Gimp questions

[daveo]

Hi
along my learning curve I've some questions about gimp if anyone can help.
1. instead of having to keep stating over when i mess up with a pattern I adopted using layers, thats no problem but as and when I have a unfinished project I of course save it till I can get back.
The problem is, it does not matter how I save the file when I go back to it I only have the layer that I was last working in, any ideas please.
2. I usually resize the pattern to suit a 10 x 8 canvas, and know that the image is 10 x 8 but when I go to print and the dialouge box comes up, I can set my printer prefs to what ever I want but it does not print 10 x 8, if I use the "image settings " tab in the print box it shows that the image is smaller and  if I try and reset those settings to 10 x 8 it auto reverts back itself. I have got round this by opening the image in say powerpoint and then it will print to the correct size?

3. I dont know about you guys but I am finding it hard, managing, but hard to follows the pattern, I keep losing the blade in the black areas ( its the eyes you know) so is it at all possible to convert the colour of the finished pattern to say red, or am I asking a little to much, any help appreciated
regards
Dave

[jscott2]

I'm just a beginner in Gimp but here goes.  (I may be way off in my suggestions but if so, I hope someone who knows more about Gimp will correct me.)

Question 1)  Are you saving the file as a JPEG, PNG, TIFF, or in the native Gimp format?  Most formats will not save layers but the native Gimp format (.xcf, I think) will save the separate layers.  When you are finished with your pattern, you can delete any layers you don't need.

Question 3)  You can used the paint bucket to fill areas with red, or any colour you want.

Hope this helps,
Jim

[daveo]

Jim
thanks for that as for Q1 I will try that and I'm sure you are right
As for Q3 I cant seem to find the colours it seems to be backgrounds ?
any takers on Q2
Dave

[EIEIO]

Do you use Inkscape to vectorize your pattern?" If so, after you save from Gimp, open in Inkscape, use Path->Trace Bitmap, get your best svg image (in Black), select that image, then at the bottom of the page select a different color. In the attached, I opened the svg for Piano Player in Inkscape then clicked on the red color at the bottom. This changes the color of the trace, which is the whole image at this point. Save as SVG and reload the SVG into GIMP to continue island removal and bridge building.

[daveo]

EI
thanks for that int it funny how its the simple things that just pass you  by.
Dave