Now that we have a layered image, we need to save our work. To get the most from GIMP, it's a prudent idea to save our work in the GIMP's very own xcf format. We can do this by going to File, choosing Save and looking carefully at the Save Image window that appears. If we click on the + sign next to Select File Type (GIMP XCF image) another window opens. We'll click on GIMP XCF image like so:



Doing this allows us to save our image as a GIMP image, with layers intact. We're doing this in case we ever want or need to edit, add to, or refine the layer work we did. We know that even if we think we'll never have to tinker with an image again, sometime, somewhere, the need will arise. Having wisely saved our layered image as an xcf file, we can repeat the process again, choosing gif or jpeg as a final format for our image.



We'll get this ominous-looking warning but it isn't anything to fret over. All we have to do is click the Export button.



A Save as JPEG window opens. All we have to do now is click OK. That's it! Our multi-layered image is compressed into a one-layered image and our work is complete!

jg