Photoshop your own #@$! car... for free.

Greets. I've been lurking on the board for awhile, but haven't had much to share as I currently don't have a garage, thus a working project. My '56 bug isn't exactly hamb material, either.

However, I've seen quite a few folks ask others to photoshop their car. Since we're all a bunch of do it yourselfers, I assume this is because of the outrageous price of Photoshop.

Well then I have a deal for you. Go download the GIMP. For Free. Hokey name (you're used to it though), but it's an excellent open source photoshop clone. If Photoshop can do it, the Gimp can probably do it. Plenty of online documentation, but pasting on some new wheels and changing the color of your car is pretty darn simple.

Go here (Windoze): http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/stable.html

Have fun.

P.S. Another thing I've noticed is there are quite a few people who have had their throttle stick, drive a considerable distance, then run into something. Let me share my crash avoidance secret: Neutral.

 

cool

 

Hey thanks just downloaded it.Gonna try some crazy stuff now.

 

Thanks hopefully it will be a little more user friendly than CS4 too. Great post

 

I've been messing with GIMP for several years and yes, it can do pretty much everything Photoshop can do. But just like Photoshop, it takes a lot of practice and patience. And it really is free!

 

Agreed. I might have made it sound easier than I should have. It can get complex really quick. But the grab a color and fill for repainting a car is pretty simple. Then you go back in with a brush and fix what the fill didn't catch.

One thing for beginners, it's 'detached' windows can be a bit strange. The toolbar window is independent of the picture window. You'll see what I mean...

For some quick beginner fun, there are some built in logo scripts. Go to the menu (versions may differ slightly) and click Xtns -> Logos, and then choose a style. You'll be presented with a box where you can replace the text of 'GIMP' with 'H.A.M.B.' , click OK and viola, instant pretty logo. (This may be under the Script-Fu option.. I forget..)

 

I just downloaded the $2.99 version and am having some teething pains. How do I import a picture? It looks fun, but I need a little help getting started.

 

Thanks for the GIMP reference, I have been lately trying to justify even an older Photoshop version purchase, you can't beat free.

 

my old man uses it and seems to like it alot. i use photoshop and ive watched him use gimp a few times and it seems to be the same general idea.

 

LOL, $2.99 version? Did you click on an advertisement?

For the usual *.jpg, *.gif, etc, you should be able to just go to 'File -> Open', find your drive letter, click to select it and then navigate to the file.

The gimp wasn't built on Windows, but has been ported (converted) to work, so the layout of buttons to get things done is different. Be patient, and just start clicking things if you have to. You won't break anything (Just make sure you have a backup copy of your original picture!).