GIMP Tutorial - Cutting with the paths tool

[Grizzly Bear]

I did this for a forum e-zine though since I'm not sure what the readership will be for the actual publication I decided to extract a copy of the tutorial to here figuring other people will have a use for it.

For the record, I'm not really a GIMP user. But I have experience in both photoshop elements and its bigger counterpart CS4. Recently I found in CS4 t.wonders for cutting images and masking, but the elements version lacks both. In these cases I like to supplement missing options using freeware alternatives; a little impractical I know, but it gives me more options without completely migrateing to an entirely different program and having to learn everything.

If I feel motivated enough maybe I'll repost an Illustrator tutorial I made in July 2009 as well, and make a couple new ones later. Hopefully somebody finds this useful. This was for cutting forum signatures originally, though it has other applications

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/9610/winterezinefinalpdfpage.jpg

http://img697.imageshack.us/img697/9610/winterezinefinalpdfpage.jpg

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/9610/winterezinefinalpdfpage.jpg

[WildCat]

Those are beautiful boxes with a red "x" you made!

/smartass

[DavidJames]

First, thanks for the tutorial as I'm going to begin using Gimp when I start writing my Android app.

Second and to prove how dumb I may be, is the final result of the tutorial in there somewhere?

[Grizzly Bear]

I forgot to post it in the tutorial.... Xd
I believe I saved it, so I'll upload the source files today.

Sorry about that :)

ETA:

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/9782/91649239.png

After cutting and then repasting it the image should look like this^^^
The grid in the background represents transparency.

http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/7581/82325023.png

This is where you select the file type to save as. Either gif or PNG will work, BUT; for images with a feathered edge, keep it as a PNG. The Gif format hardens the edges and is only suitable for images with clean, crisp edges.

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/8974/94346952.png

Then it'll ask this^^
Use the setting indicated above to merge the visible layers. If you tell it to flatten them, then it will add a white background to the image - not what we want.

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/5549/29207946.png

The above settings work for most basic render cuts.

http://img17.imageshack.us/i/2d4hands013.png/

This is how the final cut looks as a PNG file (See below).
I didn't do it completely with this but it gives you a general idea of what the cutting does.

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/3687/2d4hands013.png

This is one of the complete cutouts I recently did using photoshop, though this is also what you're doing in GIMP with the tutorial. I'll post the photoshop equivalent today after I figure out some arrangements, since I'd like to start posting additional tuts from time to time.


http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/4853/wolf2b.png

[Akhenaten]

The process is fairly similar in PSP Photo XI, which I use a lot, even though I have CS4 when I need to do extra tricks. PSP feels easier to use for quick, simple jobs.

I've avoided using .png pictures on the forum because of their size, and usually flatten them to a #151515 H background to suit the forum pages, but I hate doing it because it stuffs them up for cutting and pasting purposes.


Thanks for the tutorials, and I look forward to more, as well as more of your own stuff, which is terrific.


Cheers,

Dave

[Grizzly Bear]

Here's the photoshop equivalent for those who want it:
http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/557/cuttingwithpentool.jpg

Also thanks for the complements Akhen :)
I'm starting design classes this week but I plan on writing a tutorial for this (http://xanacondax.deviantart.com/art/Toaru-Kagaku-Railgun-desktop-147104256) once I have time. It'll cover linework coloring, masking, and adjustment layers

[Akhenaten]

The tutorials are wonderful. I assume you'll be teaching the design classes?

:)

I'm looking forward to linework, because I suck at it.

[Grizzly Bear]

I'm going into architecture. I do a lot of this stuff on the side and it benefits the graphics skills I need for my major.