What's the best way to make an odd shaped text box. In this particular case. I want something like this

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx

Of course it'll have way more lines. I'd like the shape, so if I change the size or style of the font, it will just wrap around the shape.

I think GIMP is able to make really odd shaped boxes with curves and such also. What are my options?

What's the best way to make an odd shaped text box. In this particular case. I want something like this

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx

Of course it'll have way more lines. I'd like the shape, so if I change the size or style of the font, it will just wrap around the shape.

I think GIMP is able to make really odd shaped boxes with curves and such also. What are my options?

The shape I made with the XX's doesn't show up correctly, yet if you hit reply, you do see it in the quoted text in the correct shape. What I'm wanting to do is a shape like an upside down capital L

It is possible in Gimp but mightily tedious. Simple regular shapes not too difficult, get into filling complex shapes, outlines of animals etc and it becomes a PITA.

For a simple shape. Have your text prepared and copied in some sort of text editor or if you want you can type into Gimp.

1. Use the text editor option to draw an empty text box to encompass the shape. shot 1

2. Paste (or type) the text into the text editor. shot 2

3. Go into the on-canvas text tool and pad out with spaces or break lines with a carriage return (enter key). shot 3

Of course the tool to use is something like vector editor Inkscape which has a text-flow-into-frame tool. https://i.imgur.com/zwusTd6.jpg

Saved as a svg and imported as a layer into Gimp. https://i.imgur.com/OjdHjwM.jpg

I guess I'm not understanding some other steps you're taking. Sorry to be such a newbie. To clarify exactly what I'm trying to do here's a PNG image to see what I have. I created this by using the spacebar and breaking lines with enter. Now I need to increase the font size and it throws off everything. With this new text box I'm hoping to create, I assume I can change the text size and font without having to redo all the spacebars, etc.

In your example, I checked use text editor and the box popped up and then I moved my mouse to the upper left edge and started drawing a rectangle on the canvas. it doesn't look like your image with the indentations. In pic #1. What did I do wrong? I then needed to use the Zoom tool and change back to the text tool and choose use text editor.

I pasted the text in the floating text editor box. I'm confused as to when I need to actually work inside that floating text box and when I need to actually work with the text on the on canvas text box. I've had trouble with the text being way too small at 18, so I had to raise it to 29. I did this on canvas.

Do I pad out with spaces and use enter inside the on canvas text box? How does that freeze the borders of that box, so when I increase the font it'll all stay inside? I would appreciate if you could clarify a little more, sorry to be a PITA.

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Wrong assumption. Gimp is not a word processor

There is no easy way with Gimp it is a bitmap editor not a universal graphics tool.

I thought the old text tool might make things easier for you, obviously not. So forget that.

I am using Gimp 2.10.2 so little bits like the text box handles (little squares in the corners) look different but the operation is the same.

Draw the text box, paste the text in. If the length of the text is too large with the set font size, there is no easy way. Reduce the size of the font, **start again**.

Your inverted L is actually easier than most.

Paste the text in

Set the justification to filled.

Go to the start of each line in turn and use the TAB key to indent the text. Just keep tapping TAB until the text moves. Should not be any need to use Enter to break a line.

That is about the best I can advise. While you can do this in Gimp, the correct tool for the job is the freeware DTP application Scribus.

Thanks for all the great advise. Since this was a pretty simple shape, I decided to just make 2 text boxes. In this situation it ended up being quicker, simpler, and I can adjust the font size without things going haywire. It's always nice to see if there's better approach, but low tech seemed to be best for this one for me this time.