FREE Image Manipulation Software
If you’re a small business owner / DIY website designer looking for some pretty cool and powerful image manipulation software on the cheap, like FREE, you should check out GIMP. Don’t try to figure out what it stands for, I’ll tell you – GNU Image Manipulation Program. I know, an acronym within an acronym. Not that it will mean anything to you, according to www.gnu.org, “The name ‘GNU’ is a recursive acronym for ‘GNU’s Not Unix’; it is pronounced g-noo, as one syllable with no vowel sound between the g and the n.”
Right, I’ll bet you’ve always wanted to know that!
GIMP has been around for a while. It was first released by two Berkeley students in 1996. Since then, this free open-source program has matured into a powerful image editor that makes retouching images a snap. It’s developed a fairly large user base, and it has been ported to multiple platforms, including Windows. Older versions found the user-interface to be a bit confusing but the latest release 2.6.6 [no new features, just bug fixes] continues to be well received by those on a budget.
Not a Photoshop Clone
While it was never intended to be its clone, it does does stand up well to Photoshop, especially with its use of Layers. However, if you are a seasoned Photoshop user, the first thing that will stand out is its different interface. If you’re a user of Photoshop you will need to adapt to the multiple screens and different tool placement. Stick with it though and you shouldn’t have a problem adapting over time. If you have not yet used Photoshop, then the multiple screens and were to find the tools should not be as much of an issue since you would not have had that same comparison.
Like Photoshop, GIMP has advanced color management tools, filters, uses layers and channels, and allows you to easily undo your history with the quick click of a button. GIMP makes aligning objects, layers, paths and guides effortlessly.
Here’s GIMP’s rundown of features for all user levels:
GIMP for Beginners
- GIMPLite Quickies: Beginner tutorials for some common tasks.
- Simple Floating Logo: This tutorial gives you some of the basic layer manipulation techniques. The knowledge can be applied to many many imaging projects and the logo *is* pretty cool …
- Draw On Selections Borders: Use the selection tools to draw simple or complex shapes.
- Paths (Bezier Selections): Use paths (bezier curves) like the GIMP Masters do.
- Quickmask: Use Quickmask to make a vignette of your photos.
- Red Eye Removal: Use the Channel Dialog in one method of removing red eye from photos.
GIMP for Intermediate Users
- Drawing Shapes With Paths: Make a dimensional box with paths (bezier curves) and gradients.
- Anti-Aliased Threshold: Use curves and modes to transform your photo into a pen and ink watercolor like image.
- Film Grain: Give your photos the appearence of film grain and learn about a new mode.
- Changing Background Color 1: Change the background color of your image and learn the magical properties of color2alpha.
- Changing Background Color 2: Change the background color of your image and learn the magical properties of Select By Color.
- Coloring A BW Sketch: Color sketches anime style.
- 3D Floating Logo: Another GIMP Floating Logo method, this one uses modes along with layers and select tools.
- Tileable Textures: Learn about gradients, animated brushes and how to make tileable images as well.
- Simple Animations: Learn how to work with GIMP’s layers as animation frames.
- Custom Brushes: Make custom brushes for your GIMP.
GIMP for Expert Users
- Make GIMP Image Pipes: Rank and Dimension. GIMP’s Image Pipes can do alot.
- Make GIMP Image Pipes 2: Even more options for pipe creation.
- Golden Text: Make beautiful golden text and learn about the curves dialog and other color options.
- Sketch Effect: Change your photo into a normal sketch.
- Photo To Sketch: Change your photo into a nice painting or sketch.
- Draw A Paint Brush: Put it all together and work your GIMP like the masters do.
- Creating Icons: Use GIMP to create nice icons.
- Using GAP: Learn the basics about using GAP, GIMP Animation Package.
- Advanced Animations: Learn how to make an animation with GAP.
Photo Editing with GIMP
- Color2BW: Converting Color Images to B&W.
- Selective Colorization: Convert images to black and white and restore color selectively.
- Reducing CCD Noise: Learn how to reduce the CCD Noise in photos.
- CCD Noise Removal: Use selective Gaussian blur to remove CCD Noise in photos.
- Contrast Mask: Decrease problem contrast in photos.
- Sepia Toning: Create a nice sepia photo from color images.
- Gaussian Blur Overlays: Increase saturation and add a “dreamy” feel to your photos.
- GIMP Surgery: “patch” blown out highlights in your photos.
- Blending Exposures: Increase dynamic range by combining different exposures of the same scene.
- “Smart” Sharpening: Sharpen images without making noise more noticeable.
In terms of compatibility, GIMP supports common file formats such as PSD, BMP, JPEG, GIF, TIFF, and PNG.
Support platforms include:
- GNU/Linux (i386, PPC)
- M icrosoft Windows (XP, Vista)
- Mac OS X
- Sun OpenSolaris
- FreeBSD
Additional Features:
- Nestable/dockable palettes keep your workspace streamlined and less cluttered.
- Crop Tool Guides (Rule-of-thirds, Golden Rule, etc).
- Great selection of filters, especially for a free program.
- The color picker tool allows you to pick a color from anywhere in your desktop, not just a GIMP window. (Saves the hassle of taking screenshots and importing the image into GIMP just to take a color sample!)
At the End of the Day:
It’s FREE, what more is there to say? GIMP is well worth the try if you’re looking for a snazzy image manipulation program and are not concerned that you might not have some of the more technical and sophisticated color capabilities provided by Photoshop.
To download GIMP, click here >> Download GIMP
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