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10
Manipulating Graphics with The
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GIMP
The GIMP (The GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a program for creating and editing pixel
graphics. In most aspects, its features are comparable to those of Adobe Photoshop and other
commercial programs. Use it to resize and retouch photographs, design graphics for Web pages,
make covers for your custom CDs, or almost any other graphics project. It meets the needs of both
amateurs and professionals.
Like many other Linux programs, The GIMP is developed as a cooperative effort of developers
worldwide who volunteer their time and code to the project. The program is under constant
development, so the version included in your system may vary slightly from the version discussed
here. The layout of the individual windows and window sections is especially likely to vary.
The GIMP is an extremely complex program. Only a small range of features, tools, and menu items
are discussed in this chapter. See
"For More Information" on page 139
for ideas of where to find
more information about the program.
10.1 Graphics Formats
There are two main formats for graphics—pixel and vector. The GIMP works only with pixel
graphics, which is the normal format for photographs and scanned images. Pixel graphics consist of
small blocks of color that together create the entire image. The files can easily become quite large
because of this. It is also not possible to increase the size of a pixel image without losing quality.
Unlike pixel graphics, vector graphics do not store information for all individual pixels. Instead,
they store information about how image points, lines, or areas are grouped together. Vector images
can also be scaled very easily. The drawing application of OpenOffice.org, for example, uses this
format.
10.2 Starting GIMP
Start GIMP from the main menu. Alternatively, enter gimp & in a command line.
10.2.1 Initial Configuration
When starting GIMP for the first time, a configuration wizard opens for preparatory configuration.
The default settings are acceptable for most purposes. Press Continue in each dialog unless you are
familiar with the settings and prefer another setup.
10.2.2 The Default Windows
Three windows appear by default. They can be arranged on the screen and, except the toolbox,
closed if no longer needed. Closing the toolbox closes the application. In the default configuration,
GIMP saves your window layout when you exit. Dialogs left open reappear when you next start the
program.
Manipulating Graphics with The GIMP
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