GIMP

OVERVIEW

• GIMP is an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program. (Formally General Image Manipulation Program)
• Freely distributed program that anyone can download (available for both Mac and Windows)
• Downloaded at www.gimp.org.
• Useful for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition and image authoring.
• Image editing tasks such as resizing, editing, and cropping photos, photomontages combining multiple images, and converting between different image formats.
• There is now a more stable version of GIMP available for download (Release date: February 5, 2012) 

FEATURES

• Image Editing
• Common tools include a clone and healing tool, paint brush, pencil, airbrush, eraser and ink tools used to create new or blended pixels
•  Layers, layer masks and channels
• An image being edited in GIMP can consist of many layers sitting in a stack and each layer of any image is made up of channels.
• Color 
• Color Selections though palettes, color choosers, eyedropper tool

• Selections and paths 

o   Include a rectangular and circular selection tool, free select tool, and fuzzy select tool (also known as magic wand), etc.

GIMP VERUS PHOTOSHOP

• Similar to Photoshop
• Basic photo editing commands and tools – Crop, Rotate, retouch, filters and special effects
• Expandable – Used with other plugins
• Limitations relative to Photoshop Extended
• Unique Features - 3D image editing, Video animation automated
• Bridge – Image browser that organizes images during import
• Major Difference in the GUI Layout
• Workspaces
• Photoshop – One solid window. When you move the whole program, the dialog and toolbox move with program
• GIMP – MDI (Multiple Document Interface) – Meaning dialogs and components of the interface stand alone
• Camera RAW support in photoshop
• GIMP over Photoshop
• Specialty commands such as keyboard shortcuts
• Cost – GIMP is free
• Open Source vs Photoshop ran by corporation

Example:

Alter Ego portrait using layer mask and photomanipulation via GIMP 

Before

After