Grr … Master your GIMP Tutorial 3 - More Clipping - AGAIN!

Yeah, so I like totes deleted a whole set of posts just after I had published them  Duhhhh.  Sorry to confuse you or your Reader … Maybe I should do a Master your Blogger post next … ahem …




So Anyway … today in Tutorial 3 – More Clipping with Select by Colour & Fill tools we will shift the focus onto the Menu tools to use some nifty shortcuts that produce the same effects as in Tutorial 1 and Tutorial 2 … As always there are a variety of ways to do things and these little tools are great for building skill.


This tutorial introduces the Select By Colo(u)r tool - which is really really useful and can be used to remove backgrounds from images with the minimum of fuss (to be covered another day).  


I used one of my photos of Monica @TheHappyZombie’s fab Winterkist line ...




... Then I attacked it good and proper with some filters and stuff:





Please be aware that if you use pictures of someone’s pretty fabric to clip pretty letters to use to publicise your blog or shop you are most likely going against copyright because you are modifying someone else’s original design. 


If you use a picture of something pretty you made using pretty fabrics to clip pretty letters (like the ampersand on my header) you will probably be ok.  Just sayin.

Anyway, here’s the link to Tutorial 3 - More Clipping 


… and here it is embedded …





… and here’s the link to all the tutes together.  Peace Out.

Master Your GIMP Tutorial 2 - Image to Silhouette -

Edited to Add - Unfortunately I deleted yesterday's Tute 2 post
(yeah, get me, so geeky I can’t even manage my blog posts!)


… so I’m just re-embedding it here – and here’s the link to download Master your GIMP Tutorial 2: Background to Silhouette where we cut some text from a background.

Click here for link to all the tutes together.

Master Your Gimp - Tutorial 1 - Text from Photos

Today’s click by click GIMP tutorial introduces the basics and shows you an easy peasy quick way to cut a small amount of text out of a background image.  You can download the pdf here or read it embedded in the blog.  


The idea behind these tutes is that they will help build your skills to arm you with confidence and everything you need to create a new blog banner!

If you want to cut large amounts of text you need to do something slightly different with the layers, so you’ll need tomorrow’s silhouette tutorial.  Enjoy!

Rain Starts Play!

I’m on holiday for the next four weeks – Yay!  The joy of being a bit of a nerd is that I don’t really care if it thunders and pours … I have plenty of stuff I can do if it’s raining!
So, I decided to start with my poor neglected blog.

I redesigned the header using my lovely squishy shotton dotton cotton quilt for the ampersand.
 
I haven’t really squealed enough here about using the Oakshotts – so stay tuned for a post about shot cottons and synaesthesia!   

I’ve put in a left sidebar for connecty stuff and added some in-progress pages that have languished in draft for too long.  These pages are now above the header, which I think looks better.

• new Tutorials page
• links to my fave fabric shops (mostly UK and etsy)
• link to my Tumblr “Pingterest” <—geddit? page, where I’m posting my Instagram pics.  I find it handy to be able to access them from my laptop.

• To make a change from stitchery I thought it would be fun to share my nerd love, so I’m starting a Master Your GIMP *snigger* tutorial series from tomorrow. D'ya like the slutty leopard skin frame?  LOL

If you don’t know GIMP (it stands for Gnu Image Manipulation Program) it’s an open source graphics program (free to download and use) like Photoshop.


These tutorials have click-by-click screenshot instructions, so are suitable for absolute beginners as well as more frequent users of graphics programs.  


Like sewing HSTs or poaching eggs, there are myriad ways to do these things, so I’m just sharing the methods that work most consistently for me.


These tutes are meant to help build your basic skills and confidence by getting you used to working with layers and tools.  Hey, sounds like quilting! LOL ... In a week you'll have the skills and know how to create a new blog header!

	Tutorial 1: Text from Background Image
	Tutorial 2: Background to Silhouette - How to cut clip Art and longer text from photos.
	Tutorial 3: More Clipping

I'll also cover a bit on removing backgrounds from images.

Is there anything that you would like to see a nerdy tutorial for?  

Leave a comment below and I’ll see what I can do. What do you think of the new blog look?

Creating Galleries in Flickr - A Nerdy Tutorial -

I’ve created a Brit Quilt Swap Inspiration Gallery for my partner-to-be on the upcoming Brit Quilt Swap on Flickr.

click the pic to visit my gallery

I’m nerd Mama on the swap, so I thought I’d do my bit and post a picture tutorial on how to set up a Gallery on Flickr.

A Gallery is basically the same as a Set, but with other people’s pictures. The thing I like about Galleries is that they take the mosaic one step further.

On swaps sometimes, it’s very easy for us stalkers partners to feel intimidated by the beautiful things in our partners’ mosaics. In a Gallery you have the chance to say something about what makes those pictures inspirational for you, and this can really help your partner.

They’re such fun to do, and easy peasy too.  Let’s go!

1.  I started off with my mosaic links, but you can add any picture you see on flickr that is enabled by the user. Basically if it works in your mosaic you’ll most likely be able to put it in a gallery.

2.  Using the drop down menu under ‘Actions’, select ‘Add to a gallery’

3. You can add to existing galleries, or create a new one:

4.  Give it a name and a brief description …

5. Click ‘Done’

6.  Once you’ve created the gallery, whenever you want to add to it, you’ll see it in the menu on ‘Actions’ --> ‘Add to Gallery

7.  You can then find your galleries on the drop down menu under ‘You’ at the top of the flickr page.

8. When you click on ‘Galleries’ you will see them all there. Voila!

9. Once you click into your gallery you can do stuff on the right hand side, like reordering and changing the thumbnail, and on the left you can start adding comments to each of the pictures. to give a little more information on why you've chosen them

So, what’s stopping you? 

Whether you’re doing a swap or not, go have some fun, create a gallery and share the love!

And, if you're a Brit Quilter and you want to get involved in Lynne's Brit Quilt Swap on Flickr get on over there and join!  Sign ups start any time now.