GIMP facts for kids
The GNU Image Manipulation Program, often called GIMP (pronounced "GHIMP"), is a free computer program for editing images. You can use it to change photos, draw freely, and convert images between different file types. It's like a digital art studio where you can fix pictures, add cool effects, or create new artwork from scratch.
GIMP is a free and open-source program. This means anyone can use it, share it, and even look at or change its code. It works on many computer systems, including Linux, macOS, and Microsoft Windows.
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The Story of GIMP
In 1995, two students named Spencer Kimball and Peter Mattis started creating GIMP. It was a project for their university class at the University of California, Berkeley. Back then, it was called the General Image Manipulation Program. The name "GIMP" actually came from a movie scene!
The first public version of GIMP came out in 1996. People quickly started using it, and a community of users and developers grew. They shared tips, created tutorials, and helped each other learn how to use the program.
A year later, Kimball and Mattis met Richard Stallman, who created the GNU Project. They asked if they could change "General" in the program's name to "GNU." Stallman agreed, and GIMP became part of the GNU software collection.
At first, GIMP only worked on Unix-like systems, such as Linux. But soon, it was made to work on other systems too, like Microsoft Windows (in 1997) and macOS.
Meet Wilber, the Mascot
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GIMP has a cool mascot named Wilber! He was designed by Tuomas Kuosmanen in 1997 using GIMP itself. Other GIMP developers have even made extra accessories for Wilber, which you can find in something called the Wilber Construction Kit.
How GIMP is Developed
GIMP is mainly built by volunteers. They work together as part of the GNU and GNOME projects. All the work happens openly, with discussions on public mailing lists and chat channels.
When new features are created, they are tested in separate parts of the code. They only get added to the main program when the GIMP team is sure they won't cause problems. This means some features might take a while to appear in the official GIMP versions.
GIMP is released as source code, which is like the raw instructions for the program. Then, other people create easy-to-install versions for different operating systems.
GIMP uses a special numbering system for its versions, like 2.10.38. The numbers tell you if it's a big new update, a new feature release, or just a bug fix.
Some new features in GIMP have come from students working on projects for the Google Summer of Code (GSoC). This program helps students contribute to open-source projects. For example, tools like the healing brush and perspective clone were created through GSoC.
The GIMP team is currently working on a big new version, GIMP 3.0. This update will bring many improvements, like better support for modern screens and drawing tablets.
Getting GIMP
GIMP works on many computer systems, including Linux, macOS, and Microsoft Windows. Many Linux systems, like Fedora Linux and Debian, even include GIMP when you install them.
You can download GIMP directly from its official website. In 2022, GIMP also became available on the Microsoft Store for Windows users.
What People Think of GIMP
Many people have reviewed GIMP and think it's a great program. Some say that if you take the time to learn it, GIMP can be a very powerful tool for editing images.
GIMP is often compared to other popular image editing software like Adobe Photoshop. Many see it as a strong free alternative.
For example, an independent video game developer named Timothy Courtney used GIMP to create almost all the art for his game, Lucas the Game. He said GIMP is a powerful tool that can handle big professional projects.
Newer versions of GIMP have made the program easier to use. For instance, the "single-window mode" makes the workspace feel cleaner and less cluttered.
While GIMP might not have every single feature of more expensive programs, it has improved a lot over the years. It's a great choice for anyone who wants a powerful image editor without spending money.
Cool GIMP Features
GIMP has many tools for editing images. You can find these tools in the toolbox, menus, and special windows. They include things like filters, brushes, and tools for moving, selecting, and changing parts of your image.
GIMP aims to have similar features to other big image editing programs, but it has its own unique way of doing things.
Picking Colors
You can choose colors in GIMP in many ways. You can use color palettes, color pickers, or even an eyedropper tool to grab a color directly from your image. GIMP supports different ways to describe colors, like RGB (Red, Green, Blue) and CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black). You can also create smooth color changes using the Blend tool, which applies a gradient to your image.
