{"id":10495,"date":"2025-05-05T01:01:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-05T05:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.both.org\/?p=10495"},"modified":"2025-05-01T21:37:25","modified_gmt":"2025-05-02T01:37:25","slug":"gimp-the-free-photoshop-alternative","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.both.org\/?p=10495","title":{"rendered":"GIMP: the free Photoshop alternative"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\r\n \r\n <\/i>\r\n <\/a>\r\n 1 <\/span>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n

The GNU Image Manipulation Program, the acronymous, free drawing program, is often also named as the<\/em> free Photoshop alternative: GIMP. I\u2019ve used it since 2009. Should you?

I often hear comparisons drawn between the two software, wondering: Could it ever replace Adobe Creative Suite? And, well, the answer is no. GIMP is just one program, and fairly different from both Illustrator or Photoshop in it\u2019s own right. Yes, GIMP is no Photoshop clone. Why should it be?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GIMP is something else entirely, with it\u2019s own history. It\u2019s own design. It\u2019s own way of doing things. The interface? Extremely customizable. You can drag and drop windows, rearrange tools, pop dialogs in and out, install new plugins made by and for the GIMP community. The brushes, filters, and tools are flexible, like any good artist is these days. You can script it, tweak it, break it, fix it\u2026 That freedom is what makes GIMP so uniquely useful. It\u2019s why, despite the changes of many years, my growth as an artist, it\u2019s remained a consistent part of my workflow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve switched operating systems more times than I can remember. Windows. Linux. GNOME. XFCE. One monitor. Two monitors, even three. Bamboo. Wacom Pro. No tablet. Yeah, I\u2019ve even used a mouse to draw in GIMP when that was all I had! But no matter the hardware or my OS, GIMP always remained among the first programs I installed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not just about comfort, although I do find the program nostalgic in a way. It\u2019s about trust. And I know what GIMP can do, where it falls short, where it\u2019s got it\u2019s quirks. And I\u2019ve learned to work with it, not against it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Getting Started With GIMP (If You\u2019re New)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You can install GIMP right now, for free. Go to GIMP.org<\/strong><\/a>. Download 3.0.2 (newest version at the time this article was written).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Image by Aster Rose: CC-by-SA 4.0: The default GIMP interface. Click to enlarge.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Welcome to GIMP 3.0! The new loading screen in 3.0 has a lovely sunset. Toolbox to left, tool options just below (very important!). Canvas in the center. Brushes and layers to the left. Note the green bell pepper. Why? I love it. That\u2019s all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, I have my own preferred flow and setup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Image by Aster Rose: CC-by-SA 4.0: My personalized GIMP interface. Click to enlarge.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I like having all the tools to the right (Red & Blue in the image). Layers up top along with channels and paths (Green & Magenta). There\u2019s unique keybindings for most of these tools, but they\u2019re also entirely customizable if you prefer something more familiar. There\u2019s even custom themes; I use the legacy icon theme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since I don\u2019t have easy access to a keyboard while drawing, I just tap the icons. I\u2019ve got their location on my screen stored in muscle memory at this point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GIMP might look messy if you\u2019re used to something else. That\u2019s okay! You can clean it up or change it however you want. Messing around with it is a part of the learning process. Go to the Main Menu along the top (in Gold) and then Windows > Reset Saved Window Positions if things get weird. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your First Canvas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The time is nigh. Hold Ctrl + N (Or go to File > New\u2026).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I use small image sizes because I have a particular lo-fi aesthetic I like to adhere to, so let\u2019s make it 1000×1000. I use 300 DPI for print. GIMP still doesn\u2019t have a full CYMK colorspace but there\u2019s still some new support in 3.0, if that\u2019s your plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Select a Paintbrush. Choose a brush shape. I personally use the default GIMP chalk brush for almost everything (with some custom brush settings). You might need to adjust your tablet\u2019s dynamics and make sure you\u2019ve go the settings all right for your model. But if you\u2019re using a mouse, you\u2019re good to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To change brushes, you have one of two options. There’s a dockable brush dialog, available by default, or you can go through the tool options menu and select new brushes, such as the green pepper brush, or GIMP’s very own Wilber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Image by Aster Rose: CC-by-SA 4.0: Selecting a brush — in this image, the GreenPepper brush is selected. Click to enlarge.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Layer Upon Layer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Everything I do in GIMP involved layers. Sketching. Line art. Colors. And additional texture, lighting, or shading. You group them. Mask \u2018em. Blend \u2018em. Want shadows? Make a new layer, play around with layer modes like Darken Only and Multiply. Highlights use the same principle just with Lighten Only, Overlay, or Soft light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, you should probably learn a bit about color theory before going straight into layer modes for all your coloring needs\u2026 but that\u2019s outside the intended purpose of this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Save your work frequently<\/em>. CTRL + S. Look, GIMP doesn\u2019t crash that much, but it can. Any program can crash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gimp\u2019s native file extension is XCF. It saves all the image information, including layers, paths, and anything else you might want when you come back to edit a file. Export your image to PNG when you\u2019re done or want to share it. Or just CTRL + C and CTRL + V into straight into Discord like I do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why I still use GIMP<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • It\u2019s lightweight. I\u2019ve used it on old laptops that couldn\u2019t do Photoshop.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • It\u2019s free and open source. No licensing required.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • It\u2019s adaptable. The interface, the shortcuts, the tools\u2026 Do as you will.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • It works across systems. Perfect for Linux and Windows. I\u2019ve never used Mac so I can\u2019t speak for it there.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • It\u2019s versatile; you can add to it. Brushes, themes, plug-ins, scripts\u2014 You can even animate in it (I have!)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • There\u2019s more to come. GIMP 3.0 is fast. More stable The UI is cleaner, and the tablet input is improved. It even supports multi-threading! There\u2019s non-destructive layer editing now, and more support for CYMK than before.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    It\u2019s still not perfect. And you will struggle with it coming from something like Adobe. There\u2019s still not a native CYMK colorspace. While the brush engine is good, it\u2019s still behind ClipStudio or Krita. The non-destructive layer editing is still limited. The UI can still be confusing to beginners and there\u2019s a learning curve for sure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I\u2019ve learned that, as an adult, sometimes, you have to adjust expectations. It\u2019s okay to feel like GIMP doesn\u2019t do it all. After all, Adobe Suite has how many programs\u2026? But GIMP is good. It\u2019s even great. If I\u2019ve learned anything as a self-taught gremlin artist is, sometimes, you have to break it before you make it. The program. Hopefully, nothing physical or emotional\u2014 that\u2019s tougher to fix. But what\u2019s community for?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    GIMP has a varied, creative, and dedicated user-base of creators and supporters. And when programs are free and open-source, anyone is included, if they want to be. That\u2019s what\u2019s great about GIMP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    GIMP gave me a way into digital art when I couldn\u2019t afford anything else, when I was still just a kid! And after all this time, it\u2019s stuck with me. Not just out of habit, but because it does the job and because I believe in what it stands for. GIMP proves you can be different and make good work. Any artist knows it\u2019s not just the tools you use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you\u2019re just starting out or just looking for something different, try it. Learn it at your own pace. You might be surprised by how far it can take you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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