GIMP

Replic

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So are there any other GIMP users out there for their photography work?
 
Does gimp offer blending modes? Like for layers and all the other ps tools that ps lets you use blending modes?

Does it offer the blending modes you can set on each layer, like drop shadow, inner shadow, inner glow, outter glow, bevel and emboss,etc?

Is there channels, calculations, curves, etc?

Im tempted to try it out on my notebook since I cant use ps cs on it. But im really use to ps cs so Ill probably find gimp annoying in some areas.
 
It offers channels, curves, layers, undo history, (what calculations, cause it does a lot and a lot of that is beyond me) blending modes? Don't know what that is but it may. Filters like bevel, emboss, shadows and such? Just as many as pshop, maybe not the same ones though.

So far I'm happy with it. still working on stuff with it all the time, plus it's completely free so... I say go for it. The biggest problem I have with it, however, is the 6mgpixel files I take get to huge file sizes real quick- you need a powerhouse like my laptop here to handle it. (1.5 ghz at least with huge files and at least 512 SDRAM like my lappy).

One immediate turn off of the GIMP is that there's no background window like PShop. Whether you consider this free floating a curse or benefit, you can't let the intitial start up (just the basic toolbar) fool you. There is a ton of stuff in this program that you just need to look for.

I guess I'm the only resident GIMPer on the forum afterall, and will answer your Q's when you try it. Since it's free, it can't hurt to try.
 
ive installed gimp *they should make it an easier process, the site at first is confusing*. I dont like the interface, im just to use to being able to hit tab to hide the pallets, and I like the ability to scroll through the blending modes with the up and down arrows, this doesnt, which was one reason why I wanted to try something new. But I do think it has a couple different blending modes that ps cs doesnt have. That or its just named differently.

Also I like a couple of the gradients, like the spiral one. I dont think ps cs can do that one, unless somone here knows something I dont. :0)

I havent seen the layer blending modes yet but I havent really looked to hard so far.
 
Give it some credit now- it IS free. As for blending modes- describe to me what it does in PS and I'll try and figure out a quick way to do it for you. I've never used it in PS so I honestly have no idea what it is.

If you have photoshop, please, keep the program. Any photoshop 6.0 and above is superior to GIMP. But if you don't want to put down the money or want a professional style graphics editing program for a low price, GIMP is for you.

I'm trying to push GIMP and a number of other Open Source programs onto our school- they spend tens of thousands of dollars on site liscences for programs open source programs can freely replace- money I'd rather see go towards books or other goodies.
 
I have ps cs on the desktop, but my notebook isnt as powerful so I cant use ps cs on it, nor do I want to pay the registration fee again for a 2nd pc. :0) I presume its the same as for 1 pc.

The blending modes are through out ps, and gimp can do the one type that I want. But with ps cs I can scroll using the arrow keys. It wouldnt be hard to program that into gimp, perhaps I should email them. :0)

The other blending mode that im talking about *may not be the right term for it* is for the layers.

In ps, if you click on say layer1 *that is not a background layer* a blending modes window will popup. In this window you have a list of options you can do to that layer.

One item is drop shadow. You can set the angle of the shadow, the distance of it, the size of it, the umm, theres another choice there. Then you can contro what type of shadow it will have, as if the edge was straight, curved, etc.

Another option is inner shadow. With this you can create a shadow in your layer. One example of this is to create a white circle on the layer, the rest of the layer is transparent. With this you can make it look 3d with the gradual lighting. Theres a couple options for a shadow that is down or up.

Another is outter shadow. This puts the shadow in the transparent part of the layer.

There is alaso bevel and emboss. If you have a yellow rectangle in the layer, the rest transparent and use this option, you can make it look like a gold bar, all points coming in towards the top. Creating a highlight and shadow parts on the sides of the brick.

I dont remember the other options from memory, I Havent really used them that much.

I think these options are more for artistic stuff in ps than for photographs. Im using the bevel and emboss, and inner shadow to create a 3d winter scene. Although I havent touched it in a while, I really should now that school assignments isnt keeping me away from it.

If the school was up to it, they could install linux or some free program like that on the school pc's, that has a windows like gui. I think most programs you need like ms office have counterparts in the linux software that is free.

Problem with ps is its industry standard, so if kids are going into the arts field, it makes sense for the school to teach them ps, not gimp.
 
But imagine this- you sign up for a photo course, of which we have one room dedicated to. They have three computers with photoshop installed. Now, when you sign up for that course, you get a copy of GIMP with it. This way students can freely continue their work at home.

After all, I find there is a small learning curve from going from PS to GIMP.

My dream is to have the school not only save thousands by switching to the open source programs but also be able to hand out instead of just a handbook at the beginning of the year (it's a planner complete with our school year, writing guides, science tips, and school rules, etc.) but also a CD of all kinds of free programs students can use to expand their creativity. I want students to have a CD so that if they become interested in art they can try GIMP and learn, if they're engineers to be they can try an open source autocad, or perhaps one of many free 3d renderers? Word processing programs are obviously for all classes, but there are many other programs that can be provided, including many scientific programs that can be used.
 
I use th GIMP and I love it. I know that there are things that PS can do, that maybe GIMP can't, but it has done everything I have needed it to do without the problems. There are some problems with it that may cause some people a little head ache ie the cumbersome installation and the constant font errors, but it is still a work in progress


and just ignore the font errors :D
 
Amen brother! Finally someone else that can help me with my GIMPy headaches (though rare, I have trouble trying to figure out how to do something in GIMP.)
 
I dont get the font errors, but my fiancee does. Apperantly if you change the font settings in your windows, itll fix that.

And a friend was saying you can get add ons to gimp to make it look and perform like ps, which would be handy.

Is there actions in gimp? I really like those in ps. :0) Makes doing routine things easier.
 
I might try it soon- I use PS at the moment but i only ever do simple things so maybe the gimp would be a good idea except what replic said kinda turned me off a bit because my computer is alreay running slow (tryed to upgrade RAM and bought the wrong kind because of a mistake on the manufactures site) Is it worth me downloadign it for a test to see if i should use it over PS?
 
It couldnt hurt..... check out http://www.gimpguru.org/
Of you use Windows, you have to install the GTK runtime environment, and then the GIMP progrm....if you use Linux, it should have already come with your distro.....
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