Steve with the Hat Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Here is a short guide on using the free GIMP image manipulation software to produce your own posters, station signs, timetables and other scale printed materials. You will need: 1. GIMP software - available here: http://www.gimp.org/downloads/ , use the 'Download GIMP 2.6.6' link. 2. Some source imagery of a period poster. 3. Tea, coffee, cider... Make a Poster (use same method for timetables, road signs etc) Install and fire up GIMP FILE>OPEN and browse for your image choose the SCALE tool from the box on the left (with SCALE selected you will see the lower portion of the toolbox change to display SCALE parameters. click to put a tick in the KEEP ASPECT box, to prevent your image from stretching the aspect ratio.) click on your image and the scale dialog box appears. change the units to millimeters and enter a height or width of your choice. I wanted a poster that was 4' feet high so for oo gauge I entered 16mm in the height box. with the apsect ratio locked, the program works out the width for you (or height if you specify width) RIGHT CLICK on your image and choose EDIT>COPY now, FILE>NEW and create an A4 document 297mmx210mm (for printing out), RIGHT CLICK and EDIT>PASTE your poster into the A4 document. choose the MOVE tool and postition your poster. Ideally create a whole batch of posters and signs and paste them into your A4 document. Make a Station Sign I've created a totem to use as a template (I think this is early BR/Midlands style: right click the above image and choose save image to download to your PC. FILE>OPEN the image in GIMP choose the PAINT BUCKET tool, in the tool parameters set the threshold slider to around 80. Click on the FOREGROUND COLOUR PICKER and choose a colour to apply to your totem, click in the black areas to colour your totem. choose the TEXT tool, click in the center of your totem and input the text for your station name, make sure to set the text colour and font size in the parameters area of the toolbox. choose the ALIGN tool, click, hold down and drag a box around your whole image, in the parameters area of the tool box click the align to center buttons (horizontal and vertical) next, IMAGE>FLATTEN image, then EDIT>COPY and EDIT>PASTE into your A4 print document. Adjust to the correct size using the SCALE tool and previously discussed method. Google images provides a number of results for signs, posters, road signs etc that can be rescaled and printed out using this method. Be copyright aware though, especially if your layout is for exhibition. Similar scaling can be done on brick textures and so forth as found at http://www.cgtextures.com/ I've found the best media for printing onto is a matt inkjet paper, remember to print at full size and not use page scaling in your printer's dialog box. if anyone has issues with any of the steps leave a comment and I'll do my best to clear things up. Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Angelus Posted October 14, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 14, 2009 Thanks for posting this useful tutorial Steve. The download is now 2.6.7 which I've just done and am about to install. Time to play! Good choice as an example poster. Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe Terry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackRat Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Great tip! Thanks very much! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etched Pixels Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Gimp also has a 'reverse perspective correct' which means you can turn angled posters in photographs back into flat ones without going mad.. There is a handy tutorial to that at http://www.templot.c...imp_example.htm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim Read Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 Those with Windows will find the Gimp 2.6.6 is fine with XP but it crashes with Vista, if like me you are saddled with Vista then use version 2.6.5. I see there is a version 2.6.7 out now, anyone tried it with Vista? Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Angelus Posted November 7, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 7, 2009 Hi Jim, I've got version 2.6.7 installed on Vista and it works just fine. Terry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cutchie Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 i have the 2.6.7 version to and it works fine on my Vista i recommend saving every 5 minutes because it sometimes does crash Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
59004 ( was Shedcombe....) Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 Hi, I have 2.4.6 on my Laptop, running on Vista Home Premium, without any issue whatsoever. On my PC, running XP Home Edition, I have 2.4.0, also without any issues. Worth upgrading to the latest release ? What's it offering new ? Regards, Michel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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