How to Create a Custom Greeting Card in GIMP GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Software & Apps > Design
How to Create a Greeting Card in GIMP
By Ian Pullen Ian Pullen Writer Ian Pullen is a former Lifewire writer and an experienced graphic designer and web developer with a strong interest in free and open-source graphics software. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on March 5, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Design Graphic Design Photoshop Animation & Video 3D Design What to Know
First, go to File > New > specify card size. Next, add a guide for the fold: View > Show Rulers. Drag ruler halfway down page.Add a photo: File > Open as Layers > select photo > Open. To add text outside the card, select the Text tool and click on page.Add text inside card: Hide existing layers (eye), then select first layer in Layers palette. Select Text tool > select page > enter text. This article explains how to create a greeting card in GIMP, with a photo, logo, and text on the inside and outside of the card. Printing instructions are also included. Open a Blank Document
In order to follow this tutorial to create a greeting card in GIMP, you first need to open a new document. Go to File > New and in the dialog select from the list of templates or specify your own custom size and select OK. We've chosen to use Letter size. Add a Guide
In order to place items accurately, we need to add a guideline to represent the fold of the greeting card. If there aren't rulers visible to the left and above the page, go to View > Show Rulers. Select the top ruler and, holding the mouse button down, drag a guideline down the page and release it at the halfway point of the page. Add a Photo
The main part of your greeting card will one of your own digital photos.
Go to File > Open as Layers and select the photo you want to use before selecting Open. You can use the Scale Tool to reduce the size of the image if necessary, but remember to click the Chain button to keep the image proportions the same. Add Text to the Outside
You can add some text to the front of the greeting card if desired. Select the Text Tool from the Toolbox and click on the page to open the GIMP Text Editor. You can enter your text here and select Close when finished. With the dialog closed, you can use the Tool Options below the Toolbox to change the size, color, and font. Customize the Rear of the Card
Most commercial greeting cards have a small logo on the rear and you can do the same with your card or use the space to add your postal address. If you're going to add a logo, use the same steps as you used to add the photo and then add some text also if desired. If you're using text and a logo, position them relative to each other. You can now link them together. In the Layers palette, select the text layer to select it and click on the space beside the eye graphic to activate the link button. Then select the logo layer and activate the link button. Finally, select the Rotate Tool, click on the page to open the dialog and then drag the slider all the way to the left to rotate the linked items. Add a Sentiment to the Inside
We can add text to the inside of a card by hiding the other layers and adding a text layer. Select all the eye buttons beside the existing layers to hide them. Now click on the layer that is at the top of the Layers palette, select the Text Tool and click on the page to open the text editor. Enter your sentiment and select Close. You can now edit and position the text as desired. Print the Card
The inside and outside can be printed onto different sides of a single sheet of paper or card. First, hide the inside layer and make the outside layers visible again so this can be printed first. If the paper you are using has a side for printing photos, ensure that you're printing onto this. Then flip the page around the horizontal axis and feed the paper back into the printer and hide the outside layers and make the inside layer visible. You can now print the inside to complete the card. You may find it helps to print a test on scrap paper first. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Greeting Card Template and Instructions for Adobe Photoshop How to Create the Out of Bounds Effect in Photoshop Tutorial to Add Fake Rain to a Photo in GIMP How to Apply Rubber Stamp Effects in Photoshop Elements 8 Microsoft Publisher Tutorial for Beginners How to Create a Report in Excel How to Create a Custom Greeting Card in Inkscape How to Make a Torn Paper Edge in GIMP Make a Custom Gradient in GIMP Straighten a Crooked Photo With Paint.Net How to Make Rubber Stamp Effects in Paint.NET How to Create Editable Text in Paint.NET How to Make a Greeting Card on Your Computer Put Text on a Path or in a Shape in Adobe Photoshop CC The 8 Best Sites For Free E-cards How to Type on a Path in Illustrator Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies