How to Adjust GEGL Engrave Line Height in GIMP

This guide explains how to locate and adjust the line height limit parameter within GIMP’s GEGL Engrave filter. By modifying this setting alongside the base line height, you can control the thickness and spacing of the generated engraving lines to create customized antique or printmaking effects on your images.

1. Open the Engrave Filter Dialog

  1. Open your image or select the specific layer you want to edit in GIMP.
  2. In the top menu bar, click on Filters.
  3. Hover over Distorts and select Engrave... to open the filter's GEGL settings dialog. (Alternatively, you can open Tools > GEGL Operation... and select gegl:engrave from the Operation dropdown menu).

2. Locate the Line Height Settings

In the Engrave settings dialog, you will see controls for how the engraving lines render across your layer:

  • Height: Sets the baseline thickness or distance between each horizontal line in pixels.
  • Limit line height: A toggle setting (checkbox) that dictates whether the maximum thickness of the engraved lines is restricted by the base height value.

3. Adjust the Line Height Limit

  1. Enable or Disable the Limit:
    • Check the Limit line height box if you want the lines to remain constrained within a strict grid, preventing brighter tonal areas from creating excessively wide gaps or overly thick bands.
    • Uncheck the Limit line height box to allow line thicknesses to scale freely according to the lightness values of the underlying image.
  2. Fine-Tune the Height Slider:
    • Use the Height slider to increase or decrease the pixel value. Higher values produce thicker, more widely spaced lines, while lower values generate dense, fine lines.
    • Ensure the Preview checkbox is checked at the top of the dialog to observe the changes on your canvas in real time.

4. Apply the Changes

Once the line thickness and limits achieve the desired visual texture, click OK to apply the GEGL Engrave effect to your active layer.