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It is very possible to create complete illustrations from scratch using GIMP.
Gimp is a free and opensource graphic and image editing tools that is extremely powerful and feature rich.
GIMP's capability as an illustrating tool rivals that of Photoshop and corel photopaint. The tutorial written below illustrate a very simple process of producing a cartoony illustration using GIMP.
This is just one of countless ways of creating illustration using GIMP, though.
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Step
1
Firstly we need to churn out
the outline or base wireframe of the illustration.
The source of this outline artwork can be from the following:
1.a graphic tablet.
2.Scanned image
If you are really talented you can also draw using a mouse. LOL
Eventually, we
should be getting something similar to the picture on the right
(>>>>).
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Step 2
Next, using
the magic wand , select the
enclosed area
within the illustration.
There must be no gaps that breaks the outline of the artwork. In another word, the
boundaries must be fully closed, or else the magic wand selection will 'leak out'.
Eventually, we
should see something similar to the picture on the right
(>>>>).
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Image
after wand selection |
Step
3
Now, with
the fill/bucket tool ,
fill the selected area
within the illustration.
Eventually, we
should see something similar to the picture on the right
(>>>>).
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Image
after filling with colour.
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| Step 4 Next, with
the airbrush tool , paint
white coloured
highlights on the illustration.
Eventually, we
should see something similar to the picture on the right
(>>>>).
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Image
after adding white hightlights
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Step 5
Next, with
the smudge tool , smudge
parts of the
illustration to spread the highlights around.
Eventually, we
should see something similar to the picture on the right
(>>>>). |

Image
after smudging.
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Step
6 Using
the brush editor, resize and transform the brush according facilitate
ease of smudging. 
Where
appropriate, smudging can be used to create new details on the
illustration. For example, the suction pads of the octopus(on the
right) were create simply by smudging.
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Image
after adding details using smudging. |
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The
Completed Image
This is the final image which was retouched slightly.
Well that the end of the tutorial. Hope that you have enjoyed it.
Click
here to view an illustration drawn that is based on this technique |
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