Sorry your browser is not supported!

You are using an outdated browser that does not support modern web technologies, in order to use this site please update to a new browser.

Browsers supported include Chrome, FireFox, Safari, Opera, Internet Explorer 10+ or Microsoft Edge.

Geek Culture / Gimp 2.7.5 free photoshop replacement!

Author
Message
Daniel TGC
Retired Moderator
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 19th Feb 2007
Location: TGC
Posted: 12th Feb 2012 03:59 Edited at: 12th Feb 2012 17:18
Link
Hi guys,

I've been a GIMP convert ever since version 2.2.6 was released in 2005, and as always I'm pretty excited when a new version turns up. Recently 2.7.5 was released on the www.partha.com website as an unoffical build, you won't get it on the main Gimp.org site at the moment, they are still releasing the 2.6 series bug fixes ready for the jump to 2.8

So what's the big deal about yet another gimp release? Well the big thing about 2.8 is the unified interface or single window interface. It's been a thorn in the site of Photoshop and commercial graphics software users for a long time. Floating docks get left behind other windows, disappear, or just end up in some very strange places if you're not careful. Gimp 2.8 changes all this, and the unoffical build 2.7.5 features this improvement.

To take advantage of it, simply click on Windows and Single-Window mode. Both the layers and tools dialogue boxes then dock on the left and right hand side.

In addition to this the 2.7.5 update also features a bzip compression option on XFC files (gimps native raw image files). In 2.6.x you could also save as jpg, png, etc from the same dialogue box, that's now been moved to export mostly because it's still a developmental version so not everything is polished yet.

Another massive improvement is the inclusion of the python-fu scripting option, which naturally allows you to generate plugins using python. There's already a lot of these out there.

So now that gimp 2.8 single-window interface has hit, and if the lack of this put you off gimp in the first place, then I urge you to give the 2.7.5 version a try. I'm no professional artist, but GIMP seems to offer all the features I need, and those it doesn't I can typically find a plugin for.

P.S. if you're attached to your photoshop plugins then gimp can even support these! Via another extension.

P.P.S if you like anime, there's another great free application called Phierha, it was designed by a Japanese manga/ anime artist and converted into English.
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Fuzz
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 14th Nov 2006
Location: Tasmania, Australia
Posted: 12th Feb 2012 05:29
Link
Awesome! I just started to get into using my tablet with Gimp and I'm quite proud of myself.

http://uriahgroves.deviantart.com/

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
bruce3371
15
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 4th Aug 2010
Location: Englishland
Posted: 12th Feb 2012 06:54
Link
Been using Gimp for a while as well, so I'll definitely be downloading this new version

Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Mychal B
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 21st Jul 2010
Location: Coos bay, rainville
Posted: 12th Feb 2012 07:19
Link
Gotta love gimp. Woot woot for the dedicated people behind it

The fastfood zombie killer
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Yodaman Jer
User Banned
Posted: 12th Feb 2012 07:19
Link
HECK YES!!! I'm so excited to use this! I love GIMP but have always hated the interface because it's hard to use if you don't have a big enough resolution. This will be great! Thanks Daniel! Here's a beer.


Click to go to my blog!
Back to top
Profile
MrValentine
AGK Backer
15
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Dec 2010
Playing: FFVII
Posted: 12th Feb 2012 15:12
Link
hmm... I just never understood the tools... but use gimp for .ico images... thats it...

will give 2.8 a try as I installed 2.6 on all the shop computers but I had been using Serif software before and DrawPlus does ace specially the canvas tilt function its awesome... you can rotate your canvas by 360°

hope gimp will see me a convert but then I still plan to buy CS6 when it arrives as by the time I have the money for 5.5 ...6 will be out so might as well buy that lol

Daniel... perhaps some pointers on making an .ico for TGC products? all mt DBPro .ico's look funny and I want to make a transparent one...

Back to top
Profile PM
Daniel TGC
Retired Moderator
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 19th Feb 2007
Location: TGC
Posted: 12th Feb 2012 17:15 Edited at: 12th Feb 2012 17:20
Link
Noted:

Tutorial on icon making for DBPro

If it gets done this will be done around July, I'm currently producing several games in AppGameKit which will eventually go onto be the basis of my lessons in DarkPRINCIPLES 2.0, as this is a commercial venture it takes priority at the moment.

P.S. what issues with the tools do you have? Is it producing shapes such as lines, circles, boxes etc? If it is then you need to look into paths. Gimp works by setting up a path then applying a stroke to it. I found myself, once I'd worked that much out the rest more or less fell into place.
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
TheComet
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 18th Oct 2007
Location: I`m under ur bridge eating ur goatz.
Posted: 12th Feb 2012 20:19
Link
I have some major issues with making the most basic shapes in gimp... I just use MS paint and then copy them across

TheComet


Timeplan : https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmuAKJolqASndEVYOWMxb3l2OWV0UkV1anRSczZScHc
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Daniel TGC
Retired Moderator
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 19th Feb 2007
Location: TGC
Posted: 13th Feb 2012 04:18
Link
There's two basic ways of creating shapes.

