GIMP for shapes

[Green Pig]

Hello folks,

I have been using GIMP on and off mainly for photo editing. My next task is to explore creating designs using mainly shapes such as directional arrows similar to below image.

Having experimented with pasting into a blank canvas, the options available seems fairly limited "the selection has no editable parameters" is often encountered, really what I would like to know is this a good tool to use or would I be better learning say a vector based program and go from there?

Thank you

[Blighty]

Those shapes can be made in either Gimp or a vector program (Inkscape). Inkscape is probably the better tool for those arrows.

"the selection has no editable parameters"
I have not encountered this, don't know how to duplicate it. What are you doing to get that message?

The real question is:
Once you have created the shapes where and how are you going to use them?
For example, it might better to create the shapes a Gimp brushes. But we need to know how you are going to use the shapes before making recommendations.

[rich2005]

You might well be better off using a vector application such as Inkscape. You will need to make those shapes into vectors. That can be done from Inkscape.

Using Gimp with an image as attached. A bit limited to what can be done straight away.
You can fuzzy select a shape, and copy it (1) . It can be copied and pasted and you get a 'floating pasted layer, use it as any other layer until anchored
or
That can be used as the clipboard brush, the colour comes from the original (2)

   

In Gimp 2.10 you also get a clipboard mask. That takes the colour from the FG color. However with a closely packed image you can get some 'extras' from adjacent shapes..
Either way, as a brush it can be scaled and rotated to suit.

   

A better way is take each shape in turn. Make it a grayscale image and export as a Gimp brush something.gbr

   

Some I can make quickly, check the attached zip as an example for those brushes. Unzip put in your brushes folder.

Quote:...Having experimented with pasting into a blank canvas, the options available seems fairly limited "the selection has no editable parameters" is often encountered,...

What exactly are you doing to get that message?

[Green Pig]

Thank you for the replies, in terms of what created the "the selection has no editable parameters" line, this came from several attempts at the following basic tutorial.

https://www.redbubble.com/people/pauk/jo...using-gimp

Reading between the lines it's doable in GIMP but there maybe easier options, especially going down the vector route. The shapes were an example of something I wanted to use and manipulate around to fit a larger image.

Since original post tried the free version of Gravit which I like quite a lot, it has many 'out of the box' features such as trace, this is useful for making your own clipart from photos ect..

I have just looked at Inkscape too, that certainly ticks all the boxes as well, - again, the ability to draw freeform is a plus when creating original clip art. Watching a couple YouTube videos I like the comparison to 'illustrator' , that really does sound like the way to go - will download tomorrow and go from there.

Thank you both, especially rich as you patiently helped me before with another project..