Free Software for manipulation

[Rob Powell]

Can anyone recommend any free software that is good for manipulating images. I am looking to be able to added animated characters and merge two of three photos together or create a montage. This is the general ideas I have that I want to play around with.

Ta.
Rob

 

[Overread17 5]

GIMP is a legal freeware editing package that you can download and use. It's more fiddly than something like photoshop, but its still well featured and powerful. You can find lots of guides on how to use it dotted around the net so get a hold of it and give it a try

 

[Rob Powell]

Yeah thanks for that. There are quite a few out there and GIMP seems to be popular and receives good reviews. I wanted to check around a bit before installing it but it looking that I may run with that one.

 

[dennybeall]

I don't use it but GIMP does get a lot of positive mentions in many areas of the Forum as the tool someone uses for this or that.

 

[qleak]

GIMP - Is a decent raster editor. It's free / open source software similar to photoshop. It's different, but has been around for quite a while.

I find myself using darktable more frequently than gimp these days. It's more similar to lightroom, but is only available for linux.

UFRaw is another popular choice for raw development. It's also available for windows / mac os.

 

[Light Guru]

In my opinion the UI of GIMP is horrible. Its worth paying money for GOOD software.

 

[Gary A.]

I hear that LightZone is quite good.

 

[qleak]

In my opinion the UI of GIMP is horrible. Its worth paying money for GOOD software.

This is especially true in the newer ubuntu distributions where the programs latch their top bar to the system and there isn't an easy way to switch windows.

I find the single window mode *slightly* more palatable.

 

[480sparky41 40]

....... I am looking to be able to added animated characters.........

Are you wanting to make animated .GIFs?

 

[KmH]

Add PhotoScape : Free Photo Editing Software (Photo Editor) Download to the list of free, open source raster image editing applications that are available.
To make animated characters you may also want a free, open source vector image editing application. If so see Home | Inkscape

 

[Rob Powell]

Maybe in it's simplest form have Bugs Bunny sitting next to a real life image. But not animated in that they would be moving!

 

[Rob Powell]

Thanks you all for the advice. I have downloaded GIMP and am going to have a play with that and see what I can achieve.