Tools

Learning objectives

When you have completed this session, you should be able to

• list almost all the tools of Gimp.

Tools

In the GIMP window tools for modifying the drawing can be found. We have met with the selecting tools like the paintbrush, the pencil, and the eraser already.

Let us have a brief overview of most important tools

Clone Tool copies a small part of the picture to another place.

Smudge Tool decreases the contrast between pixels or does the opposite depending on the adjustment.

The Smudge Tool smudges colors.

Dodge / Burn (burns) colors or according to how it is adjusted fades the re-drawn area.

With the Text Tool short (maximum a few line long) text can be written.

Blend creates transition between colors.

Bucket Fill Tool fills an area having the identical color with the color of the foreground.

CloneTtool

There are two ways to copy something.

In default mode a sample can be taken from a part of the picture (Source, Image Source) and this can be moved to somewhere else. Sample taking is done with clicking next to CTRL button. A simple clicking puts down the sample taken. The size of the sample can be selected from the Brushes palette. Among tool options the Lock Tab to Dock switch can be found. It this is activated after placing the sample when the second is being placed the area where the sample was taken is to be moved just like the area of placement.

Placing samples can be done always on the active layer.

This tool is perfectly useful to correct small errors on the picture (e.g. scanning errors, minor contaminations).

In order to use the other copy method the Source Sample must be selected at the Source area (at tool properties) and a Sample of course. Than the Clone Tool will paint with this sample.

Text Tool

Text can be placed in the picture. The text is always placed on a new layer. All the area of this layer surrounding the text is transparent.

Select the tool and click to the area there the text is intended to be written. The word processing window of Gimp appears. The text can be written here. Editing the text can be done as usual (characters, size, etc.).

Color means the color of the text.

Anti-Alias deletes the staggered effect at the edges of the letters.

The text appears in the picture instantly. It can be moved after editing if not being placed to the proper area.

Blend

Used for filling with color transition. Blending can be

• linear (colors change along a line),
• radial (the color is changed in a circle as the radius increases),
• square (diamond pattern color transition),
• conical ( angular transition, the color changes along the size of the angle),
• helix, etc.

Colors of blending can be edited on the Blend page. New colors can be added in the local menu with the Cut Section in the Center command.

Using blend is done by drawing the line of the color transmission.

Bucket Fill

Filling of a selected area can be done by several ways.

The key combination CTRL+ comma fills the selected area with the color of the foreground.

The CTRL+period key combination fills the selected area with the background color.

The properties of Bucket Fill can be adjusted in the GIMP window if the Bucket Fill Tool is activated.

In case of the first two optins the value of transparency (opacity) can be defined or the paintbrush mode (Mode) Further down can be selected whether the foreground or the background color, or the previously defined pattern should be used and even what the involved area should be and the program can be commanded whether the transparent areas should be filled respectively.

If there is no selected area the filling is referred to the entire layer (unless transparent parts are prohibited).