Create an Outline Usign Brush strokes

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In this tutorial will learn how to create your own custom Brushes and how to apply around and object.
You should have a basic idea on how to use Gimp but ill try to make it easy and simple even for first timers.

Step 1

Open up a new Image 300x150.

Step 2

Choose the Text-tool and apply text,i typed in the word "Effect" pick a font as well I went with.

Step 3

On the Layer dialog Tick the Keep Transparency box. make sure you have the text layer selected.(CTRL+L)to show up the Layer dialog.

Step 4

Now will add color to the text using the 'Fill with Gradient tool' and Selecting the FG to BG (RGB)Gradient,press (CTRL+H) to display the Gradient Dialog-window.

Step 5

Change the FG color to ff0000 and BG to ffffff now apply color by dragging the the fill tool from bottom to top.

it should look like this now

Step 6

In the Layers Dialog-window. click on the text layer with the right mouse button and choose 'Alpha to Selection', this will select the text.

Step 7

Create a new layer,When prompted type in 'Outline' for the name the layer

Step 8

Open the Brushes-dialog window by going to Dialogs>Brushes.

Now will create our Own brush to get the outline we want which is a 2px outline around the text.

Step 9

In the Brushes Dialog click on the small Create new Brush icon thats at the bottom of the window.

here are the Brush settings we want

• Enter the name 'rounded 2px' for the brush name
• Select the circle shape
• Radius 2.0
• Spike 2
• Hardness 1.00
• aspect ratio 1.0
• Angel 0.0
• spacing 1.0

Now save the Brush settings.

Step 10

We want a Black outline so Reset your foreground-color to black by clicking the mini black and white overlapping squares in the color selector.

Step 11

make sure you have your new brush selected then go to Edit>Stroke selection and pick 'Stroke with a paint tool'

Your done!

This is not the best way to create an outline for text because of its rough edges, a better method can be found in this tutorial http://gimp-tutorials.net/node/91

If you need any help just leave a message here and ill try my best to help out :)