Can anybody tell me what I'm doing wrong?

newtogimp · **Joined:** Sep 10, 2015 **Posts:** 112

GIMP Version: 2.8.14
Operating System: Windows
GIMP Experience: New User

(I hope this is the right way to post.)

I would like to do a simple crop of a photo: crop a square photo into an oval one. Here's what I've been doing: Open image>click Ellipse Select Tool>click and drag over image the way I want it> click Crop tool>click on part of image I want to keep>Enter.

Nothing happens. Obviously I'm doing something wrong but I've tried all kinds of derivations, watched the tutorials, and all I achieve is nothing happens or I delete the part of the picture I want or I delete the whole thing. Could anybody tell me where in the instructions above I've messed up? Thank you.

Pat625 · **Joined:** May 12, 2015 **Posts:** 4693

Open your image.
Select ellipse select tool.
Adjust over desired part of photo.
Select-invert.
Edit-Clear. This way what is outside the oval is removed.
Select none.

Ask if you still have a problem.

Pat625 · **Joined:** May 12, 2015 **Posts:** 4693

Conbagui: it works with the ellipse tool. I tried it and it works.

Odinbc · **Posted:** Wed Oct 21, 2015 11:52 pm **(#4)**

An easy way
1. Drag Eclipse selection
2. Edit menu -> Copy
3. Layer menu -> New Layer (Transparency)
4. Edit menu -> Paste
5. Layer dialog -> Anchor the floating layer

newtogimp · **Joined:** Sep 10, 2015 **Posts:** 112

It worked, thank you. (I wasn't even in the ballpark.)

Wallace · **Posted:** Wed Oct 21, 2015 11:57 pm **(#6)**

Pat625 wrote:

Conbagui: it works with the ellipse tool.
I tried it and it works.

Conbagui is correct.
You can not crop an image using the ellipse select tool.
Whatever you did, could not have involved the crop tool.

newtogimp · **Joined:** Sep 10, 2015 **Posts:** 112

It's my second attempt to create a cover using Gimp (Wallace--thank you for those fire letters, I used them and posted the new cover on Amazon) and I admit I am a wee bit proud of it, my skills being what they are. :roll:

Thought I'd paste it here (if I can figure out how). [Please don't think I'm trying to self promote the book, it isn't for sale, I've entered it in MacMillan's murder mystery contest.]

Wallace · **Posted:** Thu Oct 22, 2015 12:49 pm **(#8)**

newtogimp wrote:

Wallace--thank you for those fire letters,
I used them and posted the new cover on Amazon.

You're welcome.
I'd like to see the cover you made using the fire letters.

Pat625 · **Joined:** May 12, 2015 **Posts:** 4693

Wallace: I think we are using the same word for two different things. She wanted an oval selection with all else removed. I called it "cropped" as only desired portion kept, using the ellipse tool. What is the proper word for this action? Cutout?

Attachment:

Ellipse.png [ 1.12 MiB | Viewed 5701 times ]

Pat625 · **Joined:** May 12, 2015 **Posts:** 4693

Newtogimp: I think you did a great job on the cover. What a catchy title! Good luck with the contest.

Wallace · **Posted:** Thu Oct 22, 2015 3:52 pm **(#11)**

Pat625 wrote:

Wallace: I think we are using the same word for two different things.
She wanted an oval selection with all else removed.
I called it "cropped" as only desired portion kept, using the ellipse tool.
What is the proper word for this action?
Cutout?

It's a matter of semantics really.
If one refers to, "Crop" when using image manipulation software.
This usually involves the use of a "Cropping Tool" of some sort,
which is always rectangular in shape.
To create images that have non-rectangular boarders, such as an oval and or elliptical shape.
This can't be achieved by use of the "Crop Tool", or any cropping function within Gimp,
but must be done using the "Ellipse Select Tool".
Call it what you will,
for all intents and purposes this can and is considered "Cropping".
My point was...
It would be misleading to claim that one can use Gimp's "Crop Tool",
or any other cropping function within Gimp.
To crop an image and produce non-rectangular boarders.

Pat625 · **Joined:** May 12, 2015 **Posts:** 4693

Wallace: Thank you for making that more clear! :tyspin

newtogimp · **Joined:** Sep 10, 2015 **Posts:** 112

Wallace--the reason I didn't post the cover on my own before was that I was afraid somebody would think I was trying to self-promote a book here on Gimpchat. (Some self-pubbers are wildly aggressive in promoting their books, they post anywhere and everywhere, and it has given the rest of us a bad rep.) But here it is. Once I get better at Gimp I'm going to re-do it to make your flame letters fatter. I tried doing that, but to do it I had to 'blend' the edges of each letter and no matter what I tried I could still see the seams. So in the end I used the letters as-is and just scrunched them up to fit. I really appreciate your giving them to me, when I tried to make them myself I got all the steps done except the last one --I just couldn't get the fire into the letters. But I like it, I think it does what I wanted it to, gives the message of "this novel is an oddball Thriller."
:tyspin

Wallace · **Posted:** Thu Oct 22, 2015 8:58 pm **(#14)**

Pat625 wrote:

Wallace: Thank you for making that more clear! :tyspin

No problem. :bigthup

The information we provide here is basically user based.
Therefor it's imperative the we try to provide the most accurate information available.
There are often conflicts in information, but for the most part...
this works itself out in the long run.
If one is unsure about his or her, freely provided information.
I would suggest this be noted and not over looked.
Letting people know the possibilities of preforming certain function within Gimp is our goal while we are here.
Accuracy of information is paramount, without it we are threatened with failure.

Gimp on oh Pat625 , Gimp on... :paint

newtogimp · **Joined:** Sep 10, 2015 **Posts:** 112

Thanks, Wallace. I figure I have about a snowball's chance in you-know-where in the contest, but heh, nothing ventured... ::clover

Wallace · **Posted:** Fri Oct 23, 2015 12:35 am **(#16)**

newtogimp wrote:

Thanks, Wallace. I figure I have about a snowball's chance in you-know-where in the contest, but heh, nothing ventured... ::clover

newtogimp · **Joined:** Sep 10, 2015 **Posts:** 112

Wallace--when I came onto Gimpchat just now there was a beautiful fancy Elizabethan type script spelling out Gimpchat above. Its outline was a thin shiny gold and its interior was white pearl. I can't find it now, it disappeared. Is there any place on the forum where they list those scripts, with instructions how to make them? I thought you might know. Thanks.

Wallace · **Posted:** Fri Oct 23, 2015 9:31 pm **(#18)**

newtogimp wrote:

Wallace--when I came onto Gimpchat just now there was a beautiful fancy Elizabethan type script spelling out Gimpchat above. Its outline was a thin shiny gold and its interior was white pearl. I can't find it now, it disappeared. Is there any place on the forum where they list those scripts, with instructions how to make them? I thought you might know. Thanks.

Is this it...

Attachment:

gc-br-banner2.png [ 245.21 KiB | Viewed 2909 times ]

newtogimp · **Joined:** Sep 10, 2015 **Posts:** 112

That's it! Is there someplace I can find directions how to make that?

Wallace · **Posted:** Fri Oct 23, 2015 10:14 pm **(#20)**

newtogimp wrote:

That's it! Is there someplace I can find directions how to make that?

There may be something here on GC, but I have no idea where it might be.
It doesn't look like it would be very hard to to reproduce.
What font is that, do you know?