Using Gimp to create a simple media player skin
Picturesque
Forget the photos – Gimp is also a great tool for graphic design. This workshop shows how to use Gimp to create a simple visual image for a multimedia player application.
Many users call on the Gimp image editor [1] to crop and touch up their digital photos, but the powerful Gimp has many other uses. For instance, developers and graphic artists use Gimp to create graphic elements for desktop applications. The details of how to tie graphics features into a working application are numerous and depend on the programming language, the desktop system, and the nature of the application. However, the steps for creating basic GUI elements in Gimp are often quite simple and serve as a useful scenario for showcasing Gimp's impressive toolbox of graphic design tools.
This workshop introduces you to some of the tools that graphic artists use to build images in Gimp. In this scenario, I'll build the skin for a sample media player application. Of course, the media player on your Linux system is a software tool that processes the contents of a stream or sound file. A media player doesn't really look like anything, but the metaphor of the computer desktop environment means that humans need something to look at. In this case, I'll make the media player look like an old-school CD player, with the usual buttons (Play, Stop, Previous, and Next) and a little window to show what song is playing. A more complete GUI interface would include an enlarged window for displaying playlists, as well as other elements, but for the purposes of this workshop, I'll keep it simple.
The popular Gimp comes preinstalled on many Linux systems, and if you can't find it now in the Start menu (typically with the Graphics applications), you can surely install it from your distro's package manager. The Gimp website also provides source code and packages for several operating systems [2]. This tutorial is based on Gimp version 2.10.14; if you are using a different version of Gimp, the details might differ slightly, but the concepts are similar.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Direct Download
Read full article as PDF:
Price $2.95
News
-
Mozilla VPN Now Available for Linux
The promised subscription-based VPN service from Mozilla is now available for the Linux platform.
-
Wayland and New App Menu Coming to KDE
The 2021 roadmap for the KDE desktop environment includes some exciting features and improvements.
-
Deepin 20.1 has Arrived
Debian-based Deepin 20.1 has been released with some interesting new features.
-
CloudLinux Commits Over 1 Million Dollars to CentOS Replacement
An open source, drop-in replacement for CentOS is on its way.
-
Linux Mint 20.1 Beta has Been Released
The first beta of Linux Mint, Ulyssa, is now available for downloading.
-
Manjaro Linux 20.2 has Been Unleashed
The latest iteration of Manjaro Linux has been released with a few interesting new features.
-
Patreon Project Looks to Bring Linux to Apple Silicon
Developer Hector Martin has created a patreon page to fund his work on developing a port of Linux for Apple Silicon Macs.
-
A New Chrome OS-Like Ubuntu Remix is Now Available
Ubuntu Web looks to be your Chrome OS alternative.
-
System76 Refreshes the Galago Pro Laptop
Linux hardware maker has revamped one of their most popular laptops.
-
Dell Will Soon Enable Privacy Controls for Linux Hardware
Dell makes it possible for Linux users to disable webcams and microphones.