Outline Border around extremities of Text

[oldnwise]

Hi

I would like to create an outlined border around the extremities of text similar to the red border in the attachment uploaded.  I can add borders around individual letters.  Struggling with adding a border around the extremities of the text.

Can this be done in GIMP?

[sallyanne]

Yes you can do it in gimp. Just did one to show you but cannot post it right now. My internet just came back on.

I used only a 25px text, make the text layer as big as your background, (layer to image size), right click on the text layer and alpha to select, grow the selection approx 13 px then select to path. Select none and stroke path at 5 px. Making sure you always have the text layer active and change you foreground colour to the colour you want the text to be then the stroke.

Of course you will need to use different measurements if you use larger text. You might have to do the 'grow' a few times to make sure you get it to where you want it. Only once it is grown enough will it go outside of the letters altogether and go around the outside of the text.

[denzjos]

As sallyanne mentioned, use a path. Some detailed information: https://itsfoss.com/gimp-text-outline/

[Ofnuts]

(10-18-2024, 09:46 PM)oldnwise Wrote: Hi

I would like to create an outlined border around the extremities of text similar to the red border in the attachment uploaded.  I can add borders around individual letters.  Struggling with adding a border around the extremities of the text.

Can this be done in GIMP?

Can't find a real automated way if you want the sharp corners. Nothing better to suggest that alpgha-to-selection, grow the selection, Select > To path and then amend the path before using it to stroke (especially if you want the sides shifted a bit like in your example).

   

[Krikor]

It seemed easy at first glance.
But after playing around a bit, I wasn't able to reproduce this type of outline using GIMP.

The technique shared by Sallyanne is the natural option for this type of effect. But as Ofnuts noted, maintaining the sharp angles as seen in the original example is what makes this a challenge.

I tried to explore a slightly different way, which consists of enlarging the path and not the selection, here's a little explanation:

When passing the text to the path, I used the Ofnuts plugin (Break text path apart), and enlarged each letter separately. In the end, I still needed to move the text down a bit and use the eraser to erase some internal parts (the middle of the letter A and the part between the I and the X).

I didn't like the result. I don't know if the technique would be correct and I wasn't able to apply it.

   

I think there's a better chance of good results using Inkscape.

Result below made with Inkscape version 1.4

   

[rich2005]

Well, FWIW my two Euros in the hat.

Working on a duplicate text layer
Generate a "envelope" using the GEGL drop shadow.
Select outside the envelope
Stoke the selection in a new layer.

   

A bit fiddly, probably better done in a layer group.
That example as an animation. 50 seconds  https://i.imgur.com/gRfCgmi.mp4

[oldnwise]

(10-19-2024, 03:00 AM)sallyanne Wrote: Yes you can do it in gimp. Just did one to show you but cannot post it right now. My internet just came back on.

I used only a 25px text, make the text layer as big as your background, (layer to image size), right click on the text layer and alpha to select, grow the selection approx 13 px then select to path. Select none and stroke path at 5 px. Making sure you always have the text layer active and change you foreground colour to the colour you want the text to be then the stroke.

Of course you will need to use different measurements if you use larger text. You might have to do the 'grow' a few times to make sure you get it to where you want it. Only once it is grown enough will it go outside of the letters altogether and go around the outside of the text.

@sallyanne  Thank you.   Exactly what I was after.

[Krikor]

(10-19-2024, 02:58 PM)rich2005 Wrote: Well, FWIW my two Euros in the hat.

Working on a duplicate text layer
Generate a "envelope" using the GEGL drop shadow.
Select outside the envelope
Stoke the selection in a new layer.



A bit fiddly, probably better done in a layer group.
That example as an animation. 50 seconds  https://i.imgur.com/gRfCgmi.mp4

Wow!
Excellent solution! 
That's great :-)

rich2005, great job! Thx!

[denzjos]

(10-19-2024, 02:58 PM)rich2005 Wrote: Well, FWIW my two Euros in the hat.

Working on a duplicate text layer
Generate a "envelope" using the GEGL drop shadow.
Select outside the envelope
Stoke the selection in a new layer.



A bit fiddly, probably better done in a layer group.
That example as an animation. 50 seconds  https://i.imgur.com/gRfCgmi.mp4

This was an out of the box solution, well done Rich