GIMP - Free Open Source Digital Image Editor
Product Review
I have just been re- introduced to GIMP. This is a free piece of graphic software that I once rejected because I was told it was not up to scratch, and it was a hassle to install. Well, the installation process has gotten simpler, with no need to download the GTX Runtime Environment separately. It is now extremely powerful and very easy to work with. GIMP is not just ideal for the amateur, it is now been used by pro photographers, Web designers, in fact anyone who wants to create and edit professional-quality digital images on a budget. For my money it now very close to expensive packages like Photoshop and I do not say this lightly. Best of all, similar to the way free Open Office software can accept most Microsoft files, GIMP can load most of the Photoshop PSD files and templates that are floating about out there. You can pick up a (totally) free copy of the software here http://www.gimp.org/
It was brought to my attention by Frank Haywood, that doyen of Internet Business who comes up with quite a lot of interesting leads and is well worth watching! He was promoting some videos that have been done by another contact of his Stan, which cover topics like its installation with a Guided Tour, how to remove an image object from a photograph, creating a sales page header and lots more. The video in the series that will interest visitors to this website, will be one that he has done that shows how to use GIMP to create a software box or ebook cover complete with perspective, reflections and shadows. You could quickly master this and save a lot of time and money producing examples for your own books or even charge others for the service.
He explains it so simply and elegantly that I have no hesitation in recommending these. I was going to hang about a bit and see if he was going to offer some sort of affiliate deal. But I just could not wait to let you know about this. I bought a set and they are so useful, he deserves to have the customers pointed his way.
If you seriously cannot afford products like Adobe Photoshop Elements 2 and Jasc's Paint Shop Pro 8 (both of which are available for less than $100) then do not despair. You can always download and use the FREE digital photo editing program,GIMP.
Once it was one of the internets best kept secrets, used mainly by Linux and Unix users BUT the latest version installs painlessly on Windows XP and runs just as well as it does on Linux.
Among its many features are the abilities to Resize and crop photos, change colors, remove unwanted image features. It has a wide variety of brushes, colors and painting tools, gradients and gradient fills to use along with select and use masking tools. Most impressive of all is the professional sets of approximately 150 filters and effects available. Added to this comes the ability to create layers and use channels and transparency tools that allow you to experiment with effects, scripts and filters. So there is almost no limit to how you can manipulate your pictures.
The strange name GIMP actually is one of those acronyms that stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program. Catchy Huh? First released way back in 1996 this free open source software has developed into a really powerful picture editor. The latest incarnation GIMP 2.O has been completely overhauled and the end result is miles away from its early beginning, so please do not be influenced by any earlier reviews or comments you might have heard. There can be no doubt that this latest version is destined to become one of the mainstream picture editors.
Download the "GIMP" now (opens in a new window)