The first, for hallow shapes, is to use a path, and stroke options. You design the path, and move it's points until you have what you need, and then you simply click on the stroke option. Then hey presto! You have a shape.

The second method, for a filled shape is to use the free select tool, by selecting the shape you wish to create at it's points you just need to use the bucket to fill it in, or the brush to add detail.

There are also additional plugins and tools you can download for the automatic generation of polygons.

For more information please view http://docs.gimp.org/en/gimp-using-simpleobjects.html
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
data 98junkiee
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 19th Jan 2005
Location: England
Posted: 13th Feb 2012 13:33 Edited at: 13th Feb 2012 13:38
Link
This is why i like it:
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Daniel TGC
Retired Moderator
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 19th Feb 2007
Location: TGC
Posted: 13th Feb 2012 16:28
Link
I have no idea what any of that means. Other than perhaps penguins like amiga's apples and satanic rituals.
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Seppuku Arts
Moderator
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 18th Aug 2004
Location: Cambridgeshire, England
Posted: 13th Feb 2012 16:45
Link
Amiga were notorious for their Satanic rituals. Given the significance of the 'Apple' as part of the ritual, I suspect that Amiga isn't the only company that engages in Satanic practices.

Oh...and Penguins are basically the army of Satan. You know the phrase, "that'll happen when hell freezes over"? There's some truth to it, there's a reason why Penguins like cold places and once the new ice age is brought Penguins will rule the Earth and hell will freeze over so that Satan may claim his penguin throne. You see, Satan is actually a penguin.

You know it makes sense.


Anyway, on topic. I've tried playing with GIMP, I just never get along with it, I find regardless of what computer I've ran it on it has crashed. However, I do love Photoshop, so if there was a decent stable Photoshop conversion I might be tempted.

Back to top
Profile PM Website
Daniel TGC
Retired Moderator
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 19th Feb 2007
Location: TGC
Posted: 13th Feb 2012 16:53
Link
Really? You must be downloading the unstable versions. I did that with the 2.6.12 and python unstable installer version. It crashed! But 2.6.12 the stable installer and this build of 2.7.5 have been nothing but stable for me so far (admittedly I've only used 2.7.5 for a couple of days now) but I've never had a stable version fail me.

Well that's not 100% true, they have failed me when I've used some plugins, but that's the plugins fault not GIMP's.

I just installed the photoshop trial on my machine, and urgh, it's soo much slower! I can use gimp on any system, even this Asus 1005HA runs quick. I tried photoshop on this netbook and dear god my life isn't long enough. Runs fine on my desktop though, but GIMP is simply faster.

I swear adobe do nothing but bloat down good software. Even their PDF reader is bloated as heck, there's no excuse for acrobat to be that slow.

That's the adobe design philosophy, bloat it down, then bloat up the prices!

Of course if you've got that much money to spend on Adobe then you can certainly construct a first rate system. I just wonder how much faster those top end systems would run if Adobe actually optimised their software.
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
data 98junkiee
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 19th Jan 2005
Location: England
Posted: 13th Feb 2012 17:01
Link
just to clarify =Linux =AmigaOS =Apple Mac =FreeBSD couldn't find one for Windows or Solaris though. Basically I was saying its good that its cross platform.
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
uzi idiot
Valued Member
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 27th Dec 2009
Location: Who Knows?
Posted: 13th Feb 2012 17:06
Link
I love GIMP. I'm going to download this.

Mr. Flibble is Very cross!
Mental Stability is over-rated!
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Seppuku Arts
Moderator
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 18th Aug 2004
Location: Cambridgeshire, England
Posted: 13th Feb 2012 17:54
Link
Quote: "Really? You must be downloading the unstable versions. I did that with the 2.6.12 and python unstable installer version. It crashed! But 2.6.12 the stable installer and this build of 2.7.5 have been nothing but stable for me so far (admittedly I've only used 2.7.5 for a couple of days now) but I've never had a stable version fail me."


I might give it another go. I'm pretty much using Paint.NET these days, which isn't as feature rich, but I've never had it crash on me.

Quote: "I swear adobe do nothing but bloat down good software. Even their PDF reader is bloated as heck, there's no excuse for acrobat to be that slow.
"


Agreed. Acrobat can be a nightmare, particularly on lower spec machines. I hated it when I was working at recruitment agency, I'd have to apologise to people for having a crap computer when printing off forms for them as they'd take forever...well it was a low spec machine, but I didn't quite understand why Acrobat had to be so sluggish when other software (bar IE) wasn't.

Quote: "Of course if you've got that much money to spend on Adobe then you can certainly construct a first rate system. I just wonder how much faster those top end systems would run if Adobe actually optimised their software."


I used to use my sister's old copy of Photoshop 6, I wish I had that kind of money to spare on software.

Back to top
Profile PM Website
data 98junkiee
21
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 19th Jan 2005
Location: England
Posted: 13th Feb 2012 22:18
Link
I have no choice but to use mostly foss software on account of my main OS: , just helps that most of it is actually quite good.
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Back to top

Login to post a reply

Server time is: 2026-07-25 17:50:22
Your offset time is: 2026-07-25 17:50:22