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GIMP for Beginners. Make Your Own Professional Book Covers.

4.7 Filled star Filled star Filled star Filled star Half star
Based on 50 ratings
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Timo Hofstee

UPDATED VERSION : This course has been adapted in 2022 with GIMP V2.10

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UPDATED VERSION : This course has been adapted in 2022 with GIMP V2.10

In this course you will learn all the features of GIMP that you will need to create professional book covers. Not more and not less. This course is specifically targeted to indie authors that want to create their own professional covers with free software. This can be for KDP ebook covers or for paperback covers. However, the first 4 hours of video cover all principal features of GIMP that could be beneficial to anyone that has no knowledge whatsoever of image editing software and that wants to make other images than book covers. For example image compositions, logos, Facebook ads etc. Produced by Timo Hofstee, author of the bestseller "The Complete Cover Creation Guide".

Why you should take this course :

  • This course covers all you need to create professional covers in easy to understand terminology and without the fluff.

  • The producer uses what he teaches.

  • All manipulations are shown in a detailed step-by-step approach.

  • In the last 2 sections, you will learn how to create a complete cover from beginning to end.

  • In total you get almost 7 hours of video.

  • Satisfaction guaranteed. 30 day money back offer.

  • You will get a free copy of my book "How to make book covers that sell".

  • GIMP is the best clone of Photoshop and it's FREE.

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Create your own professional book covers.
  • Create image compositions, logos, fb ads etc.
  • How to create a cover for a kdp ebook
  • How to create a cover for a kdp paperback book

Syllabus

About the instructor, course objectives, target audience, what you will learn (and what not), and why you should take this course
Introduction
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  • How to download and install GIMP
  • How to download and install the help files.
  • How to start GIMP
  • How to access the help files.

This lecture explains the differences between GIMP V2.8 and V2.10

  • Switch from single to multi windows mode
  • Opening images as a new layer or as a new image in its own TAB
  • Open additional dialog boxes and dock them in a specific location
  • Opening and closing native XCF files
  • Opening Photoshop PSD files
  • Saving files
  • Exporting files to jpg, png and other formats
  • Opening images as a new layer or as a new image in its own tab
  • Setting the foreground and background colors
  • Flipping the foreground and background color
  • Resetting the foreground and background color to the default black and white
  • The most useful shortcuts

This quiz will test your knowledge on the basic operations that we just learned

  • The rectangle select tool
  • The autoshrink feature
  • Making perfect squares
  • Moving selections
  • The ellipse select tool
  • Explanation of the walking ants
  • Making a prefect circle selection

The sample files can be downloaded from http://www.onlinemoneyexplained.com/download/GIMP_tutorial.zip or by clicking on the resources TAB from this lecture and download it from there.

  • Inverting a selection
  • Adding a new selection to the current selection
  • Subtracting a new selection from the current selection
  • Making an intersection of a new selection and the current selection
  • The color select tool
  • Explanation of non-contiguous selections
  • The lasso (or freehand) tool.
  • Explanation of how colors are stored
  • How to use the threshold setting
  • How to increase the threshold setting by dragging the cursor
  • Explanation of the magic wand (or fuzzy select) tool.
  • Difference between the color select and the magic wand
  • The scissors select tool
  • The foreground select tool
  • Examples of both tool selections

This quiz tests your knowledge and comprehension of the selection tools that were covered in this section

  • Explanation of the paint bucket tool
  • How to fill selections
  • Fill selections with a pattern
  • Explanation of the gradient tool
  • Creating linear gradients
  • Creating radial gradients
  • Creating conical gradients
  • Explanation of the pencil tool
  • Explanation of the paintbrush tool
  • Explanation of the airbrush tool
  • Similarities and differences between the three paint tool
  • Explanation of the eraser tool

Questions on the paint tools

  • Explanation of the clone tool
  • Explanation of the heal tool
  • Explanation of the difference between the clone and the heal tool
  • Example of using the clone and heal tool
  • Explanation of the blur/sharpen tool
  • Explanation of the smudge tool
  • Explanation of the dodge/burn tool
  • Example usage of these three tools

