GIMP Version: 2.8.4
Operating System: Mac OS
GIMP Experience: Beginner Level

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Hello all! I've read through this forum and the topics discussing bottle cap images, etc....etc...and I've been working diligently on learning layers and how it all works...but I've hit a wall.

What I really want is just a basic step by step "recipe" more or less for creating 3-4 layer images such as the ones seen in the picture below. I know most of the terminology about GIMP and where things are located and I know how to make 1" circles and copy and resize images, etc, etc....but for the LIFE of me I cannot get the steps down for creating my own stuff....all the tutorials out there are really more about just using some clip art.

The pic below is just an example of the kind of stuff I would want to do. This is someone else's work and I'm not looking to recreate it....it was just the best example I could provide for what I'm trying to do.

Could anyone PLEASE give me a write up on the steps involved for doing any one of the below? I would be forever grateful. I figure if I had those steps then I could use that as a recipe for building my own layers with my own designs.

Basically, I'd want to create a colored or patterned background, fill in a shape of some sort on top of that where I could then place some text and maybe add a clip art of some sort of image into that as well.

Thank you, thank you , thank you in advance for any help you can provide!! I did see one tutorial here for creating a bottle cap, but it seemed much more involved than what I think I need as a beginner.

This forum is GREAT!

Laura

Don't know if you have looked at this or not but here is one tutorial I made on bottletops

Bottletop Tutorial

Are you looking to learn about how to use layer, or how to make a bottle-cap?

Learning Layers Basics-VIDEO http://gimpchat.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=95

Yes...thank you very much for this tutorial. I actually printed it out and worked through it on GIMP and it turned out great, but I'm really just trying to get an understanding of the logic of layers. For example, if I look at the images I attached above, in my head I'm saying that I need to:
1) Open new image....not sure about whether to use transparency or not here
2) Create my circle with the ellipse tool
3) Fill Circle with whatever pattern....
4) Open new layer, create whatever object I want next....say flower or heart and fill it with whatever pattern
5) Open new layer, open clip art file and scale it, etc
6) Open text box...type text and place it where I want it.

I don't understand when I need to use transparency when I open my layer or what have you. I can't quite "get" how to stack the layers correctly, when to turn one off or delete it, when to merge to get the final outcome. Maybe my real issue is that I don't have a true understanding of transparency? I know how to tell GIMP how to accomplish the tasks I've listed above and I think I have a basic idea of what it would take to get the final outcome, but the logical order of how I would do it each time and transparency or not may be my problem.....frustrating!

Am I making any sense?? LOL....I tell myself, "no!"

Thanks for your reply.

Laura

Thank you! Well both.....my main thing right now is making bottle cap images (which I do know how to size and get the circle correct and all that), but mainly I guess I really need a better grasp of the logical flow of how (and for me I really need the and "WHY" part) of layering things. I did watch this tutorial a few days ago and took some notes and I'm about to watch it again. I also purchased a book from Amazon and have been reading through it, but it's more advanced than where I am at and it talks a lot about photo editing and I'm not using GIMP for that purpose yet....just image manipulation and design. Urgh...I'll be honest...I'm the last person to ever think I'd be sitting at a computer trying to teach myself image manipulation...I'm not an artist and certainly not computer tech savvy...but I REALLY want to learn! LOL

I can follow instructions, but it seems all the tutorials out there just show you what to do and leave out the why you have to do it that way??

I'll rewatch this tut again....maybe something will click. I'm waiting for the "ah ha....NOW I get it" moment.

Thanks so much for your reply and the link! I know I'm sorta all over the map here with ignorance! LOL

Laura

I might not explain it very clear either.
When you are working on a layer that has a checker board, that is a transparent layer.
If you stack several panes of clear glass in the pile, if you look down from the top, you can see right through to the bottom. If you place an opaque pane of glass somewhere in between the bottom and top, you can only see as far down as the opaque layer. If you turn that layer off with the eye beside the layer, then you can see the rest of the way down. So, this works the same with layers, starting at the bottom your first 5 layers are transparent, then stick in a plain colored layer in between, then pile more checker board layers above that, you can see down to the colored layer.
I enclosed an xcf below, if you turn off the white (opaque) layer, you will see all the way to the bottom of the stack.

Work your way through the, Essential GIMP Tutorials.
In your case the first two should help get you up to speed.

The tutorial "Learning Layers Basics-VIDEO". Is for 2.6 as are the majority of the tutorials in "Essential GIMP Tutorials", and would need to be updated for 2.8 sometime soon.
Nonetheless they're all still good tutorials for helping someone get a grasp of the basics, but with 2.8, a few of the basics may contain some slight differences.

Thanks everyone! Molly, that explanation did make sense to me! I'll get started reworking the tutorials you all have listed here and hopefully it begins to "click"! I really appreciate all of your time with responses.

Have a great weekend ya'll!

hope you get your a ha moment soon lka674, I know it is easy to get stuck without it. And by the way welcome to Gimp Chat!

Following Hearty's tutorial, i got stuck on this part:

Change your foreground colour to ff69b4, then go Layer>New Layer and change settings to those shown in image and click OK.

Change foreground colour to adff2f, then go Layer>New Layer and change settings to those shown in image and click OK.


help!!!

2cute4u: in what way did you get stuck there? did you do those two steps and get a result that looked wrong, or did you not understand how to do what he4rty does in those steps?

Hi lka674, I have tried the tutorial which you want to do to understand better what is your problem. Your doubt about turning off the layers I think the he says to close the eyes to those layers.
Anyway, I have dropped my steps just in case you need to take a look at it. Luck!

I figured it out. Thanks I wasn't grasping on how to change the foreground colors to ff69b4 ect... but finally realized i had to type it in.