Hi All, is a long document... but is necessary :(
Yesterday I have talked with Jehan Pagés, via IRC, and I have posted on
bugzilla report |Improve default set of resources
(https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=589371) the attachment of the new
default brush set to GIMP 2.10:
https://bugzilla.gnome.org/attachment.cgi?id=370341
This a big picture of my considerations around choices and other reasons...
Thanks
americo
---
I have been working in the last 10 years on GIMP and my preoccupation and
efforts are focused on brush design.
Since 2011 I am collaborating with other artists to understand how is possible
improve the painting performing on GIMP through brushes and after GIMP 2.8
studying the paint dynamics.
I have written some articles about these topics in past and if someone is
interested to know a bit more the background of current ideas about the future
brush set is possible to read here:
https://medium.com/graphic-arts-free-software/tagged/gimp
--
Criteria to organize the GIMP 2.10 Brush Set
I have thought and commented some of my ideas and concepts about brush design
on GIMP during the last LGM a Rio with Han Ahryeom, Jehan Pagés and João Bueno,
the points that follow are some of my conclusions about and I am trying or
tried to use to future brush set of GIMP 2.10:
# The brushes need to have good sharpness within… is impossible to increase
this quality… only lost it.
# To have a median stain opacity over 70%, if you need soft brush is easy
to control this via Tool Options settings or with Paint Dynamics.
# To have a good stain quality with a ‘comfortable’ dimension is important
to brush scaling during painting sessions. I have thought the standardization
for the sizes: 64, 128, 256 and 512 pixels (but in many cases I have adopted
the multiple of 16), each dimension is thought for a kind task, e.g., 64 pixels
for the pen, pencils, crayon, color pencils, etc.
# To improve or suggest the use of parametric brushes as some classic
brushes, mainly round and flat kinds. Is possible to increase the performance
using parametric brushes with specific paint dynamics.
# To promote also an equilibrium between the two kinds of raster brushes,
the .gbr, and .gih formats.
# To select static stains as .gbr capable to resolve or to mimic
efficiently brushstrokes utilizing the default spacing or greater (default is
10%).
# To select animated brushes, the .gih, with good and well-formed
brushstrokes using the default spacing or more greater when is possible
(default is 20%).
# To identify the kind of stains more adequate to different scopes (based
on the criteria of the last point), for instance, and mainly on paint or
drawing, to generic effects or faux effects to mimic some textures of nature or
material or yet to decorative or ornament scopes. In this way, is possible help
the user identify the possibilities and usage of each stain.
Brushes based on generic stains are very ductile but also very metamorphic with
tool options settings and paint dynamics curves. In theory, any kind of stain
is possible to use to paint, to draw, as stamping, as texture or decorative
scopes.This flexibility sometimes can be a problem or a limitation, mainly if
the user does not know as these skills could or might be used on digital
painting.
# To reorganize more specifically the brushes for scopes and families,
(e.g., draw, paint,..., pencil, crayon, pen).
# To organize the sets on different folders thought for permanent tags. To
think a new tag named ‘Default’ to filter the gimp default set of others
installed by the user.
# To organize a normative to call the assets in general. The scope has good
ways to sort and identify each asset (with an ID unique followed by a name with
a progressive number and a general scope of the asset).
To justify many of these criteria, exposed above, were made many tests around spacing, hardness and other issues on dynamics related to brushes. But, in general, the spacing is the more critical factor to painting performing, if we have the default spacing to the brushes is possible to improve the performance of the painting (more comfortable and agile).
During all process of creation of the new set I have discussed with many
artists: Mozart Couto, Gustavo Deveze, Aryeom Han, Elias da Silva.
I have published all my in progress on my g+ account with many posts shared on
GIMP official channels. My impression was that the paths are correct and always
harmonized with feelings of many users and tastes :-)
Also, I have published a post on Pixls.us to discuss the choices around 'real
brushes' that also help me define better what do in relation the default set
defining the additional sets as 'Extras' and 'Jag' (my personal vision around
real brushes).
Finally, is obvious that choosing or organizing with these criteria the brushes
we have not only an increase in performance but also, a better knowledge how is
possible use the stains as brushes. In short, introduce/define new approaches
how the brushes or stains could be used in fast and a creative way on GIMP.
--
Brushes to paint and tools to draw
Is possible deduce that we have essentially two kinds of 'brushes'... those
based in the generic stains that have some properties of real brushes when they
are configured in precise conditions and settings... and other based on real
brushes as is, in general, the parametric or raster brushes based in simple
shapes and without exotic effects. So, is interesting improve the usage of the
second type, of the real brushes on GIMP. In this sense, I have prepared some
concepts of *real brushes* that can emulate reasonable the bristle quality with
a good compromise with the current features of GIMP.
