I have been a user of GIMP for a while now. While I was able to do whatever change to existing images, today I was faced with a new challenge. Well, how do I draw a simple non-filled rectangle? I could not find any tool in GIMP which would help me create a simple rectangle. A decent image editor should provide an easy way to draw regular shapes right?
After a bit of searching I found a way to draw a simple rectangle. Here it is for all of you who may need it.
Step 1: Open GIMP
Step 2: Create a new Image by clicking on File > New and selecting the image size from the dialog that pops up
Step 3: Click on the Select Rectangular Regions tool. [Figure 1]
Step 4: Draw a rectangular selection on the image. [Figure 2]
Step 5: From the menu choose Edit > Stroke Selection. [Figure 3]
Step 6: In the Stroke Selection dialog, select the line width of the rectangle you wish to draw, the type of line, the pattern and other desirable attributes. [Figure 4]
Step 7: Click on the Stroke button
Step 8: The rectangle is now drawn and selected [Figure 5]
List of Figures
Figure 1 – The GIMP – Rectangular Selection
Figure 2 – Draw a rectangular region
Figure 3 – Stroke Selection
Figure 4 – Stroke Selection Dialog
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Figure 5 – Hurray!







35 responses so far ↓
rio2000 // October 5, 2008 at 1:22 am |
how to change the border color ?
Bala // October 5, 2008 at 1:51 pm |
@rio2000, first select the color from the palette and then make your selection. Once you click Stroke Selection, the selected color will be used to draw the shape.
~B
Harsh // October 23, 2008 at 7:21 am |
Pretty nifty tip, thanks! But getting to know GIMP is taking a long time.
Bala // October 23, 2008 at 3:42 pm |
@Harsh, thanks for leaving a comment. It takes a while and that too if you use it on Windows it is pretty difficult to adjust to the way the controls look/respond/work.
Jason Friedman // October 27, 2008 at 4:35 pm |
Thanks for providing this information, it was very helpful!
Bala // October 28, 2008 at 6:38 am |
@Jason, glad you found this post useful and thanks for the comment
prasanna // October 30, 2008 at 10:59 am |
really nice, i had been searching this for a long time in Gimp.
Now i got it, thanks
Bala // October 30, 2008 at 6:34 pm |
@Prasanna, glad u found it useful.
Key Figures of this blog « B Space // December 6, 2008 at 4:33 pm |
[...] Most Active Post: Draw regular shapes using The GIMP [...]
merada // December 8, 2008 at 11:09 am |
I was doing a cd booklet with Scribus but could not
find out how to draw boarders for cutting. Your tip
was really pretty handy.
Thank you so much.
Bala // December 8, 2008 at 5:28 pm |
@Merada, glad you found it useful and thanks for leaving a comment.
David Apeji // January 5, 2009 at 12:05 pm |
Thanks for this tip. I’ve been wanting to know how to do that for ages.
Bala // January 5, 2009 at 4:14 pm |
@David, Happy to hear that you found this post useful
nasheeda // January 28, 2009 at 7:52 am |
Its gettin difficult to other shapes. I am tryin to draw a diamond shape, n I tried by drawing rectangle and rotating it 45 degrees, no use. its getting aliased.
I even experimented with Map Objects, its workin and I am getting a filled diamond but I want an empty one with just borders.
Any suggestions?
Bala // January 28, 2009 at 4:50 pm |
@nasheeda, You can try using the Perspective tool before making the stroke. Please see this illustration. You might be able to get one half of a diamond and then duplicate it for the other side.
A French // February 25, 2009 at 10:41 pm |
Thanks. I could not work out how to do it.
Bala // February 27, 2009 at 3:25 pm |
You are welcome
~B
titanium_geek // April 17, 2009 at 6:30 am |
This is legend. Thanks!
Bala // April 17, 2009 at 3:50 pm |
Glad it worked for you
Nenad // May 4, 2009 at 8:40 am |
Yesterday I was disappointed because my mom wanted to boot into windoz to use Paint so I thought I give her a brief GIMP tutorial. It’s the first time I realized there is no rectangle/circle drawing tool!!!
Quite amazed… How am I to explain to a newbie that you need 5 or so steps to draw a simple shape…
Gimp developers, get yourselves together!
Bala // May 5, 2009 at 5:50 pm |
Yes, you are right, it is something very basic and would be expected in a piece of software that would want to be known as the substitute of Adobe Photoshop.
Unfortunately, in the several editions that had come out after I had written this post, this has not changed.
Simon // May 8, 2009 at 9:21 am |
How about drawing a rounded rect?
Bala // May 9, 2009 at 1:21 pm |
Make a rectangular selection and then do a Select > Rounded Rectangle. In the popup select the desired radius
ravi // June 2, 2009 at 4:14 am |
It is helpful.
Bala // June 8, 2009 at 4:14 pm |
Thanks for the comment, Ravi!
OurPhotos // July 23, 2009 at 2:04 am |
Hey thanks for the quick and easy guide! There is a bit of a learning curve with GIMP.
Bala // July 23, 2009 at 4:50 pm |
You are welcome. Agreed, there is a bit of a learning curve.
CaseCrash // July 31, 2009 at 8:11 pm |
Wow, thanks alot! I’ve been trying to figure this out for awhile
Bala // August 1, 2009 at 1:06 pm |
You are welcome, CaseCrash
David Clayton // August 13, 2009 at 9:33 pm |
Thank you for this tip. It is very helpful.
Piotr // September 27, 2009 at 8:57 pm |
1. Open image
2. Filters >> rendering >> Gfigure
Draw any figure that you need
And thats all.
Bala // October 1, 2009 at 5:32 pm |
That was one super cool tip. Worked Great. Thanks
techspalace // November 14, 2009 at 3:38 am |
superb
techspalace // November 14, 2009 at 3:56 am |
Helped me in this picture http://techspalace.blogspot.com/2009/11/use-ssh-tunnel-for-internet-browsing.html
Bala // November 14, 2009 at 9:01 am |
Thanks for your comment and the link