You can create curved text in GIMP for a number of designs, logos, and even greeting cards. This project requires an understanding of the paths tool, layers, and text tool.
1. Create the object you want to add text to in GIMP. This tutorial is using a circle.
2. Create a new transparent layer. Make sure it is highlighted in the Layers window.
3. Click on the Paths Tool in the Tool Box. Click on the new layer to add the first point and click elsewhere on the new layer to create the second point. Between these two points a new line will appear.
4. Click on the line and pull the cursor up or down to curve the line.
5. Click on the Text Tool. The path will disappear from the screen when you click on the new tool, but it is still saved in the GIMP program. Type in the text you want to add to this new layer.
6. In the text options, visible in the lower part of the Tool Box, click on the “Text to Path” button. An outline of the text you have typed will curve along the path you created earlier.
7. Hover on the “Select” tab until a drop down menu appears, and then click on the “Select from Path” link. This will select the outlined text.
8. Copy the outlined text, and paste it onto the new transparent layer you created.
9. Select the Pencil Tool and color in the selected layer of text with any color you want.
10. Use the Move Tool to move the pasted layer to where you want it positioned on the object. If you need to tilt the curved text to the correct orientation, use the Rotate Tool from the Tool Bar. When you click on the layer to rotate it, a new window will open up allowing you to set the angle of rotation.
11. Delete the text box.
12. Delete the path of text you created earlier in the project. You can find these paths in the Paths tab on the Channels window.
13. Save your project when complete.