Software Tools: Images

GEN 230 Creative Expression: Literary Arts - Fall 2007

this page

GIMP | basic editing | homework

common image editing software

Paint is on every Windows computer (Start | Programs | Accessories)

PaintShop Pro - made by Jasc, owned by Corel, trial version installed on all new Dell computers

Photoshop or Photoshop Elements on the school computers

Irfan View - free

GIMP

GIMP - GNU Image Manipulation Program - on the H215, H225, and NMI computers

I recommend that you download GIMP for Windows to your own laptop or PC -- it's free of charge -- install it, and use it yourself. Use the Download links below. It's a professional tool at an unbeatable price.

The GIMP for Windows (version 2.2.13, fixed installer) - Download

If this is the first time you're installing The GIMP, you will also need GTK+ 2 Runtime Environment (version 2.10.6, for Windows 2000 and newer) - Download

Wikipedia summary

GIMP documentation | tutorials | help |

beginner's tips

Talk - Community - discussion forum with lots of tutorials and tips

That's Wilber the Wizard himself there on the left.

basic image editing tasks

University of Texas' An Introduction to the Gimp

resize, crop, eliminate red-eye, add text to images, select parts of images, combine images, layers, transparencies, filter

resize

UT's Image Cropping, Resizing, and Saving in JPEG Format :

resizing

There is a difference between the "full size" or "natural size" of an image and the size at which it is being displayed.

When images open, they are resized to fit the screen space available. The percentage of "full size" at which it is being displayed shows on the bottom left.

If you are going to combine images or parts of them, they will combine at their "natural sizes", not the display sizes.

how-to

To resize, pull down the Image menu and select Scale Image ....

crop

UT's Image Cropping, Resizing, and Saving in JPEG Format

cropping

how-to

cropping - use the crop tool

cropping to leave space for text

The original is below.

I want to emphasize the star, and I don't need the tree on the left or the barn on the right. I also need to leave room for text.

In this crop below left, there is room for text in the lower half of the image, but I may not want to obscure the porch. So I can use the crop below right.

Then adding the text, below, over the trees leaves the whole building visible and the red star prominent.

color replacement at the pixel level, ex: red-eye

tutorials:

GIMPguru's Removing Red Eye with the GIMP

GIMP.org's GIMP - Red Eye Removal

GIMP-Tutorials' Removing "Red Eye" with The GIMP

text on images

tutorials:

UT's Working with Text and Layers

Obscura's Text With Sharp Borders

GIMP-Tutorials' Text to Path (see right)

filters

Pull down the Filters menu. Explore and discover.

tutorial:

Filters

copying parts of images

Selections

combining images

increase your canvas size

make each image a separate layer

layering images

Working with Text and Layers

layer opacity

transparencies

transparent backgrounds

media: where to get images

sample common task

take an image from the redeye folder on the T: drive.

get rid of the red-eye
resize the image
crop the image leaving space for the text away from the point of main interest in the image
put text on it -- descriptive, informative, funny comment -- and place the text in the space you left for it. If you want to be fancy, put the text on a path.

send the before and after versions to me as email attachments

expectations

Now that you know the basics of image editing, we can expect that

your still images will be better cropped

you will know how to place text onto an image as part of the image



modified: October 15, 2007 by Douglas Anderson http://toLearn.net/gen230/software/images.htm

GIMPguru's Image Editing Tutorials for Photographers
GIMP Tutorials and Useful Snippets
gimp-tutorials.net
GIMPTalk.com
gimpology