GIMP: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 17:31, 8 October 2017

I use GIMP to crop photos. The program "GIMP" is a free-software work-alike to the program "Photoshop". You can download and install GIMP from https://www.gimp.org/

Cropping Photos

The "Rectangle select" tool is what you use to select a rectangular area of your image.

The tool has many options, but one of the most basic options is the size and type of select^[1].

Brief

Click the tool option for Fixed: and use "aspect-ratio"; and set the size to the size wanted (e.g. 4:6 for a 4" x 6" print, or specific size spec 2265:5385) Using a full pixel dimension will give you the most accurate aspect ratio if not a standard size. "Click and drag" somewhere on the photo to create a selection. Once created, you can click and drag any "handle" (hot corners) of the selection to grow/shrink it.

Rectangle Select Tool

Load an image into GIMP (Drag and drop a file onto the GIMP window, or choose "File -> open" in the menu)
(-) Zoom out on the original photo so that you can see the whole photo. (Pressing the "-" key will zoom out.)
(r) Click the rectangle select tool in the toolbox window to activate it. (Click 'Tools' -> 'Select Tools' -> 'Rectangle Select' in the menu) or just press "R"
Click and drag anywhere on the photo using the rectangle tool, and settings mentioned above. Release the mouse.
Then use the "hot corners" or "handles" to resize and relocate the selection to exactly where you want it.
(Ctrl C) Press "Ctrl + C" to copy the selection (or click 'Edit' -> 'Copy')
(Ctrl Shift V) Press "Ctrl + Shift + V" to paste the selection as a new image. (or click Edit -> Paste As -> New Image)
(Ctrl E) Press "Ctrl + E" to export the new image as a png graphic. (or click File -> Export)
Once you have an image in png format, at the right dimensions, you're ready to upload to VistaPrint.
Rinse, Lather, Repeat as needed :-)

Note: (Ctrl S) In step 8, we only exported the new graphic. We didn't actually save it in GIMP's native format. If you want to possibly edit the same cropped/exported image, you should save your work using GIMP's native format which is .xcf. To save, click "File -> Save" in the menu or press the "Ctrl + S" keys.

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-{{Stub}}
+I use GIMP to crop photos. The program "GIMP" is a [[gnu|free-software]] work-alike to the program "Photoshop".  You can download and install GIMP from https://www.gimp.org/
+== Cropping Photos ==
+The "'''R'''ectangle select" tool is what you use to select a rectangular area of your image.
+The tool has many options, but one of the most basic options is the size and type of select<ref>https://docs.gimp.org/en/gimp-tool-rect-select.html#tool-rect-select-options</ref>.
+=== Brief ===
+Click the tool option for Fixed: and use "aspect-ratio"; and set the size to the size wanted (e.g. 4:6 for a 4" x 6" print, or specific size spec 2265:5385) Using a full pixel dimension will give you the most accurate aspect ratio if not a standard size.  "Click and drag" somewhere on the photo to create a selection.  Once created, you can click and drag any "handle" (hot corners) of the selection to grow/shrink it.
+=== Rectangle Select Tool ===
+# Load an image into GIMP (Drag and drop a file onto the GIMP window, or choose "File -> open" in the menu)
+# '''(-)''' Zoom out on the original photo so that you can see the whole photo. (Pressing the "-" key will zoom out.)
+# '''(r)''' Click the rectangle select tool in the toolbox window to activate it. (Click 'Tools' -> 'Select Tools' -> 'Rectangle Select' in the menu) or just press "R"
+# Click and drag anywhere on the photo using the rectangle tool, and settings mentioned above.  Release the mouse.
+# Then use the "hot corners" or "handles" to resize and relocate the selection to exactly where you want it.
+# '''(Ctrl C)''' Press "Ctrl + C" to copy the selection (or click 'Edit' -> 'Copy')
+# '''(Ctrl Shift V)''' Press "Ctrl + Shift + V" to paste the selection as a new image. (or click Edit -> Paste As -> New Image)
+# '''(Ctrl E)''' Press "Ctrl + E" to export the new image as a png graphic. (or click File -> Export)
+# Once you have an image in png format, at the right dimensions, you're ready to upload to VistaPrint.
+# Rinse, Lather, Repeat as needed :-)
+'''Note:''' '''(Ctrl S)''' In step 8, we only exported the new graphic.  We didn't actually save it in GIMP's native format.  If you want to possibly edit the same cropped/exported image, you should save your work using GIMP's native format which is '''.xcf'''.  To save, click "File -> Save" in the menu or press the "Ctrl + S" keys.
+=== Related ===
+There are lots of tutorials on YouTube for using GIMP e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXR0QMWqZHY
 See also: [[Free Software for Windows]]
 [[Category:Graphics]]
+[[Category:Photography]]