growling and gnashing of teeth, it involved using the Layers function. I cut out what I wanted, then made it a layer, then worked the new background as an image and laid the layer on top of it.

I am glossing over the profuse amount of cursing and stupendous amount of wasted time, but the above is the basic gist.

 

[BiBunny]

When I did this, and wow it took much growling and gnashing of teeth, it involved using the Layers function. I cut out what I wanted, then made it a layer, then worked the new background as an image and laid the layer on top of it.

I am glossing over the profuse amount of cursing and stupendous amount of wasted time, but the above is the basic gist.

Yep. That's it! THAT'S how I did it.

Can you tell it's been awhile since I used Gimp?

 

[Keroin]

I think images with transparencys have to be saved in the GIF format.

That's kind of a large file though, the more practical option if possible is to place your image on a background that looks like part of your web page that you want the image on. Flatten it, save it in the web ready JPEG format and place it on your page. That will load 100x faster then GIF.

PNG is also transparent, but IE6 can't handle it. I can do this in Pshop but forgot the GIMP commands for it.

When I did this, and wow it took much growling and gnashing of teeth, it involved using the Layers function. I cut out what I wanted, then made it a layer, then worked the new background as an image and laid the layer on top of it.

I am glossing over the profuse amount of cursing and stupendous amount of wasted time, but the above is the basic gist.

Thanks guys! Yeah, I went on a pilgrimage to my tech geek friend's place last night and he talked me through it. He suggested a GIF file, then resizing. We'll see how it goes today/how much hair I tear out. Honestly, can't they make this shit easier???

Thanks again - I'll report back with results.

 

[midwestyankee]

When I did this, and wow it took much growling and gnashing of teeth, it involved using the Layers function. I cut out what I wanted, then made it a layer, then worked the new background as an image and laid the layer on top of it.

I am glossing over the profuse amount of cursing and stupendous amount of wasted time, but the above is the basic gist.

This is essentially the textbook method for doing this task in Photoshop and Fireworks, as well. Using layers gives you a lot of control over the background and you get reversibility (i.e., if you change your mind all you have to do is mess with one layer instead of the entire image).

 

[DVS]

I'm not that familiar with the program, but it seemed fairly simple. I used the elliptical tool to select part of an image. In this case, I selected the moon from a picture. Once I had what I wanted selected, from the menu I selected copy. Then I selected paste and I had another moon in my picture.

To save this moon as its own file, and preserve the no background affect, I opened a new file and removed (deleted) the white background of that new file. Then I pasted the moon into that file from the clipboard. With that process I was able to place as many moons as I wanted into this new file, without a background.

If you have the receiving file open in GIMP, you wouldn't need to open a new file. You should be able to paste the new cut information into this file (in my case, the moon), preserving it with no background, so the background of the receiving file is used.

But, if you are planning on saving the file without a background, it should be EXPORTED as a gif file to preserve the background as you want it to be.

Yes, this is the same basic photoshop process, for the most part.

 

[DVS]

When I did this, and wow it took much growling and gnashing of teeth, it involved using the Layers function. I cut out what I wanted, then made it a layer, then worked the new background as an image and laid the layer on top of it.

I am glossing over the profuse amount of cursing and stupendous amount of wasted time, but the above is the basic gist.

In Photoshop, when you paste something, it should make its own layer. Until you flatten the file, the layers remain and you just select the layer you wish to work on.

But, in GIMP, it seems you only have the pasted image as an independent object until you click in the image. That places it as part of that layer. So be sure you know where you want it to be, before you click in the image. Once that selection area is gone, the pasted section is part of the picture. I guess you could do undo, but except for that...

Yes, you'd have to add another layer, so you could then paste the section into that layer, and that would give you the ability to move the selection around before you decide to flatten the image. I prefer photoshop. It's more forgiving. But...it isn't free. But, it does save in dental work

 

[Keroin]

Getting closer.

Hair loss = moderate
Tooth grinding = high
Chance of success = 75-90%

(argh)

 

[neci]

good luck with GIMP! i've tried using it before, but it just frustrates me. there are several people the Erotic Photo Manipulation & Body Paintings thread who use it all the time, and are very helpful.

 

[catalina_francisco]

I use GIMP for some things, but haven't had time to try what you are trying as yet. If you haven't already, you might find GIMP tutorials useful.

Catalina

 

[catalina_francisco]

I use GIMP for some things, but haven't had time to try what you are trying as yet. If you haven't already, you might find GIMP tutorials useful. Failing that, you might also get help from the Visual Arts forum at Lit.

Catalina

 

[Keroin]

SUCCESS!!!!!

Many thanks all!!

 

[neci]

SUCCESS!!!!!

Many thanks all!!

congratulations!

i love your new AV.

 

[Keroin]

congratulations!

i love your new AV.

Thanks, it's from a T-shirt I bought and it just cracks me up every time I look at it. (I'm always staring down at my chest, maybe not such a good thing, LOL)

And the shirt says, "Bad Kitty", on top, BTW.

 

[Keroin]

Just in case anyone is wondering how to do it...

GIMP – Extracting part of an image for web use

1. Click “Open” and choose image
2. Click on “Intelligent Scissors” icon.
3. Click around the part of the image you want to remove. (If it is small, make sure to click on the magnifying glass icon, before you start, and enlarge it). *If you mess up at any point, just click anywhere outside the image and the points will clear.
4. Make sure that your last click point is directly on top of your first one – you will know you’re in the right spot when a circle icon pops up when you mouse over.
5. After you’ve outlined the area you want to remove, click anywhere inside of it. Once you’ve done this, the “marching ants” will appear. *Do not click on any part of the image outside of the marching ants or you will anchor the selected, (floating) part of the image to the original background!
6. Right mouse click, select “Edit > copy”
7. Go to the Layering tool bar and click on the paper icon to create a new layer. Leave the layer transparent, (this should be the default setting). When a layer is transparent, this is indicated by a grey grid pattern.
8. Click on the “eye” icon, in the Layering tool bar, to hide the original image. The grey grid pattern should appear in the main window with the “marching ants” outline. Right mouse click inside of the outline, select “Edit > paste into”
9. The new image should now appear on top of the grey grid background. Click outside of the new image to anchor it to the background.
10. You will probably need to resize the image. At the top of the main window, click on “Image”, select “Scale image”. A window will pop up that will let you adjust the size, (without losing the quality). Simply punch one dimension (height or width) and the second will automatically adjust. When you are done, click “Scale” and the size will be changed.
11. At the top of the main window, click “File” and select “Save as”. In the pop up window you will have the option to “Save file type”. Click on the “+” and you’ll see a list of file types. Scroll down and select “GIF image”. Click “Save”.

You are done! Your image has been saved in a website-friendly format with a transparent background.

 

[Etoile]

I'm not that familiar with the program, but it seemed fairly simple.

GIMP is the polar opposite of simple. But it IS free.

 

[DeepGreenEyes]

I have not used GIMP, but I do use Photoshop all the time, and love it. But Photoshop is pricey.

However, there is also Photoshop Elements, which is a pared-down version of Photoshop (at a cheaper price), and might be worth a look if you find GIMP too unwieldy. Buy.com has Elements 7 for Windows new for $59.99. Amazon has it new for 79.99; I thought the first comment in the comments section makes a good case that for the average user, Elements would be just fine.

You might be able to find Elements (or a full version of Photoshop) on eBay for even less. Just make sure that it's a real version, with box, documentation and serial number, and that it will run on your version of your OS; sometimes people mass-produce copies that may or may not work.