With these brushes is possible to paint in a similar way of real brush with
different techniques supported by good and specific paint dynamics, tool
presets, or based on user knows how to use the tool options settings with
specific or not paint dynamics (in some cases and with limitations, obviously).
The real brushes concept on GIMP actually can be resolved with all kind brush
formats, as round, flat, filbert, liner, etc... but ideally with raster brushes
and specifically with the .gih. In general, the brushes are used to paint but
is possible to use them to other scopes as the calligraphy or also to the
drawing, for instance, with washed inking technique.
I have thought to add some 'brushes' to draw (pencil, color pencil, charcoal,
pastel/crayon, pen, etc)... they are not brushes really but are tools to
draw... the categorization is good to help the users select more easily the
tools to these tasks.
--
Generic Stains
The generic stains that are not possible to use as 'brush', following the
'Criteria to organize the GIMP 2.10 Brush Set' will be considered as generic
'effects' and classified along nature, dirt, grunge, spatter, etc.
The idea to categorize the stains in this way is only to simplify and help the
user understand which are the stain categories more easy to use to mimic the
classic aspects of painting on digital, but, is clear that each mark could or
might be used with different ideas, scopes and methods... but this must be made
with proficiency and mastering and not all are prepared to have this vision or
skills... so, the categorization is path to give more indications how is
possible to use the stains in another way.
Recently I have discussed this with Vasco Alexander and this an excerpt of our
correspondence that I think clarify a bit my issue about generic stains and
usage difficulties around painting on digital.
"Brushes based on generic stains are like the pencils of the digital art world.
They are available everywhere, everyone has some experience using them and of course
one can make beautiful drawings with it. It might be also true that not much more is
needed for learning. But, because of our predetermination of thinking how a pencil
has to be used, it is hard to break out of this habit and to develop a broad
spectrum of own marks.
I think with generic brushes, especially the most commonly used hard round
brush, it is very much the same thing. In my eyes, there is a misconception in
digital painting that is not grounded in the tools, but in the teaching.
I can't say how often I heard something like: 'The hard round brush is all you
need' or 'I do 95% of my work with a hard round brush'. It's almost like an
unwritten rule. But of course, artistic development needs diversity.
On the other side of the extreme, there are people that install 1000 brushes
and never get along with one of them - in the end falling back to the default
brushes and eventually start following the 'you need only one brush' thing.
As someone who made brush sets, I tried to think about the selection of tools to be
included in an art supply store - demand, quality, variety. The decision, what to
use, has to be made by the 'customer', artists and teachers, not by me. I think,
that this is even more evident when we talk about the creation of defaults for an
app. We have to take a step back from our own opinions and preferences and provide
the highest quality, but taking the demands of the users into account. For sure this
is no easy task."
To known better what is possible to use is much important to improve the
painting experience/performing and not only think that we need more and more
features... and mainly we must think that many of discussions about improvement
could be related to insufficient info about how to use the tools and basic
knowledge about the tools to painting/drawing on digital.
--
Brush Set Categorization, Naming, and Tagging
To organize the future 2.10 GIMP release and futures pre-releases along I have
thought a specific organization of folders (as automatic tags) for the brush
set.
The idea is become more easy and usable the brushes through tags to specify
brush type, for that is more usable. So, in this manner will be possible, for
instance, select all round brushes to paint or to draw.
Each brush will have an ID unique to become easier the sorting and avoid
confusion with exotic names or without any rule or criteria.
It was recovered and rethought the previous classification and names with some
changes and improvements, Basic, Media (now called 'Medium') and Textures (now
called 'Effects') yet are present but with some variations on the previous
concepts.
The organization proposed is:
*Basic* - contains 3 folders dedicated to this category, B0, B1, and B2.
The 'BO' folder contains the .vbr basic brushes, round and block (hard and soft
versions). They are the Classic brushes that the user to any task to painting
or drawing. The idea to put in evidence these brushes is motivated for my ideas
and concepts around the real possibilities of parametric brushes on GIMP with
paint dynamics to solve many issues of pictorial techniques for the traditional
digital painting based in the current mainstream and tastes around finishing of
the works.
Another idea is to promote the .vbr and his editor a the rule more effective
for the concept artists and not only.
My set could appear a bit large, but I have verified with my friends and
artists that are in generally accustomed pick the variation brushes directly
from brush palette instead to customize them via his editor... probably this is
a gap of our documentation or we need to write tutorials about how effectively
to use all instances around the brush on GIMP.
