copy/paste??

spec50 · **Joined:** Sep 27, 2012 **Posts:** 4

GIMP Version: 2.8
Operating System: Windows
OS Version: XP - SP3
GIMP Experience: Beginner Level

Hi,
I'M a newcomer to this type of programe but want to learn slowly as I go.
At the moment I would like to copy the title wording,about 5 lines, off the cover pic of a book to transfer onto another photo I am makeing up.I would also like to change the word color from black to white.
I can do this about 8 times and that's all at present.(one thing at a time).
Thanks for any help.

akky · **Joined:** Apr 09, 2011 **Posts:** 1764

Hi spec50 and welcome to GIMP chat. I'd recommend that you look at a few tutorials to start with and then maybe you might be able to learn how to do that...but having said that, there are alot of people here who would be able to steer you in the right direction...Try youtube GIMP tricks for a starter.

Draconian · **Posted:** Fri Sep 28, 2012 7:09 am **(#3)**

Welcome to Gimp Chat spec50!

Changing the color of anything can be achieved easily by going to Colors>Desaturate and chosing one of the three options. It is interactive so you can see the results as you select each option. Pick the result you like the best and click OK.

As far as copying the text, is this a real book or an image of a book? You said 5 lines - is this 50 words or 10 words?

spec50 · **Joined:** Sep 27, 2012 **Posts:** 4

Thankyou for your advice.I have a photo of a book cover and want to put the wording of other book titles on to it.I have photos of the other covers to take/copy the titles off.
This may seem strange but I am trying to create a feature with the main book's picture larger than the copied or? wording from the others.
There could be between 3 and 7 words off various other pictures to transfer.
I hope this is of some help and I apreciate your assistance.

spec50 · **Joined:** Sep 27, 2012 **Posts:** 4

akky wrote:

Hi spec50 and welcome to GIMP chat. I'd recommend that you look at a few tutorials to start with and then maybe you might be able to learn how to do that...but having said that, there are alot of people here who would be able to steer you in the right direction...Try youtube GIMP tricks for a starter.

Thankyou AKKY I will follow up.

ofnuts · **Joined:** Oct 25, 2010 **Posts:** 4812

To transfer text your best bet is really to find the right font and rebuild the text from scratch using that font. Our eyes are very sensitive to text borders, and so will notice any loss of sharpness caused by the rescaling, as well as any remnants of the source background if the cutout isn't perfect (unless the backgrounds are the very same color, but this is very rare). This also makes it a lot simpler to change its color.

If you don't find an acceptable font, regenerating the characters using the Paths editor isn't as hard as it looks.

Odinbc · **Posted:** Fri Sep 28, 2012 6:35 pm **(#7)**

Why not have your main book as a background layer with no text. For each text block add a new layer. Show and hide text layers as needed. Copy visible layers to save as new file.

Erisian · **Posted:** Fri Sep 28, 2012 6:46 pm **(#8)**

Welcome to GC. Using the fuzzy select tool will help you copy text. In tool options click on the add to icon (the second one) then select each letter until the whole word is selected then edit>copy followed by Edit>paste as new layer. Delete the background layer then save as a .png. Open your book cover then open as layers your png. Use colours>colourize to recolour the text.

spec50 · **Joined:** Sep 27, 2012 **Posts:** 4

Thankyou everyone.My daughter,who is much wiser than I,reckons I should have simply asked "how to remove writing,without the background, from a photo" and to save that writing somewhere for useing later.
So I am doing as she suggests,if it makes any difference.
PS I'm still following all your advice.
Cheers