I am a new GIMP user and I have so many questions!

[God]

Hey Guys, 
First let me apologize for my extreme lack of experience. Someone showed me GIMP and now I really wanna get better at using it!

I know very littlt tbh...All I know are are the various tools in GIMP and how to create different texts. I also know a bit about filters and how to add stuff like a cloud/fog filter. 

I had some questions. I wanna learn how to make sigs. Can someone explain (without just linking me to a tut at first) how a background is formed and also how you can get like a render blended in to the background? Also is it possible to add a render to your GIMP doc and then resize it on your canvas? I can't seem to find out how to resize the render! Also how do I had a pac/render that is in front or behind my text in GIMP?

I definitely have tons of questions. Please understand that I am not someone who just understands through linking to a tut. I would really appreciate it if someone could explain how GIMP works and how you end up reaching different backgrounds that look cool and all.

Please help I am getting desperate!

Thanks
God

---

Oh by the way I figured out how to move an image around to be able to use the part I wanted

[Ofnuts]

(12-26-2016, 02:16 AM)God Wrote: Hey Guys, 
First let me apologize for my extreme lack of experience. Someone showed me GIMP and now I really wanna get better at using it!

I know very littlt tbh...All I know are are the various tools in GIMP and how to create different texts. I also know a bit about filters and how to add stuff like a cloud/fog filter. 

Which is already somewhat more than many people...

(12-26-2016, 02:16 AM)God Wrote: I had some questions. I wanna learn how to make sigs. Can someone explain (without just linking me to a tut at first) how a background is formed

Depends a lot on the background... very often a mix of blends and geometrical shapes

(12-26-2016, 02:16 AM)God Wrote: and also how you can get like a render blended in to the background?

If the render is on its own transparent layer, you can just soften the edges:

• Layer>Mask>Add layer mask and initialize to "Transfer alpha channel" (this allows you to edit the transparency). The mask will contain the shape of the render (in white) surrounded by black.
  
• Then blur the mask a bit: Filter>Blur>Gaussian blur and blur by 2 or 3px
  

(12-26-2016, 02:16 AM)God Wrote: Also is it possible to add a render to your GIMP doc and then resize it on your canvas? I can't seem to find out how to resize the render!

Yes: use the Scale tool ( )

(12-26-2016, 02:16 AM)God Wrote: Also how do I had a pac/render that is in front or behind my text in GIMP?

You stack the layers adequately in the Layers list. Layers behave like stacked pieces of glass/sheets of tracing paper with painted things on them. A layer is masked out by any opaque bits in the layers above it.

(12-26-2016, 02:16 AM)God Wrote: I definitely have tons of questions. Please understand that I am not someone who just understands through linking to a tut. I would really appreciate it if someone could explain how GIMP works and how you end up reaching different backgrounds that look cool and all.

Please help I am getting desperate!

Thanks
God

---

Oh by the way I figured out how to move an image around to be able to use the part I wanted

[God]

(12-26-2016, 02:16 PM)Ofnuts Wrote:

(12-26-2016, 02:16 AM)God Wrote: Hey Guys, 
First let me apologize for my extreme lack of experience. Someone showed me GIMP and now I really wanna get better at using it!

I know very littlt tbh...All I know are are the various tools in GIMP and how to create different texts. I also know a bit about filters and how to add stuff like a cloud/fog filter. 

Which is already somewhat more than many people...

(12-26-2016, 02:16 AM)God Wrote: I had some questions. I wanna learn how to make sigs. Can someone explain (without just linking me to a tut at first) how a background is formed

Depends a lot on the background... very often a mix of blends and geometrical shapes

(12-26-2016, 02:16 AM)God Wrote: and also how you can get like a render blended in to the background?

If the render is on its own transparent layer, you can just soften the edges:

• Layer>Mask>Add layer mask and initialize to "Transfer alpha channel" (this allows you to edit the transparency). The mask will contain the shape of the render (in white) surrounded by black.
  
• Then blur the mask a bit: Filter>Blur>Gaussian blur and blur by 2 or 3px
  

(12-26-2016, 02:16 AM)God Wrote: Also is it possible to add a render to your GIMP doc and then resize it on your canvas? I can't seem to find out how to resize the render!

Yes: use the Scale tool ( )

(12-26-2016, 02:16 AM)God Wrote: Also how do I had a pac/render that is in front or behind my text in GIMP?