The 'B1' folder contains some versions of concept brushes dedicated to
emulating the 'real brushes' or brushes with bristles.
The 'B2' folder contains the essential set to dry media (pencil, charcoal,
chalk) and a new version of hatch pen.
*Effects* - contains raster brushes thought to make texture effects in general.
I have thought that the term 'effects' is more general and could be used also
to aggregate brushes based on raster images dedicated to faux or other exotic
effects.
*Medium* - is the attempt to conserve the previous and *media* term
classification with some interesting stain brushes (static and dynamics). In
fact, the criteria for the stains and how we are building this set was modified
in function of something more near of real behavior of brushes and tools to
draw/paint. In this set, we have some brushes that can emulate some media or
techniques but in general the settings on tool options need be more specific...
because the generic stains to emulate techniques are much dependent how are
configured our settings on Tool Options.
*Smudge* - with the new features of smudge tool I have thought necessary create
a set specific to use with this tool, normally we can use any brush, but
talking with artist as Mozart Couto, Elias da Silva and Gustavo Deveze, I have
discovered that each artist has brushes more specific for this usage. So, I
have identified the modal behavior of these brushes and I selected brushes of
previous set and some new to this scope.
The *Legacy* category now is added in a separated category called 'Extras' to
implement the default series. In my opinion, the 'Extras' concept is more
adequate to solve not only 'legacy' but other additional brushes to complement
in future the default set when the artists are interested or when they think
necessary.
I think useful to create a GitHub account to solve this set.
To ordering the brushes on the natural GIMP lists in the system file manager I
have adopted a coded alphanumeric. An example the Media stain brushes will be
organized:
*ID* *Folder* *Tag1* *Tag2* *Alias Name on GIMP Lists* *Name of archive on
file manager*
M1. Medium Paint
M1.01 Medium Paint Round M1.01 Oil. Viscous O1
m1.01-oil-viscous-01.gbr
M1.02 Medium Paint Round M1.02 Oil. Viscous 02
m1.02-oil-viscous-02.gbr
M1.03 Medium Paint Round M1.03 Oil. Viscous 03
m2.03-oil-viscous-03.gbr
M1.04 Medium Paint Round M1.04 Bristle. m1.04-bristle.gbr
M2.05 Medium Paint Effect M1.05 Acryl. Bristle
m1.05-acryl-bristle.gih
Alias Name is formed by = [ID] + [*Alias Name* '.' (dot) to .gbr or .vbr
brushes and '+' to the .gih brushes].
For instance: 'M1.04 Bristle. 04
The *Alias Name* and *Archive Name* follow the same schema with a difference
that the archive has *Folder* name, for instance, the named archive of the last
example is: 'm1.04-medium-charcoal-01.gbr'. This schema is adopted because on
the file manager is not possible to have the tag feature :-).
The 'tags' of the brushes are formed by 'Folder Category' as folder tag, 'Tag1'
and 'Tag2' as normal tags, directly saved on the Tags.xml GIMP system archive.
The reasons to adopt this codification are many: is more easy to administrate
the brushes, is more easy identify unequivocally the brush, is more easy to
design brush and verify them during the process.
Ideally, we must think a categorization more transparent or hidden for the
assets on GIMP... and not only based on the alphabetic ordering. Is natural for
all users have criteria more personal, like as favorites... if we think a
spreadsheet is possible to have also ordering things based on our tastes and
needs. At this moment is not possible to have this feature and I have thought a
way to solve this in the GIMP default set and also a manner to harmonize the
future additional sets of other authors.
In my opinion is necessary to have an order on default GIMP set, this is a good
way also to exemplify how is possible to collect and organize assets in an
efficient way. This is not a rule for all users, but I think that GIMP must
have rules to organize their default assets. The users could be adopted or not
these rules as is more natural to them.
--
Brush Asset Authors Reference
Yet is not possible to add info about author and license of each brush, but I
have thought that is a good idea, in this moment, add this info directly to the
layer of brush. Therefore each brush set of the GIMP 2.10 will be rewritten
adding the info of authors in the own brushes, in my opinion, this avoids the
necessity of a document with reference of authors to each brush. Until this
moment the authors of brush set are:
David Revoy
Elle Stone
GIMP (when was not possible identify the original author).
Gustavo Deveze
Jag (Americo Gobbo)
Johannes Engelhardt
Justin W (Akisu-sama)
L'ubomir Zabadal
Mathias Jonathan
Mozart Couto
Ramon Miranda
Rene Jensen
Ulf Worsoe
Vallie (valliegurl)
Vasco Alexander
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