Beginning GIMP

From first installation to advanced image manipulation techniques, Beginning GIMP: From Novice to Professional, Second Edition explains how anyone can utilize GIMP: a free, open source image manipulation program. You will learn how to install GIMP on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X platforms. Once you've installed the application, you'll learn about the interface and configuration options, and then jump into a quick and simple project to familiarize yourself.

With four–color graphics and screenshots throughout, you'll learn how to prepare camera images for display on web pages—including processes like rescaling, cropping, and balancing color. Utilizing layers, paths, and masks are also covered in extensive detail. Of course, you will also learn how to draw lines and shapes; utilize patterns and gradients; and even create your own brushes, patterns, and gradients.

GIMP expert and author Akkana Peck teaches you how to touch up digital photographs, smudging away blemishes, fixing red–eye, and stitching panoramic images. You'll learn how to tap into the powerful filters, effects, and plug–ins that are available for GIMP and automate tasks using scripts. The entire book is approached in a project–based manner, and as you progress, numerous projects will help strengthen your newly acquired abilities.

From the reviews:

"Peck’s textbook provides a thorough treatment of topics ranging from installation (on various platforms) and background on common graphic file formats, to drawing, photograph manipulation, filters/effects, and even scripting … . In addition, a thorough treatment of the tools useful to experienced designers is provided … . Peck’s book is effective in showing just how far GIMP has progressed in 12 years. Beginners may be surprised … with this free application, especially with the assistance of this clear, concise, and attractive textbook." (Ian van der Linde, ACM Computing Reviews, Vol. 49 (2), February, 2008)

Akkana Peck is a freelance software developer and writer who has been working with open source software for nearly 20 years. She has worked for a diverse collection of companies including Netscape, Silicon Graphics, Sun Technologies, Hewlett Packard, and Apple, and has written imaging software ranging from GIMP plug-ins, to cartography, to scientific visualization. Akkana is a longtime member of the GIMP community and enjoys giving GIMP courses and presentations, as well as filling up her hard drive with digital images. She lives in San Jose, California with her husband and a motley assortment of old computers. You can find more of her musings at ShallowSky.com.