Basic GIMP tut

This guide is 100% done by Lukas Larsson. All rights reserved.



When I started using GIMP, people always asked me to make a tutorial. I knot the signature is not that great, but I made it and hopefully people can learn from it.

Alright, In this Tutorial, I a going to show you how to download and install GIMP; make a basic signature; and other items of interest. If I am missing some thing, want me to add something or fix something either post here, or Private Message me.

I will be showing you how to make a signature like this one, but with a different render:

**DISCLAIMER**

If something goes wrong, such as a computer crash, you lose a signature, or something, I can't be held responsible.


Part One- Downloading and Installing GIMP

To Download GIMP, go to the following site:

For Windows: Click Here


When getting GIMP for mac, it is a little bit more complicated, as you need both GIMP, and X11.

X11: Click Here for X11-Only needed with MAC.
Once this is downloaded, it must be installed. Just follow the process, as it is quite simple.

GIMP: CLICK HERE, bue sure to choose correct OS platform.


Once you have downloaded the program, follow the installation process.

Part Two- Starting GIMP for the first time:

WINDOWS: On windows, just click the icon that was placed on the desktop. It will be a picture of a funny-looking dog, you know, the one that looks like Kronos =).

Once started, It should like somewhat like this; the boxes may be spread out differently. You can re-size them at will.



Macintosh: On Mac, it's different to start it up. Click on the finder icon on the bar at the top left of your monitor, and search "X11" and start it by clicking it. It must be running for GIMP to work properly.

After it is running, search "gimp" and start that. It should load. Once it has loaded, it should look something like this:



Part Three- Making Your First Signature Base:

**Note**- It is almost the same on both mac and windows; I will be doing mac first, and will do windows second.

Macintosh:

First Step:
Get a render from one of the following places:

Most of these places require memberships:
Gaming Renders
Planet Renders
Deviant Art Renders

I will be using this render:

Which can be found here: Planet Renders
**But, I will be re-sizing it.**

Start by making a new blank document. For this tutorial, use 340x120, as it is a good size for beginners.

File>New>Enter Dimensions>OK

Like So:


Now, Click the bucket tool, and then click the black/white button(circled in red) and choose a color similar to your render, like I have chosen:

Now, you should click on your new document, twice. This will make it turn to the color you selected.

Like this:


Now, you want to open you're render, as a second Layer. To do so, go to File>Open as new layer> find your render> press OK.

Like This:


Once you've done that, you should see the render like this:


Now, we are going to re-size it, by doing this:









Next, you want to make the height the same as the height of your one-colored signature, give or take a few pixels, like this:


Now, save it, by going file>save.

Close that window, and you can now go back to your other window, the one with the colored background.

Now, you want to open the render as a new layer, by going file>open as new layer>find the render(re-sized)-Open.

Like this:


Before you go any further, make sure your signature looks somewhat like this(with your render):



Now, we are going to add an effect to the background, first though, we must make a new layer. You can do this by doing the following: Dialogs>Layers>Click on the one background>Press the folded piece of paper icon, and make sure the dimensions are the same as your signature, and transparent.

Like So:

Go back to render layer, and press control+a(ctrl+a), which is select all.

Then press Control-- C(ctrl+c). That will copy all.

Go back to your newest layer, and press Control-- V(Ctrl+V).

Now, Click the on the control panel.

And then click the image you just pasted, and move it to the corner, do this multiple times, until the whole render is covered. This is why you need the move tool(arrow).

Like so:

Yay! We are half-way done!

Part Four-Adding Effects

Now, still on the layer with all the renders covering the background, we are going to add a blur.

Like this:


If you like my blur, those are the setting I used.

It should now look something like this:


After that, create a new layer, transparent. Click the button on the control panel that looks like this: and change the color to white the same way you did it before. Now click around on your signature 5-8 times. Do this with 2 or 3 different colors that match your render.

Now go back to your layer window, and click on the layer you just made, the one with the colored splotches, and where it says mode, change it to overlay.

Like so:

Your signature should now look something like this:


Next, In your brushes category, use the spark brush, the one that looks like this:

Make a new layer, right behind your main render.

Click around a bit, so it looks kind of like this, but click to your own style.


Now, go colors>desaturate.

Like this:


Yay! Almost Done!

You will want to use this C4D--

Save it to where ever you save your renders, and open it as a new layer how I said before.

Place it some where were it looks cool, like so:


Now, open your layers window, and set the mode to overlay, like you did before.

Now, It should look something like this:


Congratz! You're done. Save it as a .psd for future use, and as .png if you want to upload it.

Here is my finished product:

If you have questions, please ask.

Thanks;
~Lukas

Great guide, you made it alot easier.
Still prefer photoshop
8/10
SurfersWorld

Thanks, I don't like how photoshop seems a bit more complex. I also dislike the layout.

awesome tut on gimp i hav to admit this tutorial is better than mine

10/10