Making titles in GIMP

Transcription

1 Making titles in GIMP Navigation click to go to a section Before you start Making a basic black title Changing the colour of your text Creating an outline Creating a shadow (1) Creating a shadow (2)

2 Before you start to the top 1. To set up your work area, after opening GIMP go to WINDOWS at the top and make sure SINGLE WINDOW MODE is ticked. 2. On the left you should have a TOOLBOX and on the right a DOCK. If the DOCK is missing hover near the edge and drag to the left to reveal it. 3. Close any open tabs on the right by left clicking the button indicated below and then choosing CLOSE TAB.

3 4. From WINDOWS > DOCKABLE DIALOGS open LAYERS and TOOL OPTIONS. These will probably appear on the right. 5. Now drag each tab on the right to the DOCK on the left.

4 6. After moving both close the right hand side DOCK by dragging the edge to the right. This will give you the maximum working area. 7. This guide assumes you have things arranged as above. Once you re confident feel free to organise your workspace as you want it.

5 Making a basic black title to the top 1. Go to 1001fonts.com and find a font that will be suitable. Click on the name, enter your text and set the preview size as large as possible. 2. Right-click on the title and save it to your area. 3. Open GIMP (from All Progams > Media) and then open the saved file. Select Ignore PNG offset. 4. You now have a black version of your title with a transparent background. 5. Use FILE > EXPORT and save as a PNG file to use it in your work.

6 Changing the colour of your text to the top 1. Do all of the above. 2. Now convert the image to RGB colour, otherwise it will be shades of grey by using IMAGE > MODE > RGB 3. Using the tool below click on the checkerboard background. 4. You ve now got the transparent background selected. Invert the selection using the menu option SELECT > INVERT 5. Now make a new layer by going to the layers tab in the bottom left corner: 6. Then use the new layer button in the bottom left:

7 7. Now, choose a colour for the title by clicking on the current foreground colour: 8. And then using the bucket fill tool click on the title. 9. Now go to FILE > EXPORT and save the new title as a PNG image for use in Publisher.

8 Creating an outline to the top 1. Follow the steps above to get a basic title in the colour you want. 2. Make the canvas size larger by using IMAGE > CANVAS SIZE 3. Click the chain to link the width and height and then add about 500px to the width. 4. Click the CENTER button. 5. From the drop down menu choose to resize ALL LAYERS. 6. Now select your title using the SELECT BY COLOUR TOOL and clicking on a letter.

9 7. Expand the selection using SELECT > GROW and choose a width for the border. The higher the number the wider the border. 8. As you did above, make a new layer, click on the new layer and then using the BUCKET FILL TOOL fill in the expanded title selection with the outline colour. Don t worry if the original colour has disappeared. 9. Drag the layers so that the title layer is above the outline layer. 10. Use the CROP TOOL to remove excess canvas. Draw a rectangle around the area to keep and then double-click inside the rectangle. 11. Use FILE > EXPORT to save a PNG version of your outlined title.

10 Creating a shadow (1) to the top 1. Follow the steps above for creating a title with a colour of your choice and with an outline if you want. Make sure you have resized the canvas so you have room to work (see above). 2. Now click the outline layer in the layers dock and using the SELECT BY COLOUR TOOL and click on the checkerboard background. 3. You ve now got the transparent background selected. Invert the selection using the menu option SELECT > INVERT 4. Now make a new layer by going to the layers tab in the bottom left corner: 5. Then use the new layer button in the bottom left:

11 6. Now, choose a colour for the shadow by clicking on the current foreground colour: 7. Make sure that the new layer you created is highlighted in the layers dock and then using the bucket fill tool click on the title. 8. Drag the layer to the top of the layers in the layers dock. 9. Now move the layer to position the shadow by using the move tool. Click and drag.

12 10. Once you re happy with the position, drag the shadow layer to the bottom of the layers in the layers dock. 12. Use the CROP TOOL to remove excess canvas then use FILE > EXPORT to save a PNG version of your outlined title.

13 Creating a shadow (2) to the top 1. Follow steps 1-6 from Creating a shadow (1). 2. This time the shadow will not have a hard edge. To achieve this, do SELECT > FEATHER and enter a number. Try 40px, but experiment with other values. The higher the number the softer the edge. 3. Make sure the shadow layer is selected in the layers dock and has been dragged to the top. 4. Using the bucket fill tool fill in the shadow layer. 5. Now move the layer to position the shadow by using the move tool. Click and drag.

14 6. Once you re happy with the position, drag the shadow layer to the bottom of the layers in the layers dock. 13. Use the CROP TOOL to remove excess canvas then use FILE > EXPORT to save a PNG version of your outlined title. 14. When used you can see the shadow is semi-transparent.