Label Tutorial

[Seawolfe]

The largest change in Gimp was from 2.6.x to 2.8.x - I find that all of the 2.8.x versions so far fundamentally the same.

 

[Aline]

Comparing it to Photoshop, there are a few things missing, but at a discount of a thousand dollars or so, I think it's worth it!

Exactly. I have used Photshop LE but could not afford the full version. The Gimp learning curve is def worthwhile....

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I have CS2 but they have turned off the authorization servers which means more steps to use it as I just bought a new laptop. So I will try gimp and see what it is like for a comparison

 

[navigator9]

You're all very welcome :smile: I'm glad it's helping!

navigator9 > I think even with learning a new program your frustration level wont go up too much. Personally, slow computers drive me craaazy.
.

You're right about that, and my computer is beyond slow. The new computer has been sitting on my desk for months, not hooked up yet because the thought of losing my old program has been stressing me out so much. It was the program that came free with the computer when I bought it in 2002. For those of us seniors, who didn't grow up with computers, learning a new program can be daunting. I taught myself to use it by lots of trial and error, and once I did, I knew where everything was, how to do everything I needed to, and I could do it quickly, without having to think about it. I think it's a shame that people have to lose programs when their OS changes. We get attached to them! And so I can't thank you enough for helping me to let go, and learn to use Gimp. My labels are pretty basic, I only print in black and white, color is too expensive for me. So it's basically placement, layers and sometimes a background pattern behind the text. Does Gimp allow you to make things more or less transparent? On some of my labels with pattern behind the text, I fade out the pattern a bit to make the text legible. So it would help if there was a way to do that. Thanks again for all of your help, Stacy!

 

[Stacy]

TEG > Do you have the version that doesn't require activation? I have not tried this myself, but apparently you can download a legit version to get around the no server problem.
https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/creative-suite-2-activation-end-life.html

http://www.cnet.com/news/adobe-shuts-down-cs2-activation-server-puts-software-and-serials-online/ - how anyone uses this information is none of my business!

The few things that I found missing so far are the none destructive rotating (ie the text doesn't stay text after rotating), the ability to select and move/copy multiple layers or copy layers to other canvases and the use of folders for organization (try as I might, I could not get layers to move into folders) - (as Seawolfe pointed out this does actually work, I figured out that it didn't want to work for me when I was using the screen capture software I used to make the tutorial).

If you're doing high end graphics creation, photo editing, and retouching I imagine PS will pull ahead, but for this type of work Gimp seems to do an admirable job.

navigator9 > Don't sell yourself short, some of the best learners I've met are Grandparents (or more) and some people younger than me have been terrified of the computer. Both of them do just fine in the end!

For fading, you're talking about opacity. You can find it in the second part of the video or this link will take you right to the correct section: https://youtu.be/xIldhPwDHAs?t=1m47s

 

[Deedles]

This is Fantastic...you're an excellent instructor!

I'm an old PS user but only ever use it to process underwater photos. I just never tackled the graphic side of things very much.

 

[Seawolfe]

If you have the text button active and click on rotated text you will get a dialogue that tells you that you can edit the text, but you will loose the rotation- I just rotate again after editing, it helps if you know the actual degrees of rotation.

I've always just clicked and dragged layers and then drop the layer thumbnail to another canvas - you can only do this in non single window mode, which I think is what you were working in.

For folders I just right click the layer thumbnail that I want the folder to be above and choose "new layer group..." this makes a new folder and then click and drag the layer thumbnails to it.

You are right, you cant select multiple layers, but you can put them into the layer group folders and move or copy that folder. That is pretty much what I do for different labels.

The few things that I found missing so far are the none destructive rotating (ie the text doesn't stay text after rotating), the ability to select and move/copy multiple layers or copy layers to other canvases and the use of folders for organization (try as I might, I could not get layers to move into folders).

Navigator, here is how I change the opacity of a layer or text - just move the opacity slider on the top of the layer window. Make very sure that the layer you want to change is active first!

Edit to add: Stacy's link shows the use of the Opacity slider most awesomely

 

[Stacy]

For folders I just right click the layer thumbnail that I want the folder to be above and choose "new layer group..." this makes a new folder and then click and drag the layer thumbnails to it.

I tried and tried that! It would not work for me! I had a new group folder and everything but the layers would not move.

Now, of course it works flawlessly! I guess my program needed a restart or something.

Just goes to show you how being persistent can do wonders. :wink:

ETA: And now for some reason it won't work again...so either the program just hates me or this is a little buggy at the moment?

Edited again...AHA! It won't work when the screen capture software is running! When it's off, everything is working as it should.


Added to tutorial:

Housekeeping Tips
These things aren’t important right away, but if you find yourself making more complex labels they might make your life easier.

Backup - I keep backups of my labels. This way if I change something without noticing and can’t recover it by using undo, (like accidentally deleting a layer or changing some text and closing the file/program) I have an older copy I can retrieve it from. Sometimes you can just recreate it, but if you nailed something you might not be able to make it exactly the same way again. I date my backups using the following format: 2015-09-16 – labelname.xcf

I use this format because then I can sort my backups by name and they will be in date order.

Folders-Gimp lets you organize the layers of your image by using folders. Unfortunately, I can’t show you this in a video because the software I use to capture the screen seems to break the ability to drag and drop layers. In the image below you can see the folder button (arrow 1). You will also see a folder (arrow 2) where I’ve put all the layers for the back of my label. Inside that you will see another folder (arrow 3) where I have the backup text layers I’ve kept in case I need them later. Each of these folders can be contracted or expanded by using the +\- signs beside them. You can also make the entire layer visible/invisible by using the eye icon by that folder.

To create a folder, click the folder button (arrow 1) (or right click in your layer window and select ‘New Layer Group’). If you want to move the folder you can click and drag it. Remember that layer order rules still apply, if you place a group behind your background it will be covered by that background. Once your folder is set up, you can click and drag each layer into it.

You can rename layers and folders to help keep things more organized. Just double click on the layer/group name, make your changes and press enter. You can also right click on the layer/group you want to rename and choose “Edit Layer Attributes” and type your name in the popup window, then click “ok”.

Please note that you can rotate the entire group instead of linking layers as I showed you in the video, but in this instance, because the text layers that I want to keep intact are inside that group they will rotate as well and lose their editing capability. Plan your folders accordingly!

 

[Seawolfe]

Ah! that is weird that the screen capture blocks it!

I was going to suggest looking for any dialogues waiting for an "OK" click from you that might have gotten hidden behind a panel, sometimes that can mess things up too. Which is why I find myself using Single Window Mode almost exclusively these days, only toggling it off if I want to drag a layer from one image to another.

 

[Stacy]

I often admire software designers for this very reason. The amount of things to account for between hardware, operating systems, and what else might be running and what shortcuts etc they use, must absolutely boggle the mind.