You stack the layers adequately in the Layers list. Layers behave like stacked pieces of glass/sheets of tracing paper with painted things on them. A layer is masked out by any opaque bits in the layers above it.

(12-26-2016, 02:16 AM)God Wrote: I definitely have tons of questions. Please understand that I am not someone who just understands through linking to a tut. I would really appreciate it if someone could explain how GIMP works and how you end up reaching different backgrounds that look cool and all.

Please help I am getting desperate!

Thanks
God

---

Oh by the way I figured out how to move an image around to be able to use the part I wanted

Your explanation was superb! Thanks so much! I understand what you're talking about for the most part now.
Also can you explain what the role is of brushes and fractals in making a background for a sig? I don't seem to understand them. If you're supposed to create a background with strokes of a brush then are you supposed to just move the brush around on the canvas till you're happy with your creation? or do you download a background or something and add to it with a brush? Also what does a fractal do and what is it really? 

thanks
God

[Ofnuts]

Brushes are a convenient way to add many standard image components to an image. You take the PaintBrush tool () set the brush, and click where you want an image. Brushes can be geometric patterns or "real" objects. Some brushes, called "Image Hoses" (.GIH extension, in Gimp) can output a different image each time (for instance various shapes of tree leaves).

From what I have seen, most sigs use a background.

I don't know what a fractal is (besides a mathematical object).

Sig creators are a bit of a cult, with their own rituals and aesthetic canons. I have yet to understand what they call the "flow". It's obviously very important but no-one can define it...

[rich2005]

I am really pleased ofnuts answered the questions. I had assumed god knows everything and then sigs are definitely not my thing.

Quote:...Also what does a fractal do and what is it really?

As ofnuts writes a fractal is a whole set of mathematics about infinitely scaling patterns. Gimp has a fractal generator / explorer, https://docs.gimp.org/en/plug-in-fractalexplorer.html but to be honest it is not too easy to make interesting images from it.

You have a lot to get into, just from ofnuts reply, but if you get the time there are dedicated fractal graphic applications. Two that are worth looking at are http://apophysis.xyrus-worx.org/ and http://www.jwildfire.org/

These can be as complicated as you want but generate random images, copy and use the bits from them in Gimp.

example an old one, my fractal garden, mostly apophysis but put together in Gimp. http://imgur.com/hfHYlf3

[God]

(12-26-2016, 08:53 PM)Ofnuts Wrote: Brushes are a convenient way to add many standard image components to an image. You take the PaintBrush tool () set the brush, and click where you want an image.  Brushes can be geometric patterns or "real" objects. Some brushes, called "Image Hoses" (.GIH extension, in Gimp) can output a different image each time (for instance various shapes of tree leaves).

From what I have seen, most sigs use a background.

I don't know what a fractal is (besides a mathematical object).

Sig creators are a bit of a cult, with their own rituals and aesthetic canons. I have yet to understand what they call the "flow". It's obviously very important but no-one can define it...

So the brushes are just used to draw on the canvas? I am kinda confused. why is downloading brushes important then? also you said sigs use backgrounds. How do I get these backgrounds? Do I download them like brushes/fonts or where do I find them? I understand what you meant generally though and thanks for your help!

(12-27-2016, 09:55 AM)rich2005 Wrote: I am really pleased ofnuts answered the questions. I had assumed god knows everything and then sigs are definitely not my thing.

Quote:...Also what does a fractal do and what is it really?

As ofnuts writes a fractal is a whole set of mathematics about infinitely scaling patterns.  Gimp has a fractal generator / explorer, https://docs.gimp.org/en/plug-in-fractalexplorer.html but to be honest it is not too easy to make interesting images from it.

You have a lot to get into, just from ofnuts reply, but if you get the time there are dedicated fractal graphic applications. Two that are worth looking at are http://apophysis.xyrus-worx.org/ and http://www.jwildfire.org/

These can be as complicated as you want but generate random images, copy and use the bits from them in Gimp.

example an old one, my fractal garden, mostly apophysis but put together in Gimp. http://imgur.com/hfHYlf3

Same questions as I asked ofnuts above but thanks for the help! I get what you mean about fractals but how do I copy paste them from the sites onto the canvas? will a simple copy + paste do or should I create a new layer and then cop and paste. 
Thanks 
God

[Ofnuts]

(12-27-2016, 04:48 PM)God Wrote: So the brushes are just used to draw on the canvas? I am kinda confused. why is downloading brushes important then? also you said sigs use backgrounds. How do I get these backgrounds? Do I download them like brushes/fonts or where do I find them? I understand what you meant generally though and thanks for your help!

