GIMP

General Moho topics.

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bRiMaTiOn
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GIMP

Post by bRiMaTiOn »

It's just a random subject. Is GIMP and Anime Studio 6 a good combo? It sounds like it might be one of the best combos.
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maxie-online
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Post by maxie-online »

Hi there,
You can draw and paint inside Anime Studio.

If you want to use a graphics program for drawing/painting outside Anime Studio and importing your creations into AS, then also other software for image editing and/or drawing/painting will do, provided it can handle well transparencies.

GIMP is powerful (some people compare it to Photoshop) - and free to download. But I find the learning curve is long, until you can reasonably work with it. (Which is true for Photoshop as well, and even for other programs in this field ...) So why not see for yourself, it is free.

The advantage of GIMP over many other image programs of the medium price sector, which you might be more used to (PhotoImpact, PaintShop Pro), is that GIMP can import SVGs (scalable vector graphics) and convert into other image formats. Thus you could, for instance, also use a huge pool of free vector images from the Open Graphic Library (which are all SVG).

But I think, as said before, you can draw as well inside AS. Depends of what you want to do, of course ... I am a newbie in AS, so perhaps it was my mistake, but the other day I imported textures into an AS scene - and the file size of the movie became rather big, besides the textures (tapestry on the wall) caused a certain flickering, it was not beautiful any more. I removed the textures and found that the movie was smaller in file size now and looked "cleaner". I believe it is worthwile to paint inside AS and not to import many "posh" textures from outside.
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slowtiger
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Post by slowtiger »

Yes, it's a good combination, especially if you can't afford Photoshop. Gimp has nearly the same abilities (besides CMYK), it just is a bit clumsier to use.
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toonertime
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Post by toonertime »

another nice art graphic program
is Artweaver. It has enough features
to play with and it is FREE.
bRiMaTiOn
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Post by bRiMaTiOn »

Yeah I use GIMP a little bit. It's got that windows thing like Anime Studio 5. I like it. I have to stop playing with MS Paint. I think I've mastered it. Color replacement, magnifying glass easter egg, etc.

Like, I think Anime Studio and GIMP is unstoppable. I can't picture buying Paint Shop Pro. Also, I'm not trying to do the over $600 thing.
Dodgy
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Post by Dodgy »

Until Gimp gets better layers, the closest cheapest thing I've found is PhotoPlus.
http://www.serif.com/photoplus/

It has pretty much all the features, but fewer hotkeys. Really really good if you want a PS clone.
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rylleman
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Post by rylleman »

Yes, it's a good combo. I use the GImp almost exclusively for bitmap editing at my studio.
If you do bitmap-based cut-out with Anime Studio editing the pieces in Gimp is easy, then there's a great script that exports every layer as pngs for import into AS.

the coming version (2.8, later this year) of Gimp has layer groups and one window mode; two areas where it has been lacking. Other than that I think Gimp is up to par with Photoshop and at some areas surpassing it.

And it's open and free. Two great advantages.
Dodgy
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Post by Dodgy »

I've been waiting for proper PS layers for literally years. Is it actually going to have something like them this year?
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Post by Danimal »

Dodgy wrote:I've been waiting for proper PS layers for literally years. Is it actually going to have something like them this year?
I'm hoping it will have something useable, not anything like an Adobe product.

Ulead PhotoImpact is not free, but it as well surpasses any overpriced and laughably overrated Adobe product any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

GIMP is your best bet for free though. Any argument to the contrary is only by someone trying to justify paying hundreds and hundreds of dollars for something a completely free program can do equally as well, no matter what they say.
~Danimal
bRiMaTiOn
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Post by bRiMaTiOn »

I've got a story. It turned out it was necessary for .png's and so I had to leave the comfort of MS Paint. (By the way, it's not a rumor, you can really get some stuff done with just a blank canvas and some paint). So I started looking at Paint.net and GIMP. (Anyone have different opinions on the two? Hmm, I thought so. Ha)

Well, GIMP has actual books on it. It's like Blender level open-source so I started looking at it and looking at it. All I've really gotten done is make some icons for a PSP theme. Layers are great though. I only think in layers. So I'm excited about the info for upcoming releases.
Dodgy
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Post by Dodgy »

Ulead has been taken over by Corel though, and they seem more interested in pimping Paint Shop Pro since you can only buy upgrades for PhotoImpact, and not a new version. Gimp's layers are very basic at the mo, and have been for a long while, always promising something sexy when they get round to it. Maybe when they actually have done it I'll jump on, but I need more layer functionality than it's currently giving, so while I share your views on Photoshop being hideously overpriced for what it is (being £600 pounds in the UK whilst only $600 in the US!) the best alternative I've found is PhotoPlus for $79. Gonna give Paintshop pro a quick test, since it's been age since I've tried it though...
rogermate
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Post by rogermate »

+1 for Gimp

There is a free Gimp plug in from someone on this forum, it lets you export every layer in your Gimp file into a separate image layer of a new .anme file.

Photoshop and Gimp have big learning curves, but you can do "anything".

Artrage is easy, and there is a free version or a reasonably priced deluxe.
3.0 rumored to be coming out.

Gimp's new layers will also include a new forgetHowManyBits imaging model, as well as layer groups. They release fairly often, with odd numbered releases considered beta's for testing and feedback. And even numbers solid. Right now it is 2.6.x and 2.7.x is beta.
2.8 may have what the other poster says is missing.

There are many forums for Gimp too! Many helpful people out there!!

The world ain't so bad.
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