This quiz will test your knowledge on the image improvement tools

  • rescaling and image
  • cropping an image
  • difference between cropping the image and cropping a layer
  • proportional and non-proportional resizing
  • Using the color picker tool

This quiz will test your knowledge on the cropping and resizing tools

  • Explanation of the text tool
  • Modifying fonts, font size, font spacing, line spacing
  • Explanation of text that gets changed into a bitmap

This quiz will test your knowledge on the text tool

  • Stroking a selection
  • Creating a path from a selection
  • Stroking a path
  • The flip tool
  • The rotate tool
  • The measure tool
  • The move tool
  • The shear tool
  • The perspective tool
  • The cage transform tool
  • The align tool
  • Explanation of the canvas
  • Resizing the canvas to the image
  • Resizing the canvas to a layer
  • Resizing the canvas to any size
  • Explanation of what's get saved with respect to the canvas

This quiz tests your knowledge on the other tools that have been presented in this section

  • Introduction to layers
  • Why you need layers.
  • How to create layers
  • The stacking order
  • Moving layers up and down
  • Deleting layers
  • Example usage of using transparency to stack an image above another one
  • Changing the opacity of a layer
  • The different modes of mixing two images together
  • Merging layers
  • Moving layers
  • Grouping layers
  • Making layers visible or not

This quiz will test your knowledge about layers

  • Explanation of feathering
  • Copy and paste a feathered image into a new layer
  • Shrinking and growing the selection area
  • Using the quickmask
  • Changing the saturation of an image
  • Changing the color balance of an image
  • Changing the contrast of an image or layer
  • Desaturate an image or layer. (Making it a gray scale)
  • Explanation of filters
  • Demonstration of some filters (drop shadow, bovination)
  • Presentation of document with examples of all filters
  • Explanation of the File->create-logos option with the text box

This quiz will test your knowledge about feathering , filters, logos and color changes

  • How to make an outline around a text
  • Filling a text with a pattern
  • Filling a text with a gradient
  • Adding a drop shadow to a text
  • popping out a colored part into a gray scale image

This quiz tyests your knowledge on the common operations that have been presented in this section

  • How to get an idea for a cover
  • Browsing through covers to determine common points and fonts
  • Visit of several image stock sites
  • Creating the first book cover. Setting the dimensions and the dpi resolution
  • Pasting the background image onto the cover
  • Rescaling the background image to the cover size
  • Adding a transparent background to the image of the couple
  • Feathering the couple
  • Copying and pasting the couple as a new layer
  • scaling the couple and placing it on the cover
  • Creating the title
  • Finding out what type of font is used on a cover
  • Creating the subtitle
  • Creating the author text
  • Creating the blurb
  • Outlining the text
  • Adding drop shadows to the text
  • Creating the series button and text
  • modifying the color balance and the contrast
  • Applying a gradient fill to the title

This quiz tests your knowledge on the creation of the complete first cover.

  • Analysis of the sample cover
  • Finding the images
  • Removing the background and adding transparency for the images of Hitler and Patton
  • Applying desaturation to create a gray scale image
  • Removing the background and adding transparency for the images of Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin
  • Desaturate the 3 images
  • Putting the 5 persons on the cover
  • Scaling the persons
  • Putting them in the right stacking order
  • Adding the black gradient effect to the bottom of the image
  • Adding the green gradient at the top of the cover
  • Filling up the other areas of the image with a gradient
  • Using the smudge tool and merging layers to make a smooth transition
  • Adding the title in the right font
  • Adding the author
  • Adding the blurb on the top
  • Feathering the images
  • Using the color balance to add a blue-ish effect
  • Changing the contrast
  • Outlining the text
  • Adding a final gradient
  • Saving the final result

Exporting the cover to a JPG file

This quiz tests your knowledge on the creation of the complete second cover.This quiz assumes that you have read the book 'How to make book covers that sell, which is available as a download in the last section'

This lecture will explain how to create a template for a KDP paperback cover and fill it with a background, title and images