From what I have seen a sig is mostly made of:

1. A "render" (aka, main subject), retrieved from the internet (Google images, etc...)
   
2. A background, that can be done from scratch but often retrieved from the internet
   
3. Some text (font is usually retrieved from the internet too, see dafont.com)
   
4. Various artistic additions (clouds, lines, gradients or else, "else" being often added via brushes: splashes, bubbles, lightning, stars...). This part is difficult to describe because this is where the art is. Anyone with bit of technique can slap Boba Fett's helmet and a moody slogan on a galaxy background. But for a canonical sig this would just be the beginning....
   

[rich2005]

Quote:...Same questions as I asked ofnuts above but thanks for the help! I get what you mean about fractals but how do I copy paste them from the sites onto the canvas? will a simple copy + paste do or should I create a new layer and then cop and paste. [

As ofnuts says you can get many images, resouces such as brushes, patterns, all sorts of scripts that will generate effects from the internet. Some will just get copied and pasted, scripts you might enter a few variables and get a result.

Do use as many layers as required and save your work frequently as a gimp xcf file, that saves layers, text as text and paths, selections, all sorts that you lose exporting as png or jpeg.

That will get you started but not really original, just assembled.

This one as an example, might not be much good but all mine and took only a few minutes.

   

Fractal flowers generated in jwildfire, copied, pasted, resized...etc in gimp.
Some drawing ( a path) filled with a gimp pattern.
The background, a Gimp gradient
My brush stamp, the only thing not new, which I made in Inkscape long ago.

All on their own layers so I can easily edit in the future.

best of luck

[God]

(12-27-2016, 06:34 PM)Ofnuts Wrote:

(12-27-2016, 04:48 PM)God Wrote: So the brushes are just used to draw on the canvas? I am kinda confused. why is downloading brushes important then? also you said sigs use backgrounds. How do I get these backgrounds? Do I download them like brushes/fonts or where do I find them? I understand what you meant generally though and thanks for your help!

From what I have seen a sig is mostly made of:

1. A "render" (aka, main subject), retrieved from the internet (Google images, etc...)
   
2. A background, that can be done from scratch but often retrieved from the internet
   
3. Some text (font is usually retrieved from the internet too, see dafont.com)
   
4. Various artistic additions (clouds, lines, gradients or else, "else" being often added via brushes: splashes, bubbles, lightning, stars...). This part is difficult to describe because this is where the art is. Anyone with bit of technique can slap Boba Fett's helmet and a moody slogan on a galaxy background. But for a canonical sig this would just be the beginning....
   

I get what you mean now thanks! so a brush can you be used to enhance a background on a sig! Do you have any resources to find backgrounds such as dafont.com which you gave me for fonts?  

(12-27-2016, 06:53 PM)rich2005 Wrote:

Quote:...Same questions as I asked ofnuts above but thanks for the help! I get what you mean about fractals but how do I copy paste them from the sites onto the canvas? will a simple copy + paste do or should I create a new layer and then cop and paste. [

As ofnuts says you can get many images, resouces such as brushes, patterns, all sorts of scripts that will generate effects from the internet. Some will just get copied and pasted, scripts you might enter a few variables and get a result.

Do use as many layers as required and save your work frequently as a gimp xcf file, that saves layers, text as text and paths, selections, all sorts that you lose exporting as png or jpeg.

That will get you started but not really original, just assembled.

This one as an example, might not be much good but all mine and took only a few minutes.



Fractal flowers generated in jwildfire, copied, pasted, resized...etc in gimp.
Some drawing ( a path) filled with a gimp pattern.
The background, a Gimp gradient
My brush stamp, the only thing not new, which I made in Inkscape long ago.

All on their own layers so I can easily edit in the future.

best of luck

Thanks Rich! I appreciate all your help!

[Ofnuts]

(12-27-2016, 07:26 PM)God Wrote: I get what you mean now thanks! so a brush can you be used to enhance a background on a sig! Do you have any resources to find backgrounds such as dafont.com which you gave me for fonts? 

No specific site I know of. Google Images is your friend.