GIMP Tutorial

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This tutorial provides resources for how to download and install GNU Image Manipulation Program, or GIMP, and hot to get started using GIMP.

Step One: Download and Install GIMP

GIMP is free software, very popular in Linux community, and is considered the replacement for Adobe Photoshop to process digital graphics in the open source world. To download the software, go to The GIMP's official website, and click "Download". Follow the instructions provided to download the software. Depending on your operating system, you will probably be prompted to download GIMP 2.4.2, GIMP 2.4.3, or GIMP 2.4.4. (You are welcome to try a later "beta" version of GIMP, but it might not be fully stable yet.)

An Important Note for Mac Users: Running GIMP on Mac OS X requires Apple's X11 environment. It is included on the "Optional Installs" package on the OS X install disk. If you haven't already installed X11 on your Mac computer, you will need access to your system installation disk in order to install it.


Step Two: Familiarize Yourself with GIMP

  • GIMP Tutorial Video—Watch this 13:30 minute video that goes through the steps of doing this exercise using GIMP version 2.2 for the Mac. Even if you are using a different version of the software, this video tutorial will provide a useful overview of the steps involved. Many people have found it useful to keep the video open and refer back to it as they are doing the exercise. One small change to look for is that in the newer version of GIMP, the text tool is symbolized with an “A,” whereas in the earlier version it was symbolized with a “T.” There are many techniques and tools you can use in GIMP to create your image; this video offers a fairly straightforward way to do it that also gives you an introduction to GIMP.
  • Scan the following resources and tutorials for beginning GIMP users, to get a sense of some of the possibilities:
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