Crafting Digital Media: Audacity, Blender, Drupal, GIMP, Scribus, and other Open Source Tools

Open source software, also known as free software, now offers a creative platform with world-class programs. Just ask the people who have completed high-quality projects or developed popular web 2.0 sites using open source desktop applications. This phenomenon is no longer underground or restricted to techies—there have been more than 61 million downloads of the Audacity audio editor and more than 60 million downloads of the GIMP for Windows photographic tool from SourceForge.net alone.

Crafting Digital Media is your foundation course in photographic manipulation, illustration, animation, 3D modelling, publishing, recording audio and making music, DJ’ing, mixing and mastering audio CDs, video editing and web content delivery. Every technique described in the book can be achieved on GNU/Linux, but many of the applications covered run on Windows and Mac OS X as well. New to GNU/Linux and a little daunted? Don’t worry—there’s a step-by-step tutorial on Ubuntu for either temporary use or permanent installation.

If you are a creative type who wants to get started with open source software or an existing GNU/Linux user looking to explore this category of programs, this is the book for you! Realize your own personal projects and creative ambitions with the tools this book will place at your fingertips.

What you’ll learn

• Install and configure Ubuntu GNU/Linux for creative applications.
• Get productive with Ardour, Audacity, Avidemux, Blender, FontForge, the GIMP, Hydrogen, Inkscape, Mixxx, Scribus, Synfig and other tools.
• Chain these applications together and make them serve your creative vision.
• Find and install the applications cross-platform, if you want to reach out beyond GNU/Linux.
• Share your creative works with the world using Drupal Web 2.0 technology and Icecast media streaming.
• Locate and engage with software and project hosting communities, to connect with other creators.

And you’ll find out why being a part of the open source community means so much more than just saving money.

About the Author

Daniel James is the director of 64 Studio Ltd, a company that produces a 64–bit GNU/Linux distribution designed specifically for creative users, and does custom development work for OEMs with multimedia products. He worked on LinuxUser & Developer magazine for around seven years, serving as editor from autumn 2005 until early 2007.

Over the last few years, his media work has expanded to include a long–held interest in sound recording, with several music and voice–over projects completed at his own studio. He also contributes regular articles on music recording and related technology to Linux Format and Sound on Sound magazines.