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Focuses on creating professional book covers, which is directly applicable to indie authors looking to self-publish on platforms like KDP
Covers the principal features of GIMP, which provides a solid foundation for anyone new to image editing software and graphic design principles
Adapted in 2022 with GIMP V2.10, which means that the course may not be fully compatible with newer versions of the software
Teaches how to create covers specifically for KDP ebook and paperback formats, which is useful for authors publishing through Amazon's platform
Uses GIMP, a free and open-source image editing software, which lowers the barrier to entry for students who may not have access to paid software like Adobe Photoshop
Includes a free copy of the instructor's book, 'How to Make Book Covers That Sell,' which provides additional insights and guidance on cover design principles

Save this course

Create your own learning path. Save this course to your list so you can find it easily later.
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Reviews summary

Gimp for beginner book covers

According to learners, this course offers a strong introduction to using GIMP specifically for creating professional book covers. Students praise the clear, step-by-step approach, making it excellent for complete beginners to image editing and GIMP. Many highlight the practical focus on book cover design and the helpful project sections as particularly valuable. The course is seen as great value due to using free software. Some students felt the pace was inconsistent or too fast in certain areas, and those with prior GIMP experience noted that the initial content is quite basic. It's considered best for newcomers.
Instructor explains concepts clearly and calmly.
"The instructor was super clear and explained everything step-by-step."
"The instructor is calm, clear, and easy to understand."
"Highly recommend! This course demystified GIMP for me... The explanations are very clear."
A solid start for absolute GIMP newcomers.
"As a complete beginner to image editing and GIMP, I found it very easy to follow."
"Fantastic course for beginners! Seriously, if you're new to GIMP and need to make book covers, this is it."
"GIMP can be daunting, but this course makes it manageable for a beginner like me."
Directly teaches relevant skills for authors.
"The focus on book covers was exactly what I needed for my indie publishing."
"Loved how practical this course is. The projects for creating the actual covers tie everything together perfectly."
"If you're an author wanting to use GIMP, this hits the mark. It covers the tools you'll actually use."
Pace inconsistent; some wish for more depth.
"I found the pace a bit inconsistent, sometimes going too fast over important details."
"While it covers creating covers, I felt it could go into more depth on advanced techniques..."
"Some parts felt rushed."
May be too basic for experienced users.
"I had a little prior experience with Photoshop, so some of the very early lessons were a bit slow for me..."
"It's a great starting point, though experienced users might find parts too basic."
"If you know GIMP basics already, the initial sections may feel redundant."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in GIMP for Beginners. Make Your Own Professional Book Covers. with these activities:
Brush Up on Image Manipulation Basics
Review fundamental image manipulation techniques to ensure a solid foundation before diving into GIMP's specific tools and workflows.
Browse courses on Image Manipulation
Show steps
  • Find online tutorials covering basic image editing concepts.
  • Practice adjusting brightness, contrast, and color balance on sample images.
  • Experiment with basic selection and masking techniques.
Study 'Typography for Lawyers'
Improve your understanding of typography to make better decisions about font selection and text layout in your book cover designs.
View Typography for Lawyers 2nd on Amazon
Show steps
  • Obtain a copy of 'Typography for Lawyers'.
  • Focus on chapters related to font selection and text layout.
  • Apply the principles learned to your GIMP book cover projects.
Read 'The Artist's Guide to GIMP'
Supplement the course with a detailed guide to GIMP's features and functionalities, providing a deeper understanding of the software's capabilities.
View The Artist's Guide to GIMP, 2nd Edition on Amazon
Show steps
  • Obtain a copy of 'The Artist's Guide to GIMP'.
  • Read the chapters relevant to book cover design.
  • Experiment with the techniques described in the book.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Develop a GIMP Template for KDP Covers
Streamline your book cover design process by creating a reusable GIMP template that adheres to Amazon KDP's specifications.
Show steps
  • Research KDP's cover size and formatting requirements.
  • Create a GIMP template with appropriate guides and layers.
  • Test the template by designing a sample book cover.
Write a GIMP Tutorial for Book Cover Design
Solidify your understanding of GIMP by creating a written tutorial that guides others through the process of designing book covers.
Show steps
  • Choose a specific book cover design technique to focus on.
  • Document the steps involved in the technique using screenshots and clear instructions.
  • Share your tutorial online and gather feedback.
Recreate Existing Book Covers
Sharpen your GIMP skills by attempting to replicate existing book covers, focusing on matching fonts, colors, and image manipulation techniques.
Show steps
  • Select several book covers from different genres.
  • Analyze the design elements of each cover.
  • Use GIMP to recreate the covers as closely as possible.
Design a Series of Book Covers
Apply your GIMP knowledge to create a cohesive series of book covers, focusing on branding, consistency, and target audience appeal.
Show steps
  • Choose a genre and target audience for your book series.
  • Develop a consistent design theme for the series.
  • Create individual covers for each book in the series using GIMP.
  • Present your series to others and gather feedback.

