GIMP Layer styles / add or remove filters?

[Sendrith]

Hey there,

Definitely noob here.


I'm doing a test / map in GIMP and I'm wondering how to add or remove filters like you would a la Photoshop Layer Effects options.


From other software I've tried, Krita does the same thing -- live preview seems to lag a bit but it's there (attachment). Krita calls it "Layer Styles".




From what I've read so far, it's an apply-or-don't situation for filters in GIMP. If someone can confirm or correct me I'd appreciate it; this puts a bit of a kink in the cucumber.

[johnvanvliet]

in gimp that effect ( drop shadow) can be done manually very easily
but there is a plugin
filters / light and shadows / drop shadow
or
the better "Xack effect "

just open the layer dialog
all the layers are displayed

or

install the gmic plugin and it has a preview

[Freodin]

Yes, GIMP is "apply-or-don't". As Sendrith said, there are several "filter" effects and plugins that allow previews, and several filters that only add layers and do not change the original. But you cannot count on that... you have to know which one does and which doesn't.

So basically the best way to work with GIMP and filter effects is to save your "original" layer in some way.

In my view, this is the biggest advantage of Photoshop over GIMP... though not worth the huge price difference.

[Sendrith]

Yeah that's a bit of a pain. I was working with the assumption that I could just turn them off whenever I wanted... I applied a drop shadow to a layer and 30 minutes later wanted to see the layer without it.


Krita allows turning off FX like in Photoshop (lags a bit as noted above) so I might switch over to that, or try to work a single project over two programs... Sounds like a pain though. Time to explore Krita again.


Thanks guys

[jfrazierjr]

Yeah that's a bit of a pain. I was working with the assumption that I could just turn them off whenever I wanted... I applied a drop shadow to a layer and 30 minutes later wanted to see the layer without it.


Krita allows turning off FX like in Photoshop (lags a bit as noted above) so I might switch over to that, or try to work a single project over two programs... Sounds like a pain though. Time to explore Krita again.


Thanks guys

I have never used Krita and only used PS a time or two(and even then, that was many years ago). With that said, I use GIMP because it's free. Now.. many of the things done with Layer styles in PS can be replicated in GIMP. MOST of them can be done in a non-destructive way(meaning you can turn it on/off as needed as long as you have enough computer memory to handle the extra layers). Drop shadows can be created in GIMP without destroying the original layer, you just have to learn how to do it that way. I won't fault you for using one program vs another, but I personally, prefer to spend the extra time learning how to do the harder things in a single program vs learning the easy ways to do in multiple programs.


Let me give a simple example: say you have a very simple grassland image(ie, almost photo realistic) and want to make the impression that there is a hill in the center. Someone who has been using GIMP for a while might just use a low opacity brush with light/ dark colors to give the hill some shape. Another person might use the dodge/burn tools to get a similar result. Both of those are destructive... you can't undo either if you have saved and closed.

Thanks to others who came before(Torstan for example), I would instead create a 50% grey layer over top set to overlay and then "paint" the lights/darks onto this layer, sometimes creating 1 or more duplicates and setting them to various levels of opacity. This approach is non destructive as you can get back to the original image with a few clicks and ultimately, this is much of the design principle behind PS's layer styles. The problem is one has to think ahead about HOW to get an effect that is non destructive and it takes more work... On the flip side, this thinking outside of the box CAN help you do things the software can't do.

anyway... some thoughts if you are interested.

[Redrobes]

Not to hijack this thread but is there a similar way to do lightest, darkest layers in Gimp. I see add, sub, diff, multiply, divide, is in there. I will check out overlay tho that sounds useful to me.

[johnvanvliet]

there is a lighten and darken layer option