Forum

by **firsal901** on Thu Nov 24, 2011 5:58 am

question, what to do when i save? merge layers?

by **natty dread** on Thu Nov 24, 2011 10:05 am

Don't do that.

If you want to save the file for further editing, just save it in the native .xcf format so the layers etc. will stay intact. So you can continue editing the file later.

If you want to export the image to a regular image file that you can upload on the web, save a copy of the image (file > save a copy) and then save it as a .PNG or .JPG file. Layers will not be preserved in these file formats, so you can't use them for editing the image later.

by **VicFontaine** on Sun Jan 22, 2012 11:59 pm

"You can download...into XCF format."

I guess that's my starting problem. I can't get off the ground without this format. I don't want to use Denmark...I'd like to make a different map. How do I get to that first, most basic point?

by **koontz1973** on Mon Jan 23, 2012 2:16 am

VicFontaine wrote:"You can download...into XCF format."

I guess that's my starting problem. I can't get off the ground without this format. I don't want to use Denmark...I'd like to make a different map. How do I get to that first, most basic point?

Practise is the best thing.

But to answer you better, find a picture you want to copy and open it in gimp. Make a new layer on the top and use that to start your drawing. Follow nattys guide, it is basic, very basic but it gives you all of the points you will need to get a starting image. You save your file in xcf format so you keep your layers and then save again as PNG or jpeg. This will merge the layers into one which you can put onto the web for us to see.

Follow the 2 guides and you will get an image that you can use. It is then up to you to go that next step.

natty, when is part 2b coming?

by **natty dread** on Mon Jan 23, 2012 3:06 am

koontz1973 wrote:natty, when is part 2b coming?

I think the next tutorial I write will not be a continuation to these ones, it will be a new one that will describe more advanced graphical techniques, rather than basic ones like these. I have no idea when I'll have time to write it though...

It will however probably be only after 2.8 has come out and it will be written for 2.8.

by **VicFontaine** on Mon Jan 23, 2012 12:46 pm

Several times you say something like, "A window like X will open." I never had that window open. For instance, "Colors-->Hue." Never can get it to open.

by **natty dread** on Mon Jan 23, 2012 2:01 pm

If you select Hue/Saturation from the Colour menu, a dialog window will open. You need to have a layer selected for the tool to work.

by **VicFontaine** on Mon Jan 23, 2012 2:10 pm

Either GIMP is beyond me, or I have a different GIMP, or there's some other subtle user error. I'm giving this up. 8 hours and I can't get past the first tutorial lol. Not worth it; I guess I'll just have to enjoy the maps someone else makes. My hand-drawn maps look better than my GIMP attempts! :lol:

by **natty dread** on Mon Jan 23, 2012 2:14 pm

You can get the latest version of GIMP at www.gimp.org

by **WILLIAMS5232** on Thu Jan 26, 2012 10:30 pm

is there a way to key in coordinates instead of trying to click right on them. like can i key in coordinates for a box, then use the stroke selection key to connect the dots?

for example; i want a box that is 40 pixels high and 500 pixels wide. can i just key in the corners and somehow connect them with line instead of tediously trying to click right on the exact points. ( which i find very exasperating )

does this make sense.

by **natty dread** on Fri Jan 27, 2012 12:03 am

Yes, you in fact can.

Take the rectangle selection tool and make a rectangle somewhere. Now, in the tool options, you can see the values for size and position of the rectangle. You can now edit those values directly and the selection will adjust accordingly.

by **WILLIAMS5232** on Fri Jan 27, 2012 6:46 pm

thanks, that is spectacular. i've searched and searched for a way to do this. i just knew there had to be a way.

by **tkr4lf** on Fri Mar 16, 2012 1:21 am

Just wanted to say thanks again for these tutorials, natty.

I've tried my hand at mapmaking, didn't get too far. Firstly, and most importantly, I don't have the patience. Secondly, I don't have the skill (currently). But thanks to your tutorials, I have the basics down and I like to screw around with it and try new things (as you suggest).

Anyway, I wanted to post this for 2 reasons:
1. To show people what you can do once you have the basics down. (Although there are much better examples out there, this one sucks.)
2. I just wanted to share it with someone, since I spent so much time working on it.

Keep in mind, this isn't meant to be a CC map or anything, it's just me screwing around. I found a cool map I wanted to draw, and I came up with this. It's not much, but I think it's an improvement on my previous work. To everybody else, keep practicing with it, I guess you can only get better. Also, to natty, sorry for using your thread to post this, but nowhere else seemed appropriate.

(The picture is quite big, you may need to right click on it and click "view image" to be able to see the whole thing.)