Selections and Paths
GIMP has many tools to select parts of an image. You can select squares, circles, or draw freehand selections. There's also a "magic wand" tool that selects areas of similar colors. For more advanced selections, you can use the "scissors select" tool, which helps you select around objects with clear edges.
The Paths Tool lets you create special lines called vectors. You can use these paths to make very precise selections, even around curvy shapes. You can also "stroke" these paths with brushes or patterns to create unique lines.
Editing Your Images
GIMP has many tools for editing. Common tools include:
- Paint brush, pencil, airbrush, eraser, and ink tools: These help you create new pixels or blend existing ones.
- Bucket Fill tool: Fills a selected area with a color or pattern.
- Blend tool: Fills a selection with a smooth color gradient.
GIMP also has "smart" tools that use clever math to do complex tasks:
- Clone tool: Copies pixels from one area to another using a brush.
- Healing brush: Copies pixels and also fixes the tone and color to blend perfectly.
- Perspective clone tool: Similar to the clone tool, but it adjusts for changes in distance, making things look right in perspective.
- Blur and sharpen tools: Make parts of your image blurry or sharper.
- Smudge tool: Gently smears pixels, like finger painting.
- Dodge and burn tool: A brush that makes parts of your image lighter (dodge) or darker (burn).
Layers and Channels
When you edit an image in GIMP, it can have many layers, stacked on top of each other. Think of each layer as a clear sheet of plastic. You can draw or place things on each sheet, and then stack them up to create your final image. This lets you edit different parts of your image without affecting others.
Each layer has different "channels" that hold color information (like red, green, and blue). There's also an "alpha channel" or layer mask, which controls how transparent or visible a part of the layer is. You can also add text layers and change them in many ways.
Automation and Plug-ins
GIMP comes with about 150 standard effects and filters, like "Drop Shadow" or "Motion Blur."
You can also make GIMP do tasks automatically using special scripts. These scripts can be written in languages like Python. You can also add new features to GIMP by installing "plug-ins." These are like mini-programs that add extra tools or effects. For example, the GIMP Animation Package (GAP) is a plug-in that helps you create animations.
There are also tools for sharpening and blurring images. The "unsharp mask" tool is great for making photos look sharper in just the right places.
GEGL and CTX
The Generic Graphics Library (GEGL) is a part of GIMP that helps it handle colors better. It means GIMP can work with more detailed color information, so your edits look smoother. When GEGL is fully used, GIMP will be even better at handling colors and making non-destructive edits (edits you can easily undo or change later).
CTX is a new tool in GIMP 3.0 that helps draw vector graphics (images made of math, not pixels).
File Formats
GIMP can open and save images in many different file formats. GIMP's own special format is called XCF. This format saves all the information about your image, including all its layers and settings.
GIMP can open and save common image types like BMP, JPEG, PNG, GIF, and TIFF. It can also work with files from other programs like Adobe Photoshop. You can even open PDF documents and raw image files from digital cameras.
Different Versions of GIMP
Because GIMP is free and open-source, people can take its code and create their own versions or "forks." These versions might have different features or look a bit different. Here are a few examples:
- CinePaint: This version of GIMP is used in the film industry for editing movies frame by frame.
- GIMP Portable: This is a version of GIMP that you can run from a USB drive on Windows computers.
- GIMPshop: This version tried to make GIMP look and feel more like Adobe Photoshop.
- GimPhoto: Another version that aims to have a Photoshop-like look.
- Glimpse: This was a version of GIMP started because the word "gimp" can also be used in a hurtful way.
Add-ons for GIMP
You can make GIMP even more powerful by adding "plugins" or "extensions." These are extra programs that give GIMP new abilities. Some popular ones include:
- GIMP Animation Package (GAP): An official plugin for making cool animations. You can save these animations as GIFs or AVI videos.
- Resynthesizer: This plugin can intelligently fill in missing parts of an image, like removing an object and having GIMP guess what should be behind it.
- G'MIC: This adds many more image filters and effects to GIMP.
Images for kids
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Animation showing three docked and tabbed dialogs: layers, channels, and paths
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An image showing the Droste effect created using a GIMP plugin.
See also
In Spanish: GIMP para niños
