Figuur 16.177. Example for the “GIMPressionist” filter
Original image
Filter “GIMPressionist” applied
The GIMPressionist filter is the king of Artistic filters. It can do what Cubism and Apply Canvas do and much more. It gives your image the look of a painting. All is going as if your image was painted again on a paper and with a brush you'd have chosen. It works on the active layer or selection.
The dialog window consists of a small Preview area on the left, which is always visible, and a huge amount of GIMPressionist options organized in tabs.
All your setting changes will appear in the Preview without affecting the image until you click on . The button refreshes the preview window (it is not automatic, GIMPressionist has so much work to do!), and the button reverts to the original image.
GIMPressionist has a lot of parameters. When combined, they give an astronomical number of possibilities. So, it is important, when an interesting preset has been found, to save it and also to send it to the plugin author if exceptional. Per contra, the intricacy of all these parameters makes difficult understanding and foreseeing how each one works.
Presets options
Save current parameters. You can give a name in the input box on the left and a short description in the dialog that appear.
Load the parameters of the selected preset in the list.
Delete the selected preset. You can delete only the presets you have created.
Update the preset list.
This tab concerns the texture of the canvas your image will be painted on. You have a list of textures and a Preview for the selected texture. A description is displayed on the right for every texture when selected.
Paper options
Inverts the paper texture: what was a hollow turns to a bump and vice-versa.
Apply the paper as it, without embossing it. It looks like if a transparent paper has been overlayed on the image.
Specifies the scale of the texture (in % of the original file): controls the graininess of the texture.
Specifies the amount of embossing to apply (3-150).
“Brush” is a general term for any material used to paint. A list of brushes is available with a Preview for the selected one.
Brush options
Changes the gamma (luminosity) of the selected brush. The gamma correction brightens or darkens midtones.
You can also use a brush pattern you have created by selecting its image (arrow button on the Select line). This image must be on your screen before you launch the filter to be taken in account. Of course, don't use big images.
If your image has several layers, they also will be displayed in the Select list and can be used as a brush. When selected, the layer appears in the brush preview and the normal brush is deselected.
The button allows you to save the selected brush.
Specifies the brush proportions, height (0 -1) and width (0 +1).
Specifies the amount of paint used for each stroke. This may evoke painting with a palette knife.
This tab allows to set the orientation of the brush strokes. A painter is not obliged to go over with the same paintbrush angle. To perform some effects, he can vary their orientation.
Orientation options
With this option, you can set how many times the brush will pass through a same place, with each time a different