Resources for Learning to use GIMP

What is GIMP?

GIMP is a freeware image manipulation program. It provides a set of powerful features, and is a good alternative to Photoshop.

The latest major release number for GIMP is 2.10.

Ungrouping the tools in the toolbox

The Windows version of GIMP 2.10 defaults to using "grouped" tools in the toolbox, modelled after the behaviour of Photoshop (see image below).

Image of "grouped" tools in GIMP toolbox

The video tutorials listed below were either prepared using earlier versions of GIMP, or the tutor had changed their toolbox to not use grouped tools before they started on their tutorial (but didn't mention that they'd done so).

The grouped tools makes finding the right tool much harder (and slower). Ungrouping the tools make things much easier.

  1. Select "Preferences..." from the "Edit" menu.
    Image of GIMP "Edit" menu
  2. The "Preferences" dialog box will appear.
    Image of "Preferences" dialog box
  3. From the list on the left-hand side (see image above), select the "Toolbox" option under"Interface".
  4. The right-hand side of the box will change to the collection of "Toolbox" settings you can change (see image above). You'll see that the "Use tool groups" option is checked. Uncheck the box, and click on the "OK" button at lower-right to close the dialog box.
  5. The toolbox will now expand to show you all of the tools.
    Image of expanded Toolbox

Gimp Overview

This video from Davies MediaDesign provides a good overview of all of the features and tools in GIMP 2.10. Please note that the presenter has turned off the tool-grouping feature (see above).

Useful points within the video:

Gimp Lessons

The following set of GIMP tutorials produced by TJFREE provide a more detailed introduction to many of the tools in GIMP.

The following set of GIMP tutorials produced by Davies Media Design provide a more detailed introduction to some more of the tools in GIMP.

Customizing the GIMP interface

GIMP has a highly-customizable interface layout, and it is possible to store multiple layouts (Photoshop refers to a saved layout as a "Workspace"). The following video, from Davies MediaDesign, shows how to change the layout of GIMP 2.10 to more closely resemble the layout of Adobe Photoshop. Feel free to watch it now, but don't make any changes to your layout in GIMP 2.10 until you've read the instructions below the video.

Storing different GIMP layouts requires the use of GIMP sessions. Each session is stored in an individual session file in GIMP's Application Data folder.

Using GIMP Sessions in Windows

GIMP 2.10 stores its application data in the folder %appdata%\GIMP\2.10\.

The default session file for GIMP 2.10 is %appdata%\GIMP\2.10\sessionrc. GIMP 2.10 will use this session file unless you tell it to use a different session file.

Let's assume we want to create a session with a layout similar to Photoshop.

  1. Start by making sure that GIMP isn't running.
  2. Open a File Explorer window, and enter %appdata%\GIMP\2.10\ in the address bar, and hit return. The address will change to something like <your user name> > AppData > Roaming > GIMP > 2.10 This is expected behaviour, %appdata% is a built-in shortcut to help you get there.
  3. Make a copy of sessionrc, and rename it sessionrc.photoshop
  4. Right-click on your desktop, and choose New -> Shortcut
  5. The Create Shortcut dialog box will appear, asking you What item would you like to create a shortcut for?.
  6. In the box labeled Type the location of the item:, enter
    "C:\Program Files\GIMP 2\bin\gimp-2.10.exe" --session photoshop
    (the double quotes are important), and click on the Next button.
  7. The Create Shortcut dialog box will change, and ask you What would you like to name the shortcut?
  8. In the labeled Type a name for this shortcut:, enter
    gimp-photoshop
    and click on the Finish button.
  9. You will now have a new shortcut on your desktop.
  10. Double-click the shortcut. This will launch GIMP, using your newly-created sessionrc.photoshop file as the layout settings. To check that this has worked, quit GIMP, and look at the file modification date for sessionrc.photoshop. It should be the date and time you just closed GIMP.

Using GIMP Sessions on a Mac

GIMP 2.10 on a Mac stores its application data in ~/Library/Application Support/Gimp/2.10

The default session file for GIMP 2.10 on a Mac is ~/Library/Application Support/Gimp/2.10/sessionrc. GIMP 2.10 will use this session file unless you tell it to use a different session file.

Let's assume we want to create a session with a layout similar to Photoshop.

To use a different GIMP session on a Mac, you need to use the command line.

  1. Make sure GIMP is not running.
  2. Open the Terminal app.
  3. Type
    cd ~/Library/Application\ Data/Gimp/2.10
    and hit return.
  4. Type
    cp -Rp sessionrc sessionrc.photoshop
    and hit return.
  5. Every time you want to run GIMP using this "photoshop" session, you'll need to open the Terminal app and type

    open GIMP --args --session photoshop

    and hit return.

Useful GIMP documentation