Petes Tutes

Creating Comic Art Dolphin Tutorial Paths 1 Paths 2

1 Paths Exercises in Gimp

Paths are an incredibly easy, but look hard tool to use in art software. In this tutorial I will create a bottom layer and draw a square, a circle and a scribble line. Then add a top layer to practice our curves on. Press CtrlA to select the page and when you make a mistake press delete and start again. Remember to only do this while the top layer is selected or you may delete the bottom layer.

Let’s get started. Creating the 2 Layers and naming them and placing shapes on for practice.

Step 1 : Create a new page. I made it a relatively small file, just for the exercise, but you can make it any size you like.

Step 2 : I Change the Layers name to Path practice

Step 3 : Now I create another layer as the image below.

Step 4 : Make sure this layer is transparent, I named mine, Patterns. This layer will be the one that we draw a circle and square and lines on.

Step 5 : As you can see in the image below I have dragged the Patterns Layer to the bottom in the Layers dialog. Make sure the Patterns Layer is selected and draw a circle on the page, holding down the Ctrl key while dragging out the circle.

Step 6 : Go to Edit menu>Stroke Selection to bring up the Choose Stroke Style dialog box. Just copy the settings below and if the line is too thin just undo and increase the line width.

Step 7 : I used the step above to stroke a square and drew a line with the brush tool, wiggly for practicing using handles on the paths tool. This is the bottom Layer, you will not be drawing on this layer again. Now we switch to Path practice Layer, This is where we do our practice. Create a new folder named Gimp Exercises where you normally place your at folders. Save this as path_exercises.xcf in Gimp Exercises folder

2 Paths Exercises in Gimp

Drawing a Square

Step 1 : Open the file exercises.xcf and immediately Goto File> Save a Copy in Gimp Exercises folder using_paths.xcf We do this so we do not over-ride our original file.

Step 2 :On the Path practice layer with the pats tool selectedclick on the first corner of the square

Step 3 : Now continue by clicking the next three corners. Then Goto Edit> Stroke Path

Step 4 : The Choose Stroke Style dialog box appears, it may pay to change the color of the stroke so that it will be different from the bottom layer. You will be able to see how far off your lines are.

Drawing a Circle

Step 1 :This tutorial is a work in progress, just redoing images and writing. Please be patient, thank-you.

Peter Grayson copyright 2019 All rights reserved

Step 2 : Loading clearer images, The handles are not clear enough , so am redoing them.

Surfing Dolphin in Gimp

Today’s tutorial, is one that I did many years ago, but due to software changes, revision was needed. The image of the dolphin will be the one below. I will be using Gimp 2.10.10. This tutorial is more suited for those that know Gimp a little. I am pasting side tutorials for sections that may be hard for beginners.

This tutorial has been created small but the techniques can be used to create images any size that is needed.

The final image. This is what we are aiming for.

Step 1 : Open Gimp
Step 2 : Scan or open image (will be supplying image for practice) Right click this link to obtain the pencil scan of the dolphin

For those , who have trouble with the paths tool, I will be doing a tutorial on how to use it.

Step 3 : Deep Etch using Path Tool. I will be placing a short video soon for the Path tool

Once you have completed drawing the paths around the dolphin, place the last node over the first, then hit Enter. Press ctl X , then ctl V Then in Layer Menu, select “To New Layer” with transparent background. click OK. Delete the back ground layer, you should now have an image with no background.

Step 4 : Create New Layers Waves, Waves Shadow, Sky, remember to name your layer with the dolphin, Dolphin. When you name all your layers, you will find it easier to find a specific layer.
Step 5 :go to menu Colors>Colorize select a color, I chose a bluey gray.

Step 6 :In the step below I selected Wave Shadow layer in the layers dialog. I used the airbrush tool with a large setting on 2.Hardness 025 brush.

Step 7 :Below I have used a Smoke brush to create the texture as the base of the white waves.

Step 8 : I softened the brush to create a more blended feel and over spray on the waves.

Step 9 : On the Sky layer I set a gradient of blue on the back ground and white on the foreground color, then moved this layer to the bottom layer.

Step 10 : I made the dolphin visible and moved the layer to the top. I sprayed white over the tail fin of the dolphin but I would recommend creating a layer on top to place the spray of wave over the tail fin.

Step 11 : Under Colors menu you will find Hue, Saturation, this will alter the colors on the selected layer, I used this to change the sky and the darkness in the water.