Re: [Gimp-user] flyers

[Steve Kinney <admin pilobilus net>]

On 03/28/2012 08:54 PM, clickedanad2 wrote:
> I used word 2000 to create a flyer  - inserted photo - typed text
> over photo - looked nice but it was a pain to finally convert to jpg
> - so
> I'd like to recreate it with the same photo using gimp
> I had to change from full color to grayscale so text would show
> my question - can I use the photo and then for text box can I change
> that to a lightened grayscale for text background and
> instead of setting the text box, can it expand as I type
> I would only use gimp for flyers and I'm thinkin'
> why download if it doesn't do what I'd like it too

If I had to do this I believe I would use Open Office, and make the
"print ready" file in PDF.  But yes, you can alter the photo in any
way you want - or even make the whole flyer - in the GIMP.

I am guessing that all you want to do is add text to the photo,
import that to Word, and print the resulting document.

With your photo open in the GIMP, turn on the Text tool and type
your words and, in the Tool Options dock dialog, choose your font,
size, alignment, etc. as needed.  The text appears in a box with
"drag handles" so you can make it any size/shape (as long as it's a
rectangle) you want.  The text is on a layer of its own, above the
image.

To make the text more legible against a photographic background, you
can make it any color by selecting your color in the main Color
Picker dialog, then drag and drop the color to the image with the
text layer selected.  (It will already be selected if you just made it.)

You can also select the base layer - your original photo - in the
Layers dock dialog, and create a new transparent layer (1st button
in the row at the bottom of the Layers dock dialog).  This layer
will be under your text layer in the stack.  Then, use the Rectangle
Select (or any selection tool) to select an area under your text
that can be filled with any color, and made semi-transparent by
using the Opacity slider in the Layers dock dialog.

Example:  http://pilobilus.net/img/hello-world.jpg

Source file:  http://pilobilus.net/img/hello-world.xcf

And that just barely scratches the surface of what you can do with
text & photos...

:o)

Steve