Ok. So, when I'm teaching you things, just let me know if I mention a tool that you don't know about, and I'll explain. (:
And, if anything is confusing, don't hesitate to let me know!
NOTE: I use a Windows 7 computer and GIMP version 2.8.
Preparation for Banner Making1: ColorWhen using colors, it's always best to sort of pick and choose beforehand what colors you want to use for your banner. Color can definitely be the deciding factor between a good banner and a terrible banner. So, when choosing colors, I have some basic ideas.
First off, choose colors that work well together. It's best to use a blank page in GIMP and find some colors that you like, then using a brush to paint each color onto the canvas side-by-side. This will allow you to judge whether or not the colors clash. It's also a good idea to think of what you're making the banner for. A clan? A den? For a roleplay? You want to get the basic idea of what the banner will be used for... then base your color choices off of this.
For example: if your banner is being used for a clan where the cats are mysterious, it wouldn't be good to use a banner with bright colors such as red and yellow. Instead, it would be best to use duller colors, like blue, dark grey, purple, etc.
Remember: you're going to be needing these colors to turn into a gradient. Keep this in mind. I also recommend writing down the hex codes for your colors, or saving the document in which you painted the colors onto.
2: Background ImageAlright, so now you've got colors. Your next step is for an image. Now, this is quite important, because you can get into trouble if you use a copyrighted image
without permission. So, you're going to need to find either an image that was drawn/taken by you personally, an image that someone has given you direct permission to edit/use, or a stock photo.
I, myself, usually go the route of stock images. These provide so many different options, and are free to use. To find websites that host stock images, just search for "stock images" in a search engine. Don't use the "Images" tab... instead, look for the websites that show up. My two websites that I tend to use for stock photos are Stockphotos.io and Pexels.com. However, you can easily find many more websites that have stock images. Make sure to check the licensing for the website to see if they have something like Creative Commons Zero (CC0), in which the photos can be used personally + commercially with no permission required.
Quick little note: Warriors official art can be used, according to Tommorrow's Hero, as long as it is heavily edited and not just the original pic with text. I'll post the thread where he states this soon.
If you use your own images, make sure to note this, whether it's in a credit section of your thread, or to a customer who is ordering the banner, so they can give credit.
3: Image CutoutThis is probably my most favorite part. Your next step after getting an image is to find a cutout for your image. Basically, what shape do you want your image to be cut into? Like I mentioned with colors, find an image that will reflect where it's being used. An example is a recent order I finished for a customer: they had a clan known as OceanClan and wanted a banner, so I used a seashell for the cutout image. Just try to find an image that really can help compliment the thread and banner.
Another thing: make sure you find images that are transparent (see through). You want to look for file types that are saved as .png, and have a checkered background when you use them. This will be very important when I show you how to cutout your image for editing.
4: FontsThis part is optional if you don't want any text for your banner. But, it'still useful in case you decide to create headers.
I like to use the websites dafont.com and 1001fonts.com for downloading fonts. They both offer a wide variety of fonts... for free! All the fonts on there are usuable for personal use (which is what we're doing). All you need to do is download them, then add them to your GIMP program.
To add fonts (Windows:
1. Download the font you're using, the extract it from the zipped file. (Right Click Folder-->Extract all...)
2. Open up your GIMP folder. {Windows Start Button-->Computer-->Local Disk-->Users-->[Your name on the computer]-->.gimp-2.8-->fonts.
3. Drag and drop your font file into that folder.
4. Reload GIMP and select the Text tool.
5. Type in the name of your font in the search bar and press "enter".
Now your font should be ready to use. (: To make sure your font is usuable, check
this website to see if GIMP supports the file format.
5: MiscellaneousNow, this part is sort of a... buffet, I guess you could call it. You can gather anything you want to use now for your banner. This could be other pics you want to add (make sure to follow the guidelines under "Images"!), images you might want to overlay on top of the original (that is, merge it into the original image), or anything else you can think of.
Seriously, this part is all up to you. You can figure out anything you want to. If you have everything you need, then it's time to move on to making the banner.
Alrighty. Well, does this make sense to you? If it does, I'll begin working on the next steps. If not, I'll explain whatever confuses you. (:
Seriously, though, I may end up turning this into a full-on guide for graphic making in GIMP 2.8.