Trouble finding the right image editor

[A Traveller]

Hi all.

I am trying to find a suitable image editor which allows things to be done simply and not have to go through several steps just to carry out a simple task or have to search for instructions on how to do a simple task.

I am looking for a program that can do the following in the ways described.

CROP AN IMAGE - Drag image into program window, click the crop icon, drag in any side of image, SIMPLE!

OVAL SHAPE - To be able to simply click an icon for an oval shape and drag it out on the image AND be able to adjust the size or move it even AFTER letting go of the mouse. Be able to select it by clicking on it and choose a colour for the shape.

ADD A TEXT BOX - Drag image into program window, click the textbox icon, drag the mouse over where the textbox should be placed AND be able to drag in any corner of the textbox to make it smaller or larger AND be able to simply grab hold of it and move it. To be able to simply make adjustments to the size and position of the textbox even AFTER letting go of the mouse by dragging the corner/textbox. To be able to select any part of the text AFTER typing it and change the font, colour and size. To have the text automatically wrap to the next line if the textbox is made too narrow and vice versa and not have to press Enter unless typing a new paragraph.

SPEECH BUBBLE - Be able to make the text box transparent with no borders and drag the textbox and place it over the oval shape and be able to adjust both by click and drag so that it appears that the text is in the oval shape, like in a speech bubble.

COLOUR PICKER - To be able to simply click on the colour picker icon, click anywhere in the image and then whichever feature is used next will automatically be coloured in this colour.

DELETE PART OF THE PICTURE - By simply selecting a part of it by dragging the mouse, pressing delete and saving the image instantly.

It may sound very simple, but I have tried Fotoxx, GIMP, GnuPaint, KolourPaint and Pinta and none of them can do the above easily if at all!

Any suggestions from anyone who KNOWS that a program can do the above would be very much welcome!

Thanks.

[seppalta]

If you have Wine installed, I recommend PhotoFiltre and FastStone Image Viewer, both freewares that are prebuilt and can be simply extracted into your chosen directory. They use Wine to launch, are very easy to use and work great in Lubuntu 11.10. See
http://douwil7.100webspace.net/linux/Tuning.html#10
for details.

[clausrei]

Haeeeeeee ?????

GIMP is just perfect for all the things you have described above. Obviously , the more demanding the software has to be, the more complex will be its use. You really have to take the time to read the online manuals. It is nearly as advanced as Photoshop - not much difference.

And Cropping, Textbox , color picker etc, are in dead one of the easier tasks GIMP can do. (The way of using it is as well very similar to Photoshop - you will be able to switch quickly between the two programs. )

Take your time and read the manuals !

[A Traveller]

Thanks for the replies seppalta/clausrei.

For some reason, I have always tried to avoid Wine, but I think I may give it a try again. I think I installed it once a long time ago but never really used it or it didn't work very good for me.

As mentioned, I have already tried GIMP and they make the easiest of tasks a pain to carry out or figure out. For example, I simply wanted to make a circular image and followed the steps exactly from the following page but still kept getting the checkerboard around the circle in the actual saved image when it is opened/viewed.

Any others that fit the bill and is SIMPLE to use?

Thanks.

[stn21]

GIMP.

Works on windows and linux. Seems unsimple at first. Once you grab its basic ideas you find that it makes everything simple, including anything picture-related that you have not even thought of yet.

Also you can do everything you listed.

[azmyth]

Yes, GIMP will do everything you want to do easily. You will have to learn the basics of GIMP though.

[A Traveller]

Thanks for the replies, stn21/azmyth. Ok, if all else fails, I'll give it a try, as well as look into the PhotoFiltre and FastStone suggestion.

I know that there will be several programs that can do what I want them to do, but it is the method of doing them that is important.

[dragonfly41]

here's another one to try ..

Inkscape .. install via Synaptics Package Manager

[stn21]

xnview is a viewer with some editing-capabilities. And there is a version for linux too. You should be able to crop but I am not so sure about the speech-bubble thing

http://www.xnview.com/


irfanview seems to run in wine: http://www.irfanview.com/faq.htm#Q57

[stn21]

here's another one to try .. Inkscape .. install via Synaptics Package Manager

There is a native windows-version too. Looks on first impression like a well-designed program that can do many things. That may also mean that it is not really simple.