Career center

Learners who complete GIMP for Beginners. Make Your Own Professional Book Covers. will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Self Published Author
Self published authors independently publish their books. As a self published author, you may be responsible for all aspects of book creation. This course helps you create your own professional-quality book covers using GIMP. The course will help you save money, and will provide you with full creative control over your book's presentation. The course focuses on the specific needs of authors, such as KDP ebook and paperback covers. It may help you to learn how to design a cover that attracts readers and represents your work effectively.
See salaries and explore the career path for Self Published Author
Book Cover Designer
A book cover designer creates visually appealing and marketable covers for books. If you want to become a book cover designer, this course may be useful. The course focuses specifically on creating professional-quality book covers using GIMP, a free and powerful image editing software. The course helps you learn essential GIMP features, from basic image manipulation to advanced techniques like layering, masking, and color correction. This course may also help increase the value you offer to your clients.
See salaries and explore the career path for Book Cover Designer
eBook Designer
An ebook designer specializes in creating visually appealing ebooks, including layout and cover design. The course may be useful to become an ebook designer. This course focuses on how to use GIMP, a free software, to make professional-quality covers. This course may help you to create aesthetically pleasing and marketable ebooks. You may learn to design covers, format text, and incorporate images.
See salaries and explore the career path for eBook Designer
Freelance Designer
Freelance designers work independently on a variety of design projects for different clients. This course helps those wishing to become a freelance designer build skills in image editing. This course could be relevant to creating logos, website graphics, marketing materials, and book covers. The course focuses on GIMP, a free and versatile software. This course may provide a cost-effective way to acquire in-demand design skills and build a portfolio.
See salaries and explore the career path for Freelance Designer
Content Creator
Content creators produce engaging material for various online platforms, and this course may be useful. This course could be relevant to creating visually appealing graphics for blog posts, social media, and websites. Through this course, you may learn to use GIMP to create images, logos, and other visuals, improving the quality and impact of content. Those who wish to become content creators may find that the practical skills taught in this course will help to attract more audience.
See salaries and explore the career path for Content Creator
Visual Content Creator
A visual content creator produces images, videos, and other visual assets for online and offline use. This course may be useful to becoming a visual content creator. This course focuses on image editing using GIMP. You may learn to create images, logos, and graphics for websites, social media, and marketing materials. The course may help you develop the skills to produce high-quality visual content that attracts and engages audiences.
See salaries and explore the career path for Visual Content Creator
Graphic Designer
Graphic designers create visual concepts that communicate information to an audience. This course may be useful for anyone who wants to become a graphic designer. The course helps you learn the fundamentals of image editing. It explores a variety of GIMP's features, including image composition, logo creation, and ad design. Further, the course helps you develop the skills needed to produce compelling visuals for various media. With the course, you may be able to create your own professional-quality graphics.
See salaries and explore the career path for Graphic Designer
Desktop Publisher
Desktop publishers use software to create layouts for printed and digital publications, such as books and brochures. This course may be useful. This course explores essential image editing skills using GIMP, a free software. By using these tools, you may learn to enhance images, create layouts, and prepare files for print. The course may help those interested in desktop publishing to build a portfolio of professional-quality publications.
See salaries and explore the career path for Desktop Publisher
Print Designer
Print designers create designs for printed materials, such as brochures, posters, and magazines. The course provides the skills to become a print designer. This course addresses essential image editing skills using GIMP. This course may enable you to prepare high-resolution images, create layouts, and ensure color accuracy for print production. Taking this course may help those interested in print design build a portfolio of professional-quality work.
See salaries and explore the career path for Print Designer
Illustrator
Illustrators create images for books, magazines, and other media. This course may be useful to someone who wants to become an illustrator. Through this course, you may learn about image editing techniques using GIMP, a free and open-source software. You may learn how to enhance your illustrations, create backgrounds, and add special effects. Further, you can improve the visual appeal of your artwork. With the course, you will be prepared to bring your creative visions to life.
See salaries and explore the career path for Illustrator
Web Designer
Web designers are responsible for the visual design and layout of websites. If you want to become a web designer, this course may be useful. The course may help you create website graphics, logos, and promotional images. You may learn to optimize images for web use, ensuring they are visually appealing and load quickly. The course focuses on GIMP, a free software. This course may equip you with the tools and knowledge to design visually stunning and user-friendly websites.
See salaries and explore the career path for Web Designer
Digital Artist
Digital artists create original artwork using digital tools and software. If you want to become a digital artist, you may find this course to be helpful. This course explores essential image editing techniques with GIMP, a free software accessible to beginner artists. By going through this course you may learn composition, color correction, and special effects, which are skills that are critical to create digital art. Using the material presented in this course, you can create illustrations, concept art, or photo manipulations.
See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Artist
Digital Marketing Specialist
A digital marketing specialist manages online marketing campaigns, including social media, email, and display advertising. The course may be useful. This course helps build a foundation in visually enhancing digital content. By learning GIMP, you may create compelling images for ads, social media posts, and email campaigns. The course may help increase engagement and drive conversions. This course may also help you to develop a strong visual brand presence.
See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Marketing Specialist
Social Media Manager
A social media manager handles a company's social media presence. This includes creating content, engaging with followers, and analyzing performance. The course may be useful to becoming a social media manager. Learning image editing skills may help you to create visually appealing social media posts, ads, and profile images. The course focuses on GIMP, a free software. This course may help you to enhance your social media campaigns and increase engagement.
See salaries and explore the career path for Social Media Manager
Marketing Specialist
A marketing specialist develops and executes marketing campaigns to promote products or services. The course may be useful to marketing specialists because visual content is a critical part of marketing. With this course, you may learn to create visually appealing graphics for online ads, social media posts, and email marketing campaigns. The course provides a foundation in image editing using GIMP. The course may help you produce effective marketing materials, ensuring brand consistency and maximizing campaign impact.
See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Specialist

