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How do I make(more than one) straight line? - Printable Version

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+--- Thread: How do I make(more than one) straight line? (/Thread-How-do-I-make-more-than-one-straight-line)



How do I make(more than one) straight line? - Zio - 07-23-2023

Hello all,
Just starting out with GIMP, and have run into a problem.  I watched a tutorial video about how to make straight lines using the SHIFT key, but then when I try to make another line, that second line turns out thinner and in a faded green/blue color.  What am I doing wrong?  Huh


RE: How do I make(more than one) straight line? - PixLab - 07-23-2023

(07-23-2023, 03:17 AM)Zio Wrote: Hello all,
Just starting out with GIMP, and have run into a problem.  I watched a tutorial video about how to make straight lines using the SHIFT key, but then when I try to make another line, that second line turns out thinner and in a faded green/blue color.  What am I doing wrong?  Huh

Without seeing what you are speaking about, just guessing...

Because you changed options before doing the second line... like on the ForeGround color >  FG-BG-Swashes  and or the brush type/size in the tool options

[attachment=10113]

Please post a full screen screenshot with tool options brush, layer's dialog while getting that "error" and the link to that video "tuto" Wink


RE: How do I make(more than one) straight line? - Ofnuts - 07-23-2023

(07-23-2023, 03:17 AM)Zio Wrote: Hello all,
Just starting out with GIMP, and have run into a problem.  I watched a tutorial video about how to make straight lines using the SHIFT key, but then when I try to make another line, that second line turns out thinner and in a faded green/blue color.  What am I doing wrong?  Huh

Make sure the Dynamics (under Hardness/Force) are set to Dynamics off.


RE: How do I make(more than one) straight line? - Zio - 07-23-2023

Dynamics is off.  I did some test lines and it seems to only do the faded line when I try to make a horizontal line, sor some reason.  You can see that the lines that are inclined are the proper color and size.  I didn't think it would be so hard to make some straight lines. Undecided


RE: How do I make(more than one) straight line? - Ofnuts - 07-24-2023

Your problem is that you have a very "anisotropic" brush. Dynamics are off so it won't rotate to follow your stroke(*). At the size you specify, when you stroke vertically the line is 20px wide but if you stroke horizontally, the line is as thick as the brush is thick: one pixel. And since you are zoomed out 4x, this is scaled to 1/4th of a pixel, so that 's a gray which is only 1/4th of the darkness of black.

Unless you know better, us the round brushes (2. hardness 100 in particular.)

(*) and given that particular brush, when it does (with Track direction for instance) you get the thin edge...


RE: How do I make(more than one) straight line? - Zio - 07-24-2023

(07-24-2023, 12:11 AM)Ofnuts Wrote: Your problem is that you have a very "anisotropic" brush. Dynamics are off so it won't rotate to follow your stroke(*). At the size you specify, when you stroke vertically the line is 20px wide but if you stroke horizontally, the line is as thick as the brush is thick: one pixel. And since you are zoomed out 4x, this is scaled to 1/4th of a pixel, so that 's a gray which is only 1/4th of the darkness of black.

Unless you know better, us the round brushes (2. hardness 100 in particular.)

(*) and given that particular brush, when it does (with Track direction for instance) you get the thin edge...

I obviously don't know better.  I just picked the first brush that came up, and changed the thickness a bit.  I wasn't aware that the brush would act as a "real" brush.  Not exactly what I am looking for.

I was intending to use GIMP in creating another children's book(I used the Firealpaca program for the first one).  I think I might be better off using the pencil tool for my lines here, though.  I started with the brush because I read that the pencil in GIMP was not as smooth looking like the brush.

Thanks for your help!


Update: Well, I tried with the pencil but that does the same thing. Isn't there just a tool here that will let you draw lines, without having to configure the tool whenever you make a new line in a different direction?


RE: How do I make(more than one) straight line? - PixLab - 07-24-2023

Use a round brush, it will do straight lines without the problem to care of the rotation, click on that brush button inside the Tool Options then select the round one Wink
Then use the Shift + Click to make straight lines

[attachment=10115]


RE: How do I make(more than one) straight line? - Ofnuts - 07-24-2023

(07-24-2023, 01:35 AM)Zio Wrote:
(07-24-2023, 12:11 AM)Ofnuts Wrote: Your problem is that you have a very "anisotropic" brush. Dynamics are off so it won't rotate to follow your stroke(*). At the size you specify, when you stroke vertically the line is 20px wide but if you stroke horizontally, the line is as thick as the brush is thick: one pixel. And since you are zoomed out 4x, this is scaled to 1/4th of a pixel, so that 's a gray which is only 1/4th of the darkness of black.

Unless you know better, us the round brushes (2. hardness 100 in particular.)

(*) and given that particular brush, when it does (with Track direction for instance) you get the thin edge...

I obviously don't know better.  I just picked the first brush that came up, and changed the thickness a bit.  I wasn't aware that the brush would act as a "real" brush.  Not exactly what I am looking for.

I was intending to use GIMP in creating another children's book(I used the Firealpaca program for the first one).  I think I might be better off using the pencil tool for my lines here, though.  I started with the brush because I read that the pencil in GIMP was not as smooth looking like the brush.

Thanks for your help!


Update:  Well, I tried with the pencil but that does the same thing.  Isn't there just a tool here that will let you draw lines, without having to configure the tool whenever you make a new line in a different direction?

As stated in my answer, use the round brush. The default brush (2. Hardness 050) is round. If it is too soft for you, you can either increase the hardness (one of the sliders in the Tool option) or replace it by its 2. Hardness 100 sibling.

Yo can make that your default brush when you start Gimp, if necessary.