I’ve mentioned before how much I like GIMP, I use it for all my graphics needs these days. And if you a regular visitor you will know I produce a lot of screenshots with/without text. To do that I use a font called ‘Avalon’. So it’s a pain when there’s been an update and the default font changes to something else. If you need to put lots of text on an image, and each time you need the set the font you can see why that would be annoying.
Solution: GIMP Default Text Tool
The correct way to fix this problem is first set the correct settings in the tool (font name and size for example). Then go to Gimp-2.10 > Preferences > Tool Options > Tick (or place a cross in) ‘save tool options on exit‘ > Press the “save tool options now‘.
That should rectify the problem.
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I have to do this frequently, usually to put company logos into Visio/Omnigraffle drawings. To be honest I normally forget how to do it, and then have to Google the steps, and tell myself I really should document the procedure for next time. Well I’ve finally got round to it.
GIMP Removing Colour
Here I need to remove all the ‘white’ from this FortiClient logo (used in the previous article). Select Layer > Transparency > Colour To Alpha > White is already selected, (use the eye dropper to select a different colour if required) > OK.
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I’ve been running an older version of GIMP for a while, it’s been a bit ‘flaky’ since the Big Sur upgrade, so yesterday I took the plunge and updated it. As expected I had to recreate my custom arrow brushes and things. But the problem that hit me the most was ‘Where have all the tools gone!‘
Solution
I know it’s open source software and I’ve no right to complain, but come on? After some investigation it seems the tools are there, they are just grouped together so they are more difficult to find? Why was this considered a good thing? The resolution on my mac is staggering I’m not exactly pushed for screen space?
Anyway, to put things back the way you are used to then, navigate to Preferences.
Disable GIMP Tool Groups
Interface >Toolbox > UNTICK Use tool groups > OK.
Relax
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I upgraded to macOS Catalina last week, and post upgrade all was well, with the exception of Photoshop. I went to see if there was an update, I needed. No! If I want to use Photoshop I need to pay for PhotoShop CC, which costs £10 a month! The fact my friends stateside can get it for $10 a month annoys me even more.
I’ve spent years, shouting about how great Photoshop is, and when people were struggling with it I encouraged them to persevere, because when you got used to is it was second to none. Well as is usually the case as soon as a company/product gets to the top of the food chain, they just assume they can do and charge what the hell they like, and treat their customers pretty shabbily because ‘Hey who cares about one less customer’!
So I’m switching to GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) Which is FREE and pretty awesome. This switch has been much the same as switching form Windows to macOS, it wasn’t as difficult as I thought it was going to be, and now I wish I’d done it a long time ago.
The point of this post is to, highlight all the things I used to do in Photoshop, that I needed to work out how to do in GIMP, so that with any luck this ‘one less customer’ can persuade many more to follow.
I’ll keep updating this with new things as I work them out.
GIMP Open New File the Same Dimensions as the Clipboard Image
I work with a lot of screen shots and desktop images, Photoshop automatically opened a new image with the correct dimensions that matched what I’d copied to the clipboard. GIMP Does this much better, Simply select Edit > Paste as > New Image.
This sets the correct canvas size, and puts the clipboard Images into it, which saves me pasting it in, which I’d have to do in Photoshop 🙂
GIMP Set ALL New File’s with Transparent Background
Out of the box GIMP sets the background colour (or fill with option) to background colour, as does Photoshop, but with Photoshop once you have changed it to transparent background it stops that way, GIMP does not. You need to set ‘Transparency’ as the default option. Preferences > Default Image > Fill with > Set to ‘Transparency’.
GIMP Drawing Arrows:Option 1 (Arrow Brush)
I need to do this a lot when doing walkthroughs and tutorials etc, out of the box GIMP does not do this at all! What you need to do is download arrow_slackermedia then extract it to the following folder you will need to create the Arrow Brushes Folder
You can then use the Arrow Brush, change the direction by changing the ‘Angle’ in the brush tool, and set the size accordingly.
GIMP Drawing Arrows:Option 2 (Arrow Tool
I need to do this a lot when doing walkthroughs and tutorials etc, out of the box GIMP does not do this at all! What you need to do is download this file, then extract it to;
