The more advanced methods are these:

<?php
  scale
(GdkPixbuf     $dest,
        
int           $dest_x,
        
int           $dest_y,
        
int           $dest_width,
        
int           $dest_height,
        
double        $offset_x,
        
double        $offset_y,
        
double        $scale_x,
        
double        $scale_y,
        
GdkInterpType $interp_type)

  
composite(GdkPixbuf     $dest
            
int           $dest_x
            
int           $dest_y,
            
int           $dest_width,
            
int           $dest_height
            
double        $offset_x,
            
double        $offset_y,
            
double        $scale_x,
            
double        $scale_y
            
GdkInterpType $interp_type,
            
int           $overall_alpha)

  
composite_color(GdkPixbuf     $dest,
                  
int           $dest_x,
                  
int           $dest_y,
                  
int           $dest_width,
                  
int           $dest_height,
                  
double        $offset_x,
                  
double        $offset_y,
                  
double        $scale_x,
                  
double        $scale_y,
                  
GdkInterpType $interp_type,
                  
int           $overall_alpha,
                  
int           $check_x,
                  
int           $check_y,
                  
int           $check_size,
                  
int           $color1,
                  
int           $color2)
?>
The parameters for these methods are very similar. Both scale() and composite() creates a transformation of the source image by scaling by $scale_x and $scale_y then translating by $offset_x and $offset_y, then rendering the rectangle ($dest_x, $dest_y, $dest_width, $dest_height) of the resulting image onto the destination image replacing the previous contents. The composite() method has an additional $overall_alpha parameter specifying the transparency of the source image when it's composited.

The composite_color() is one monster method that can be used to replace all the methods seen so far.