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in GIMP for Beginners. Make Your Own Professional Book Covers..
Cover image
The Artist's Guide to GIMP, 2nd Edition
Save
Provides a comprehensive guide to using GIMP for various artistic tasks. It covers a wide range of tools and techniques, offering in-depth explanations and practical examples. It is particularly useful for understanding the nuances of GIMP's interface and how to leverage its features for creative projects. This book valuable resource for both beginners and experienced users looking to expand their GIMP skills.
The Artist's Guide to GIMP, 2nd Edition
Paperback
Check
The Artist's Guide to GIMP, 2nd Edition
Kindle Edition
Check
Typography for Lawyers
Save
While seemingly unrelated, understanding typography is crucial for effective book cover design. provides a clear and concise guide to typography principles, focusing on readability, visual hierarchy, and overall aesthetic appeal. It is particularly helpful for selecting appropriate fonts and arranging text elements on a cover. While not GIMP-specific, the knowledge gained from this book will significantly enhance your book cover design skills. This book is more valuable as additional reading than as a current reference.
Typography for Lawyers 2nd
Paperback
$$

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Course image
Rating
4.7 Filled star Filled star Filled star Filled star Half star
Effort
6.5 total hours
Via
Udemy
Instructor
Timo Hofstee
Language
English
Traffic lights
Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Focuses on creating professional book covers, which is directly applicable to indie authors looking to self-publish on platforms like KDP
Covers the principal features of GIMP, which provides a solid foundation for anyone new to image editing software and graphic design principles
Adapted in 2022 with GIMP V2.10, which means that the course may not be fully compatible with newer versions of the software
Teaches how to create covers specifically for KDP ebook and paperback formats, which is useful for authors publishing through Amazon's platform
Uses GIMP, a free and open-source image editing software, which lowers the barrier to entry for students who may not have access to paid software like Adobe Photoshop
Includes a free copy of the instructor's book, 'How to Make Book Covers That Sell,' which provides additional insights and guidance on cover design principles
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