Why is gimp so hard?
 

Hello, I want to do some simple things in gimp..

1. insert images and arrange them around to form a new, larger image
2. resize the little images that i have inserted into the bigger image

So i create a new image and it's all white like it should be. Then I drag an image into gimp and I see it in there. When I try to move an image, if i'm not super careful, the white background moves around and i'm left with a checkered background. This is crazy. Why would I want checkered background?????

Also, I can't resize the images I inserted. How can I select an image/layer/mask...whatever you call it and just resize it?

Do you need to be a graphics guru just to do something so simple as this? My only option left is to figure this out or to put all this into the libre office powerpoint clone and export that. But that's not a real solution, that's a cheesy work around.

Thanks for any help. I'm sure I'm not alone in my gimp frustration. Maybe I should not use gimp, but I'm not sure of any other linux programs that can do this.

I see you use Kubuntu. I believe KDE has Kolor (like Windows Paint Brush) maybe it's a little easier. Like you I've never had much luck with GIMP. It looks extremely powerful but overly complicated. I also use at work Paint.NET for Windows, but I think it's an independent company, (not MSoft) so they may have a Linux port? It's works really well and it easy to follow if you have any experience in editiing at all

The checker board background isn't actually a checkerboard. It represents a void of picture or background. IE if you cut a picture so there are checker board sections on the picture and then save it. View it in another viewer, you would notice those sections are blank or match the back ground behind the picture.

Lastly, I did this once to form a college of pictures, (sounds similar to what you were trying to do) I pulled my pictures up in OOCalc (or Excel here at work) and stretch, compress, overlap to get what I want it to look like. Then I expand the view to match the size of the screen. Next I did a screen capture (KDE has a separate program to do this under Graphics in the taskbar menu) then drop (paste) into something like Kolor. Lastly I crop off the window border around the picture and save as a file. Just a thought.

Ace

When you insert images into a GIMP document, each gets put in a new layer---this is what allows you to move them around independently. GIMP allows you to scale each layer (Menubar: Layer-->Scale Layer). Some people prefer to prescale each element before combining into a larger image.

I've never tried scaling individual layers--I'd need to play with it a bit to see all the nuances.

Layers can be created with a transparent background or a colored one.

No---but you do have to spend some time learning all the commands in your SW of choice

Gimp Tutorials
 

I agree. Gimp is just a little too complicated (read: "goofy") for its own good.

I'm no expert, but maybe this will help you too:
http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/

Ok, Thanks, I will check that out. I didn't know they had tutorials.

I've once purchased a book about Gimp, it was worth the money. Once you get familiar with Gimp, you will get such tasks quickly done.

Actually all graphics applications do things in a similar way, but they have different names for it. Therefore the first step is to get an overview about the nomenclature.

Markus

I do not agree---GIMP is no more complex than something like Photoshop----IMHO, once you get used to it, it is better organized than is Photoshop.

Any SW with this much capability takes some time to learn.

The best GIMP tutorials, bare none, are here:

http://blog.meetthegimp.org/

Some of the earliest episodes--three or four, as I recall--cover basic use of layers. You can resize an image in a layer; I've done it, but it's been a while. If you go through the first four or five of Meetthegimp's tutorials, your friends will think you are an image magician.

GIMP is a big complex programs designed to do sophisticated image editing. Complex tasks breed big complex programs.

For simple image editing, I will second Ace Blackwell's suggestion of giving Kolourpaint a try. It is an excellent program.

I think you actually resize the layer---see post #3

Yes, I'm a nitpicker.....;)


To the larger question: With SW, power typically comes with complexity. The rule I would follow is to use only SW that you are willing to take the time to learn. For image editing, there are MANY choices.

I bought
Beginning GIMP: from novice to professional / Akkana Peck.
It describes absolutely everything in simple language, with masses of illustrations. At half the price of a copy of Photoshop Elements, it's a bargain.

OK, I will check the tutorials as advised.

I will also check out Kolourpaint

I guess in linux, I've only heard of gimp for doing anything decent. What other choices are there where I can put several images together to create a new image, but save that joined image so that I can later go in and move things around should I need to. Gimp let's me do this. In windows I used to use corel photo paint 10 and that worked perfectly for my needs.

My main thing is that if I create one of these images, I need to be able to go back later and make changes.

-Thanks for all the help.

Exactly this is one of the things which you can do with Gimp, but not with more simple tools. In Gimp you will store the new files as *.xcf, which is Gimp's own format. These xcf files can be edited later, the layers are still there and can be changed.

When you once have done the first steps in Gimp, you will never want to use an "easier" program. On the long run, if you have to do such tasks from time to time, you will be better of with Gimp.

Markus

no more so that photoshop
HOWEVER
the UI is changing in the 2.6 series ( and really is changing in the 2.8 version) , the UI is becoming the ui for Gimp 3.0
so
all the old and slightly old tutorials use the Gimp 2.2 & 2.4 UI
and that dose not work well for using the NEW UI

As a VERY long time Gimp user, 12 years and counting, i do tend to think that most EVERYTHING in gimp is easy

as to resizing a layer
there is a r-click option for that in the layers menu
BUT it must MUST be a "new layer"
just "copy /paste" WILL NOT WORK !!!
you ALSO must click on "new layer"
THEN
the menu will work


some of what you describe in the first post is just mosaicing
and gimp is not a great choice for that
if you need to do something like this image
https://picasaweb.google.com/1026959...17662020880482
https://picasaweb.google.com/1026959...53616959769442
I use Nip2/Vips for doing those mosaics
http://www.vips.ecs.soton.ac.uk/index.php?title=VIPS

I like the new single-window mode of 2.8. I always thought the multiple window dialogs were a bit of a hassle to deal with, at least when you have limited screen real estate.

In any case this job should be very easy.

1) Open up the base image you want to use, or create a new blank canvas in the size you want. Use the features in the image menu to adjust the size and properties of the base canvas or image as a whole.

2a) Open each sub-image as a new layer. You should be able to drag&drop them directly into the layer list box to do this, or else use the appropriate menu item.

2b) Select a layer and use scale layer option to adjust it to the size you want. There are also other layer features that you can use too, such as rotate.

2c) Use the move tool to position the image where you want it. Note that gimp only lets you grab non-transparent areas by default, otherwise it grabs a lower layer. Hold down the shift key to override this and move the active layer from any point.

3) Save the project itself to .xcf, and separately to your desired final image format. You'll probably be asked to "flatten or merge layers" as you do so, as most image formats don't support layering.

Finally, be aware that as of version 2.8 the save function only saves to .xcf, and you have to use the export function to save the image to a different format.

montage, which is a part of ImageMagick, works well for this (combining separate images into a montage).