How to Make a Blog Background With Gimp

Blog Backgrounds - How to Make Your Own Blog Background

By Deborah Erickson


I have been using blog skins from various websites to decorate my blog, so I thought it would be fun to create my own. Here are the steps to creating your own blog background.
1. Download a photoshop type program. One that worked for me is Gimp and it is free.
2. First create a new project and set the image size at 1650x1000 pixels.
3. I also opened the layer window. If you are using Gimp you can find this window under the heading window, dockable dialogue, and layer.
4. Select a background color for your blog center and paint the whole background this color.
5. Open the other pictures or images you want to use for side bars in your blog background. Then crop the pictures to the dimensions of 450x1000 pixels
6. I then pasted my images onto my colored background. The middle section of your blog background needs to be about around 665 pixels, so you will be able to read your text on your blog.
6. The most tricky part is creating layers. Everytime you paste a new image onto your background you need to hit the layer button on the toolbar and create a new layer, so you can resize this image or move it without moving the whole page. You can view all you layers in the layers window, so it will be easy to navigate between layers if you need to.
7. Then add embellishments and borders. Be creative. For my border I cut out an image from one of my pictures and then repeated the image with copy and paste.
8. Save your blog background in gimp under file extension.xcf so you will be able to edit later if you need to.
9. After saving your photo in gimp you have to save the picture again under file extension.jpeg, so the picture will be able to be seen on your blog.
10. Next create an account at photobucket.com. This is another free service.
11. Upload your picture on to their server and click the Save & Get Links button.
12. Under the picture there are four links, Copy the info from the directlink and
paste the info in notepad or word you are going to need it in a minute.
13. Go to your blogger page click customize, Pick New Template
14. Select Minima, which is the first option.
15. Find Edit HTML. This is the trick part so make sure you follow the directions exactly.
16. Open the code and look for the information that looks exactly like this. Delete the code below.

body {
background:$bgcolor;
margin:0;
color:$textcolor;
font:x-small Georgia Serif;
font-size/* */:/**/small;
font-size: /**/small;
text-align: center;
}

17. In place of the code paste the following code. Place your direct link where it says paste your photo bucket direct link here.
body {
background:$bgcolor;
background-image: url('paste your photo bucket directlink here. ');
background-position: center;
background-repeat:no-repeat;
background-attachment: fixed;
margin:0;
color:$textcolor;
font:x-small Georgia Serif;
font-size/* */:/**/small;
font-size: /**/small;
}

18. Save and view Blog
Congratulations! You have a customized blog.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Deborah_Erickson

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Creating Logos With Gimp In 15 Easy Steps

Here is a tutorial by Beverly Houston:

15 Easy Steps to Creating an Easy Logo Using GIMP in No Time

You believe in doing things on your own, and you want to design your own easy logo. But you don't know which application or software to use.
Have you ever tried GIMP software?
Shed all your worries, I will tell you how to use the GIMP to create a brand mark...
Although you may have all the skills to create a good business icon, but every designer needs the correct and appropriate tools for designing. GIMP is a very good application which will not only provide with all the assets of art, but also enhance your creativity.
GIMP is an easy logo creator. Using this application, you can make a symbol as good as a professional in just a few minutes. Following steps will show you how to do that:
1. Open up your GIMP application.
2. Write the text of the insignia (not more than two or three words). This text would be appearing with your business icon. You can choose any font from the options available, but remember that your choice of font should go with the personality of your brand name. You can also decide which color you want your text to be.
3. Now, to transform you text into a real symbol, you need to create a path. You can draw any figure or a shape that you have in mind. It could be a curve or a square or anything. For this purpose you will have to use the paths-tool (B).
4. You will have to form closed points around your text to resemble a shape. You can move those points around till you are satisfied with the placement of the shape.
5. You can see dashed lines? These are to adjust the size and shape of your figure. You can drag those dashed lines to even out your shape.
6. Press enter.
7. After pressing enter, you will be having a selection of the path you have just drawn. On that new selection, create an empty layer. Choose a suitable background color.
8. Now open the gradient tool and look at the settings on the picture.
9. Now drag the gradient on the empty layer to fill the selection with it.
10. Adjust the color brightness and contrast according to your taste.
11. Now, you could give more depth to your business icon by adding the shadow effect.
12. In the layers-dialogue, right-click the layer with the color - Alpha to selection.
13. Give a new layer to the form layer.
14. Choose a color for this form and set the opacity.
15. You can use the Move-Tool to move your active layer, to make adjustments if any.
You're done! Your design is ready with the use of an uncomplicated brand mark maker.
All you need is a good software for creating an easy logo and voila! Here you are with the best graphic design for your corporation.

Beverly Houston works as a Senior Design Consultant at a Professional Logo Design Company. For more information on easy logo creator find her competitive rates at Logo Design Consultant.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Beverly_Houston


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