Hey GIMP guys! Need help?

**spyrde** · 09-22-2012

Alright guys, so in this thread I'll try and gather as much useful information I can for all beginning and intermediate GIMP users that need some help with the software. I'll gradually add resources, tutorials, tips and videos when I find the time. I just updated to the newer GIMP, so I suggest you guys do the same, since there are a few improvements. It'll take a while to get used to, but that's life : D

Starting words:

Learning the tips and tricks behind GIMP don't come in a night. They don't come after 1000 nights either; it's a continuing process of rediscovering new ways to do different stuff. Once you learn the basic stuff, a lot of pieces will start to merge together and everything will become easier and more clear. This is why I suggest you have patience and not quit right in the beginning when everything seems too hard and frustrating. Patience and the joy of creating are two important things you must have.

Resources:

Sites I recommend to start out with:

Brushes I recommend from deviantart:

A few fractal packs useful for beginners:

My video tutorials:

I'll try and update this thread whenever possible!

**Cybertox** · 09-22-2012

You are just showing how you are doing the signature but you are not giving any tips or explaining. I wont really call it a tutorial. Also try improving the quality and the frame rate of the video.

**spyrde** · 09-22-2012

Originally Posted by Cybertox

You are just showing how you are doing the signature but you are not giving any tips or explaining. I wont really call it a tutorial. Also try improving the quality and the frame rate of the video.

''Unfortunately the quality isn't too high and I can't record sound at the moment due to the lack of a microphone, but I'll get these things fixed when or if I make more.''

Taken straight out of the OP. Also the process of the signature is fairly simple, and it's much easier to see what's being done than in an explained picture tutorial, that takes ten times the time to make.

**Cybertox** · 09-22-2012

Originally Posted by spyrde

''Unfortunately the quality isn't too high and I can't record sound at the moment due to the lack of a microphone, but I'll get these things fixed when or if I make more.''

Taken straight out of the OP.

sorry didnt read the whole thread. If i was you, i wouldnt even bother making videos before having proper equipment.

**spyrde** · 09-22-2012

Originally Posted by Cybertox

sorry didnt read the whole thread. If i was you, i wouldnt even bother making videos before having proper equipment.

Ok.

**DeviousOne** · 09-22-2012

I picked up two things from the video damn you move a little to fast for me to follow tho lol....but good video idk if anyone who isn't familiar with gimp would be able to pick up anything that your doing however I now see how u make you backgrounds which is cool!

Thanks for the video I will harass you later if I need more tips mate! Lol

**Kuro** · 09-22-2012

Picked up a few things from the vid thanks spy!

**spyrde** · 09-22-2012

Yeah it's very hard to see what I'm doing, but it was just a test video anyway. I'll cliff the video for you:

-First I opened the render, resized it, and used the same render to make the background.
-Then, I duplicated the render a couple times and used the warp effect to add a little action around the render
-Then, I smudged the background with the vine brush, I also smudged the render a little bit to blend it in
-After that I used the distort effect to add some messyness to the sig
-Then I added a light source and darkened some areas
-After that I just sharpened some parts and added a few gradient maps and voila!

**Fon** · 09-24-2012

It's something worth seeing. Very thoughtful of you, spyrde!.

**podsaurus** · 09-24-2012

I now know the secret to spy's super awesome smudging mwhahahaha!

**Fon** · 09-24-2012

Originally Posted by podsaurus

I now know the secret to spy's super awesome smudging mwhahahaha!

All I need is the Vine brush and changing the spacing.

**spyrde** · 09-24-2012

Originally Posted by FonFahbre

All I need is the Vine brush and changing the spacing.

Well I like to use a specific grunge brush so I can get a better effect, I used the vine brush in this one because it's easy and available for everyone. I might do a tutorial just for smudging, cause I have a few tips and tricks I could show you.

**spyrde** · 12-05-2012

Ok guys I made a new tutorial. This time I added subtitles so you can see better what I am doing. We're making this signature this time:

Very simple signature. I kinda had to rush it so the video isn't too long, so we aren't doing anything too special. Just a little insight on how I handle some of my sigs:

**Ghost-Rhayne** · 12-07-2012

This is so awesome. I really want to get into sig making. I downloaded GIMP but it's a nightmare to figure out myself. You guys are all really talented, it'd be cool to have a definitive sig guide thread; a treasure trove of advice and tips for making sigs. It would help make this area of the forum a lot more accessible for people who'd like to be a part of it, like me! I will run through your tutorial this weekend and try and emulate what you made.

**Blacksite** · 12-07-2012

Originally Posted by Ghost-Rhayne

This is so awesome. I really want to get into sig making. I downloaded GIMP but it's a nightmare to figure out myself. You guys are all really talented, it'd be cool to have a definitive sig guide thread; a treasure trove of advice and tips for making sigs. It would help make this area of the forum a lot more accessible for people who'd like to be a part of it, like me! I will run through your tutorial this weekend and try and emulate what you made.

You should check out this sticky, then.

**spyrde** · 12-07-2012

Originally Posted by Ghost-Rhayne

This is so awesome. I really want to get into sig making. I downloaded GIMP but it's a nightmare to figure out myself. You guys are all really talented, it'd be cool to have a definitive sig guide thread; a treasure trove of advice and tips for making sigs. It would help make this area of the forum a lot more accessible for people who'd like to be a part of it, like me! I will run through your tutorial this weekend and try and emulate what you made.

Well this particular tutorial isn't suited for absolute beginners as I already assume you know some stuff, BUT I could do some tutorials that are explained step-by-step for absolute beginners.

**Ghost-Rhayne** · 12-07-2012

Well the reason I say this is because I'd like to see this site diversify the ways people can express their love of games as we move into next gen. The review section was part of that vision. I think that the design squad has a similar potential, but graphic design is not as accessible as writing...this is why I suggested the creation of an ultimate source of advice and tutorials. Ultimately I'd like to see ongoing competitions and such for the DS squad, setting up some kind of system that acknowledged and displays the talent we have here...but in the short term I think it would be great if we could really take away that barrier of complication that I was smashing my head against the other day in GIMP.

People who never thought of writing reviews are going to because an interesting avenue was created for it. If the DS crew would like to grow, I'd be happy to help any way I can.

I appreciate that our time is precious, and I'm grateful for your efforts with the review banners and such. You guys think about this, and if you want,.we can at least try.

**spyrde** · 12-07-2012

I'd like to be as much of a help as I can. I'll try and find a better screen capture software and I'll change my GIMP language, which might mean I'd have to reinstall it and lose all my brushes and effects etc. It's a risk I'm willing to take though.