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I need some help on how to work my new GIMP program. I checked the actual GIMP site, but none of it made much sense to me. I was wondering if maybe anyone here could help me get a better understanding of how it works.

My edition is the newest one for Windows, if that helps at all.

Thank you!
--Con

i did learn how to use gimp in school about like three years ago but know its like i have forgotten how it works. Sorry i wouldn't be of any help though

Well, I could try to help you. I've used Gimp for the past few years and know how most basic things work. Mostly depends of what you need help with, really...

Well...all of it really, I guess. But mostly with layers. I can't figure them out xD

I used to know all this too, but I haven't used GIMP for over a year so my memory of it vanished :(

i can't figure out layers either

I got layers figured out...somehow xD Not at all sure how I did it, so I can't help you too much Paigedog.

But, I have another question.

Can anyone help me with this tutorial?: http://armaina.deviantart.com/art/Linea ... l-24040107

I need the same thing, but out of GIMP...the tutorial is for photoshop

Thanks!
--Con

Ah, sorry for the delayed answer, real life is keeping me anyway from everything.

About layers, I think the easiest way to learn about them is just to play with it. Like, make yourself a simple sketch or something, and then try the different options and check the various boxes around until you understand what it does. There's no real tutos or explanations about those, or they don't really help much...

About the lineart thing, I suggest you try the simplest thing: color to alpha! Select the layer your lineart is on, the go to Layer-> Transparency -> Color to Alpha. Select the color of your background (usually white), then click Ok, and Voilà! The background is gone. Then, you can just check the little box in the layer panel to lock transparency, so that when you color your line, if you choose to do it, the background will stay untouched. And then, you can just use any painting tool to change the color of your lines.

The method showed in the tuto you linked is good too, though a little different. Since I usually don't ink my picture and work with cleaned sketch, I prefer the color-to-alpha thing 'cause then you don't need to select anything, which can be tricky if your picture is pure B&W. Though, if you want to try it, it's just a matter of selecting the white on your picture (I suggest using the "Select by Color" tool), then inverting it (Select -> Invert), so that your active selection is now what's black on your picture (your lines). Then you make a new, transparent layer and, with your selection still active, you fill it with the bucket tool. Then just click the little eye in the layer menu to hide the original picture, and the "lock transparency" thing on your new lineart layer. You should now have a clean lineart on a transparent background, and you will be able to re-color it using any painting tool without changing the transparent zone.

Hope it was clear and helped...

Thanks! That really cleared it up for me! ^^

But now I have yet another question....how do I save the picture without having to combine all of the layers? Or is that just my computer being dum?

It's just a matter of using the right type of files when saving. If you want to keep your files with all the layers and transparency and other things, I suggest saving as .xcf files. This is the basic GIMP format and will keep your work as it was when you saved.

All right, I'll give that a try! Thank you!