48 | MAXIMUMPC | DEC 08 | http://www.maximumpc.com
PICTURE
PERFECT
Getting to Know GIMP
It takes mere minutes to orient yourself to
the application’s interface
I
f you’re used to Photoshop, and
Windows applications in general,
loading GIMP may throw you at
fi rst. Rather than a self-contained appli-
cation window, GIMP starts up with just
a minimalist sidebar; it’s not until you
create a new image or load an existing
fi le that the screen is fi lled. It may be
diff erent, but GIMP is an extremely
straightforward piece of soft ware, and
the system of separated windows pre-
vents the screen from being cluttered
with confusing and unwanted tools and
interface features.
If you’re starting the program cold,
get a blank image up on the screen by
selecting File > New and then choose
the desired size/resolution template.
The left -hand pane contains a selec-
tion of tools—paintbrush, paint can,cropping tool—and controls for their
functionality. Options that alter the
picture as a whole, such as resizing and
color balancing, are controlled from the
familiar menu bar across the top of a
given canvas.
RGB color mode is the standard
format for working with images on a
computer screen. Typically, any existing
images you’re working with will al-
ready be created in this mode. To ensure
that you have the RGB option selected,
go to the Image menu above the canvas
and select Mode > RGB.
By now you should have your work
area prepared, so you can begin exercis-
ing your artistic talents and exploring the
more advanced features of this sophisti-
cated image-editing program.STEP BY STEP- DAMAGE UNDONE
GIMP boasts a more sophisticated Undo system than
most apps. Clicking Edit > Undo History brings up a list
of every change you have made to an image. - BACK IN TIME
You can click an image to bring up a thumbnail list of
changes made and double-click on the list to return the
image to its prior state.
Correcting Mistakes
INSTRUMENTAL SECTION
The Tools pane will be a
regular port of call as you
edit your images.SENSE OF SCALE
If an image is larger than your
monitor’s screen, GIMP will
intelligently zoom out, but the
rulers tell you the true scale.MAIN PANE
The main editing window is
separate from the others; while
dialogs may pop up as you use
different tools, they can always
be arranged around the work
area as you wish.LAY IT ON THICK
This box may not mean much if
you’re applying changes directly
to the image’s background, but if
you’re juggling multiple layers,
this indicates which layer you’re
working on.- INEVITABLE MISTAKES
When working on an image fi le, mistakes are, for the
most part, unavoidable. Fortunately, unlike more tradi-
tional painting, mistakes can simply be scratched from
the record.