Art Development: Rosebuds and the Gimp Colorize Tool

Reposted from C.M. Simpson: Writing:

One of the things I was curious about was how to insert different backgrounds into an image once I had isolated it... and I wanted to see what some of the effects in Gimp did when used as backgrounds. Last week, I explored the Blend and Bucket Fill tools in the Toolbox dock, and the Difference Clouds and Plasma effects under the Render-Clouds option in the Filters drop-down.

This week, I wanted to look at some of what might be done with the Colorize option under the Colors tab.

BEFORE:

What you Need:

I usually have the following dockable dialogues visible as I work: Toolbox, Brushes,Tool Options and Layers-Gradients. You will need to be able to see these to work through the following steps.

I have assumed that you already know how to resize an image using the drop-down menu under image. Please let me know if you don't, and I will write another post to explain it.

How to Colorize an Image Background:

1. Make sure you have a coloured background. (I used my Plasma background picture for this experiment.)
   
2. Click on the 'Colors' tab.
3. Click on the Colorize option in the drop-down menu. (NOTE: If you click on OK at this point, you will achieve the following effect. If you want the light grey effect at the bottom, do not click OK.)
   
4. Click on the Saturation slide bar and move it to the left until the counter to the right of the bar reaches 6. (NOTE: If you click on OK at this point, you will achieve the following effect. If you want the light grey effect at the bottom, do not click OK.)
   
5. Click on the Lightness slide bar and move it to the right until the counter to the right of the bar reaches 30. (NOTE: If you click on OK at this point, you will achieve the following effect. If you want the light grey effect at the bottom, do not click OK.)
   

Art Development: Art Development and Gimp Backgrounds

One of the things I was curious about was how to insert different backgrounds into an image once I had isolated it... and I wanted to see what some of the effects in Gimp did when used as backgrounds.

BEFORE:

What you Need:

I usually have the following dockable dialogues visible as I work: Toolbox, Brushes,Tool Options and Layers-Gradients. You will need to be able to see these to work through the following steps.


I have assumed that you already know how to resize an image using the drop-down menu under image. Please let me know if you don't, and I will write another post to explain it.

How to Create an Image:

1. Click on the 'File' drop-down at the top of the Gimp workspace.
2. Click on 'New'.
3. Decide on the dimensions of your new image and type them in.
4. Click on the 'Advance' option and increase the number of pixels to 300 dpi. (This is the minimum setting for most on-line art requirements.)
5. Click 'OK'
6. A new image area will appear.
7. Note that you can see a single layer in the Layers-Gradients dock. It is labelled Background.

How to Import an Image: 

1. Click on the File drop-down at the top of the Gimp workspace.
2. Click on the 'Open as Layers' option (fourth option down).
3. Browse to the image file you want to import and double-click on it.
4. Look at the Layers-Gradients dock and note that you now have a Background, Background #1, and a Dropped Buffer layer.
5. Right click on the Background #1 layer and delete it.
6. Click on the Move tool in the Toolbox (fourth tool down in the right-hand column).
7. Click on the image until you are able to select the Dropped Buffer layer and move it so that it sits over the Background layer. When you have the two layers aligned how you want them, release the Move tool.

Background 1: Plain-Jane Grey

1. Click on the Background layer so that it turns blue
2. Click on the colour box at the bottom of the Toolbox.
3. Select a shade of grey that you think will be a suitable background for your sketch.
4. Click on the Bucket Fill tool in the Toolbox. (It's the eighth tool down in the left column.)
5. Click on a part of the background in the image. The background should turn grey.

Background 2: Blended

1. Click on the Blend tool (eight tool down in the centre column).
2. Drag the tool across a selection of your sketch and release it. The blend will occur automatically. (You may need to experiment before you achieve the effect you want.)

