GIMP Version: 2.8.14
Operating System: Windows
GIMP Experience: Basic Level

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I am (alas) not an artist, but a writer. I do however enjoy creating my book covers with GIMP. I have selected an image I want to use for my next book cover, but it doesn't "pop" enough, that is, it isn't eye-catching enough (Amazon will be putting it in a thumbnail). The only things I can think of doing to it is maybe putting a glow around it, or somehow trying to give it some depth (neither of which I know how to do, but I can research). I can't do animation, Amazon won't allow. So, being in somewhat awe of you artists here, I was wondering if anyone might have any suggestion for what I could do to this image to make it nicer, more appealing, more interesting. (And, if you maybe included your instructions for how you did it, I sure wouldn't object!) So thanks for any direction you might be willing to share.

Maybe something like this?

I think any adornment for your image will need to take into account the colour of the cover background. Here is a suggestion using augmented 'motion blur' from the eagle image itself and a gold colour. Happy to provide further info if needed.

Wow, I like both of those. Could you by any chance tell how you made them? It is going against a white background with probably gold or silver font for the title. Thank you so much!

Really? I got it from a site that said it was free for commercial use. I'll have to dig back and see where I got it from.

Well ... so much for that then; sorry Wallace I should have picked that up too.

Oh sorry, I think I just uploaded the wrong picture (i'm just starting out on this project). I'm still looking for the site I got it on, but I found it on Shutterstock.

I am trying to scale an image. On Image Scale box I enter 13.417 x 9x2.50 inches. I cannot deviate from this. I hit Scale and it gives me 13.280 X 9.260 inches.

Is there a way to make the Scale Image give me the inches I inputted, rather than Gimp changing them?

Thank you.

I think you meant to type 13.417 x 9.250 (and not 13.417 x 9x2.50).

Gimp works in pixels, not inches. If you enter 13.417 x 9.250 inches Gimp converts this to pixels, using the dpi set for the image. But there cannot be fractions of a pixel. So Gimp rounds off the pixel size to the nearest whole pixel. Then converts this size in pixels back to inches which is why you get the change.

I am having to re-size some of my book covers for Large Print. I have to re-size them to 13.370 x 9.250 inches. I can't deviate from this. Unfortunately, when I enter these numbers on Scale Image, it insists on scaling the cover to a size I don't want. I tried it umpteen times and then suddenly it gave it to me. I tried with another cover and it kept giving me a different size too, but then it suddenly gave me a window that said I was trying to make a size it basically didn't like, but I hit Scale anyway, and it gave it to me.

Is there any way to scale an image so Gimp will just give me the size that I want, like some sort of override button? Thank you.

Edit: sorry for duplication, didn't realize my previous attempts to post had gone through.

Thanks for response. I just click the inches option in the Scale Image box, and use that.

Resize your image in pixels. Assuming you are going to print at 300 dpi, multiply 300x13.37= 4011 and 300x9.25=2775. So your pixel resolution at 300 dpi should be 4011x2775. Be sure to set print dpi to 300 to get the proper size which will be 13.37 x 9.25 inches.

Using the size you are allowed, first convert the inches to pixels. and see what you get.
Write down those measurements and scale it to the pixel measurements selected. Then you should get what you want.

If you do not have a calculator that can do the conversion google will have one

You gave different requirements.

First, you specified 13.417x9.250 inches
13.417 @ 300dpi gives 4025.1 pixels. This will get rounded to 4025 pixels and a very small change will take place in the inch size.
9.250 @ 300dpi gives 2775 pixels. No problem, no resizing takes place.

Then you specified 13.370x9.250 inches
13.370 @ 300dpi gives 4011 pixels. No problem, no resizing takes place.
9.250 @ 300dpi gives 2775 pixels. No problem, no resizing takes place.

Sorry for putting different numbers, I was working on different books.

Thank you for pixel conversion, I will try that.

I figured it out. :-)

You have to enter the size numbers in the window from File > New > Image Size, not in the Scale window from the Image Tab or the Scale tool from the Toolbox. I don't know why, but it has something to do with "not enough memory" in something.

Thanks you all for feedback!

Edit. I think this was what was really going on: Gimp, in its "Preferences" dialogue box, sets the maximum size you can make an image. My "Preferences" was set at Gimp's default number. Unfortunately, I was trying to make an image bigger than this default number which was why Gimp wouldn't let me. So, I just increased this maximum image size so I won't have any problems in future.