GIMP for Windows
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GIMP for Windows Editor's Review
Amidst the multitude of image editing apps available, there are a few underdogs that have not exactly been showered with the same adulation and fame given to their popular contenders. As far as image editing and retouching goes, a majority of designers, artists and web development professionals swear by Photoshop, Adobe’s powerhouse multifaceted application. Corel is usually close on heels of Adobe and commands a significant fan following, too. Amidst all these industry bigwigs it is easy for the mass to overlook worthy Open Source contenders and exactly that is the case with GIMP.
GIMP, the abbreviation of GNU Image Manipulation Program, has largely been used by Linux users and Open Source enthusiasts, despite its availability for Windows platforms for a long time. The latest stable iteration of GIMP, which was in the making since 2008, is now available for download and use by all. The new version introduces a number of improvements including a much needed change in interface. The developers have incorporated features that aim to improve learning ease and put it on par with expensive rivals.
GIMP for Windows has a download size of 85 MB, a footprint that is frugal compared to more mainstream image editing apps. It will run on Windows XP and later versions and the company now offers iteration for Mac OS X users as well. Unlike older versions, you need not install any program library to use GIMP. It requires a single file installation which is saving time and convenient.
The biggest and much needed change lies in the interface of GIMP. Users of previous versions, especially those used to Windows image editing apps, always complained of feeling weird and uncomfortable dealing with GIMP’s multiple floating palettes. For them, the new single window mode is a welcome relief and undeniably, it makes GIMP interface look uncluttered and professional. The palettes are docked to the interface’s left and right sides. While the main tool palette is at left upper end of the app’s interface, you can alter other palette locations. This enables users to customize app interface as per their needs.
One gripe with single window mode is that GIMP does not run in it by default and you have to enable it from Windows menu. Users cannot view several images simultaneously, which is a limitation. Thankfully, GIMP remembers your choice and once you switch to single window mode the application opens next times in this mode. To enhance usability of GIMP, the developers have simplified saving and exporting options. When you choose save, GIMP’s default XCF format is what you get. For export, you can pick from a plethora of file formats. This simplifies workflow, and you can keep one file in native GIMP format while using exported ones for numerous purposes.
Those who are into making collages or working on files that need several layers will appreciate the app’s nested layer group support. It was introduced in Photoshop quite some time back. This is ideal for working in heavy files with lots of layers. With new group layer feature, users can choose to hide some layers while working or delete and duplicate layers without making the overall structure chaotic.
GIMP’s inclusion of canvas-based text editing has also drawn applause from users and industry veterans. You can now type on top of images instead of using a separate text editor window. However, you still need to highlight the text to make any formatting change even though the text box is active.
While GIMP did have a good set of brushes, this version adds rotation. You can adjust angle and tilt amount for a brush. Brush organization feature has also been improved significantly. Besides, the Brushes have outline of canvas area that will be covered which makes painting more precise and simpler. The developers have added a handful of new brushes with this version as well.
There are some designers and artists who love creating weird looking images and cartoonish artwork. For them, GIMP’s new Cage Transform tool will be just perfect. It basically allows you to warp a selected part of any layer. It is more functional and user friendly than the IWarp filter, used by many veteran GIMP users.
Positive Points:
- Single Window mode, eliminates hassle of switching between floating windows.
- Improved canvas text editor.
- Nested Layer groups ensure better organization capability.
- Improved Brush tools.
- Single File installation, eliminates need to install add-ons.
- Innovative Cage Transform tool.
Negative Points:
- Single Window mode not enabled by default.
- Text needs to be highlighted for formatting.
- Interface still not as intuitive as that of rival apps.
Conclusion:
This was a much awaited release for GIMP and the biggest question is- should you upgrade? Truth be told, there are only few reasons not to try this feature rich, user friendly new release. For many users, the Single Window mode is the most important reason to switch to GIMP! The improved text editor and enhanced brush palette are moves in the right direction. Small improvements like a single installer, nested layer groups, segregation of save and export only make the deal sweeter for you. On top of it all, GIMP comes for free, even with all these enhancements. So, designers and image editors who can do without 3D features of Photoshop and do not have deep pockets, can opt for this Open Source versatile image editor. The improvements in the newest version GIMP are big enough to overshadow a few existing quirks.
Rating: 4.5/5
GIMP for Windows Publisher's Description
The Gimp is the open source reference in image manipulation. This free application will allow you to retouch, author and edit your photos thanks to a wide set of tools.
Let's quickly go through what you can do with the Gimp. The painting function has the essential clone, airbrush or pencil tools and a powerful gradient and blend tool. You can also create and save your own brushes and patterns for later use. The program lets you manipulate your photos, adding layers, doing Bezier and polygonal selections or setting text. Load and save animations in a frame-as-layer format and batch process all your photos for quick editing. The multi-windowed interface can be moved around to fit your needs and resized according to your desktop space.
While the Gimp is user friendly, the installation process can result a bit hairy. Because the application works under the GTK Runtime Environment, you will have to install this kit to successfully launch the program. The process is fairly lengthy and some error messages tend to pop up, however if you persist, you will be able to install the Gimp properly on your PC
Despite this fairly hazardous installation process, the Gimp is a program we recommend. Whether you're out of dough or are looking for a free alternative to Photoshop, the Gimp is excellent image manipulation software with all the tools you'd expect. The friendly interface and expandability make this a program of choice.
Features:
Painting:
· Full suite of painting tools including Brush, Pencil, Airbrush, Clone,
· etc.
· Sub-pixel sampling for all paint tools for high quality anti-aliasing
· Extremely powerful gradient editor and blend tool
· Supports custom brushes and patterns
System:
· Tile based memory management so image size is limited only by available disk space
· Virtually unlimited number of images open at one time
Advanced Manipulation:
· Full alpha channel support
· Layers and channels
· Multiple Undo/Redo (limited only by diskspace)
· Editable text layers
· Transformation tools including rotate, scale, shear and flip
· Selection tools including rectangle, ellipse, free, fuzzy and intelligent
· Advanced path tool doing bezier and polygonal selections.
· Transformable paths, transformable selections.
· Quickmask to paint a selection.
Extensible:
· A Procedural Database for calling internal GIMP functions from
· external programs as in Script-fu
· Advanced scripting capabilities (Scheme, Python, Perl)
· Plug-ins which allow for the easy addition of new file formats and new
· effect filters
· Over 100 plug-ins already available
Animation:
· Load and save animations in a convenient frame-as-layer format
· MNG support
· Frame Navigator (in GAP, the GIMP Animation Package)
· Onion Skin (in GAP, the GIMP Animation Package)
· Bluebox (in GAP, the GIMP Animation Package)
File Handling:
· File formats supported include bmp, gif, jpeg, mng, pcx, pdf, png, ps, psd, svg, tiff, tga, xpm, and many others
· Load, display, convert, save to many file formats
· SVG path import/export
Free download from Shareware Connection - The Gimp is the open source reference in image manipulation
Version: 2. 8. 2000 | Size: 74752 KB | Platform: WinOther
Released Date: 15-05-2012 | Rating: 5 | Title: GIMP for Windows
Author Url: http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/
Program Info Url: http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/
Download Url: http://sourceforge.net/projects/gimp-win/files/GIMP%20%2B%20GTK%2B%20%28stable%20release%29/GIMP%202.8.0/gimp-2.8.0-i686-dev.7z/download
Screenshot Url: http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/images/gimp26.png
GIMP Help 2 - The Gimp is the open source reference in image manipulation
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