In response to a recent comment which inferred the use of scripts and plug-ins was both "lazy and plageueristic, making us autonomous puppets" and as such, this method could never be considered artistic.

I would just like to state that, those of us whom started on the early versions of GIMP (LyleJK quoted his first V1.2.4, it was also mine) created our own techniques manually.

The brilliant scriptwriters who create the scripts we use, either draw on their own talents to create these time savers or they use the hard earned knowledge of those whom have developed techniques over time, in order to create the scripts.

Furthermore, Gimp Chat and the scripts created within it, serve as a learning tool for those whom wish to develop skills that could possibly improve techniques and even lively-hoods.

I felt the need to defend the users of Gimp Chat (registered or not).

These are my own views and in no way reflect the views of Gimp Chat.

AND NO, I AM NOT A KNIGHT ON A WHITE COYOTE. :-}

Hear, hear!!!

It's sad but true; some people don't like it when other people are having fun in a different way.

The argument could be taken back to the first caveman to draw on a cave wall. Did his neighbor ask or state "Do you call that art?"
The hypocrisy of it. Said individual is a script user and a member of GC. tisk tisk,

Thanks guys.

Script snobs are simply attempting to make themselves feel (and look) superior when they criticize others.

Pretty much every menu options in GIMP is a script or plug-in of some sort. Unless you're freehand drawing everything with a mouse or graphics tablet, you're using scripts. Most tutorials are actually teaching the user how to use scripts and plug-ins.

A doubt:
Using the terms "lazy and plageueristic" in search of the forum should not return to the author of this comment?
I tried, but only returned the first two posts on this topic.

Very we'll said every one, I wonder if the script snob is reading this.
Odin, you are so very right what you said.

Yes, but there are two kind of scripts (or at least the script continuum has two extremities):

1. those that have little inner logic and are merely macros. A typical case is the "Drop shadow" filter. The more complex ones either restrict the user's freedom or they end up with a very large parameter dialog.
2. those that do things that you cannot by just clicking around (include some math, long iterations, etc...), but do not alone create a finished result, for instance RobA's "Sample Gradient Along Path"

In the cabinetmaker workshop, do you prefer to see:

1. a machine that produce country-style chairs, a machine that produce Regency-style chairs, a machine that produces Art-déco chairs
2. a jigsaw, a planer-joiner, a wood lathe

What's art but how good you are at using your tools. Filters/plugins are just tools like a paint brush. Huge potential, but for a novice, your result will be garbage more then likely, but for those who know how to use the "brush" something aesthetically pleasing arises which any reasonable observer would identify as art. So, your whole premise is wrong.

What's art but how inventive you are at using your tools.

Do painters make their own paint brushes and paints? No!
Saying that they are not artists if they don't make their own tools is ridiculous.

Think of scripts as tools to help you be more artistic.

I'd never be able to make original smilies like we can choose in Gimp Chat. Does that make me unartistic?

Well, it's not that easy to manually perform the actions implemented in GIMP's drop shadow script, at least not without using other scripts like canvas resize and autocrop. For example, if I have active pixels that go all the way to the edge of the canvas and I want to add a drop shadow, I will need to increase the canvas size to the exact size of the shadow and in the proper direction(s) the shadow is offset and/or blurred. Drop shadow scripts do this for us automatically and that functionality goes well beyond a Macro of sequential steps.

I much prefer scripts to have a rich set of parameters, over those which offer a constraining and limited number of options. The notion that parameter dialogs have to be of a certain size is patently absurd.

Rather than duplicate a layer, increase the canvas size (with another script), blur it (script), offset it accurately (script), colorize it (script) and autocrop it (with yet another script), I think I'll just save myself a lot of wasted time/effort and use a drop shadow script.


Would that be a manual lathe or a fully automatic, computer controlled, with screens full of dialogs lathe?

Real artists wouldn't need even need a lathe, right? They would cut the wood down to size and smooth it out by hand.

Art is creation…how or what is up to the artist.

No it's off-site Akros. The person is a member of GC though.

You were in my head Oregonian? It's a spooky place

It is my belief that manipulation of materials by of any form should be deemed art, as oregonian said, Painters do not make their own paints etc.
Besides E-ART is slowly becoming accepted and there are auctions to validate this.

Overwhelmed to say the least, by every response here. ;-}

For the record: I rarely brush due to illness, but I have done frequently. better results as a script manipulator now

I think it all depends on the script, if the piece of art I'm creating requires several different scripts to achieve the effect I am looking for, then you could possibly call it art but there are some scripts out there which will create a whole image for you in just one click. Could this really be classed as art even though you get to change a few settings(Glossy Orb, Green Apple and Drac dial script to name a few.)

I must be honest I think of myself more as a creator than an artist.

One of the more interesting places I've been lately.

GIMP is itself a script (code). So anyone who disagrees with using scripts should just put GIMP down and pick up an actual pencil or brush.

This makes me remember discussion about 2D vs 3D art.
With 2D (digital/traditional) your work is unique so no one can copy you. But in 3D if you just get the source material, you can replicate pretty much the same... And, you can make 3D arts with speed-like-lightning rather than 2D artist...

Consider scripts as helper... to automate things. As a 2D artist... I must say that I bored at some points and hoping for some script that automate things that works perfectly, which mean faster work done, and like a boss, I just have to do the 'finishing touch' of it...

And I actually hope that another people doing that 'boring' process, not me lol