Background 3: Plasma

1. Click on the Filters tab at the top of the Gimp workspace.
2. Click on the Render option (sixth option from the bottom.
3. Click on the Clouds option (top)
4. Click on  the Plasma option (third from top)

Background 4: Difference

1. Click on the Filters tab at the top of the Gimp workspace.
2. Click on the Render option (sixth option from the bottom.
3. Click on the Clouds option (top)
4. Click on  the Difference Clouds option (top)

NOTE: To darken the image, repeat steps 1-4 above.

Art Development: Rosebuds and How to Isolate an Image in Gimp

Reposted from C.M. Simpson: Writer:

One of the things I recognised is that I would need to digitise my artwork in order to incorporate it into books, or to ship it to anyone interested in purchasing it... should I ever get good enough, and that reminded me that there are programs out there that are quite powerful, but not so intuitive to use.

Gimp, for instance, is free, but has its own quirks. I decided I would try to get my head around what this tool could do... or, perhaps, what I could manage to achieve with the tool.

I wanted to isolate the rosebuds from the background clutter by cutting them out. This is done using the 'Free Select Tool'. This is not as easy as it seems, because the clipboard will only take 525x525 pixels. There was much cussing and crying until I worked out I had to shrink the longest edge of the image to 525 BEFORE I began my cut. Of course, the trickiest thing is to remember to write down the original dimensions of the picture and then return the finalised image to the original size.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

What you Need:

I usually have the following dockable dialogues visible as I work: Toolbox, Brushes,Tool Options and Layers-Gradients. You will need to be able to see these to work through the following steps.


I have assumed that you already know how to resize an image using the drop-down menu under image. Please let me know if you don't, and I will write another post to explain it.

How to Isolate an Image:

• Resize the image so that no side is larger than 525 pixels. (If you don't, the cut will occur, but the piece you cut out will not be stored in full.
• Because the resizing shrinks the on-screen image, you will need to click on the Magnifying Glass (fourth tool down in the Toolbox)
• Go to the Tool Options window and make sure the dot next to the Zoom In option is selected.
• Click on the image until is is large enough for you to comfortably see the outline you want to trace.
• Click on the 'Free Select Tool'. (It's the third tool along in the top row of the Toolbox.)
• Place the pointer at one point on the image that you want to cut out, and then trace around the image, securing the trace by clicking on the part being traced at regular intervals. (You will need to trace the entire outside of the image as a whole. If you try to cut out extra bits, the cut won't work.)
• When you have completed the outline, make sure you click on the point you started on so that the line begins to flash.
• Click on the 'Edit' tab at the top of the Gimp work area.
• On the 'Edit' dropdown, click on 'Cut' (the fifth option down). This will remove the part of the picture you outlined.
• Click on the 'Clipboard' box in the 'Brushes' dock. This transfers what you just cut out to your pointer.
• Look at the 'Layers-Gradients' dock. You should only be able to see one layer. It should have an open eye next to it and be labelled 'Background'.
• Next, click on the image box to place the cut-out back in the picture.
• In the 'Layers-Gradient' dock, you should now be able to see two layers, the 'Background' layer and the 'Dropped Buffer' Layer. Both will have an open eye next to them. Click on the open eye next to the Background layer to turn the background off.
• Now, click on the 'Move' tool. (This is the fourth tool down in the right-hand column of the toolbox.)
• Click on the picture and move it around until you are happy with its positioning. (I usually try to align it with the outline on the Background layer showing where it was cut from, but this isn't necessary when the Background layer is turned off.)
• When you are happy with the result, resize the image so that it is back to its original dimensions and save it. 

Why isolate?

When I isolate an image, I can then insert the cut-out in other pictures without the background getting in the way. It also lets me play with the background without having to use the traditional method of painting or colouring one in.

More about that next week.

Rosebuds: First Sketch in a Long Time

Reposted from C.M. Simpson: Writer:

So, for a very long time I've been saying I'm going to re-develop my drawing skills. I *did* make a start on it in January, but I still haven't managed to coordinate the time factor to really get into it. That's going to be a challenge this year, but we'll see how it goes. It only took a month to start pulling the writing schedule into a vague sense of shape.

In the meantime, I started with still life and grey lead to get the feel of it again. Here is my first picture in far too many years.