Step-by-step GIMP guides for every experience level. Start from the basics or jump straight to advanced techniques like layer masks, Script-Fu automation, and professional photo retouching. Beginner Tutorials New to GIMP? Start here. These guides walk you through installation, the GIMP interface, and your first editing tasks. GIMP Basics: Complete Beginner's Guide Interface tour, toolbox reference, layers, file formats, keyboard shortcuts, and your first complete edit. ~45 min. GIMP Toolbox Explained Learn what every tool in GIMP does: selection tools, paint tools, transform tools, and more. Understanding Layers Layers are the foundation of non-destructive editing in GIMP. This guide explains everything you need to know. Saving and Exporting Files GIMP uses .xcf as its native format. Learn how to export PNG, JPG, WebP, and other formats correctly. How to Crop and Resize Crop photos to remove unwanted areas and resize images for web, print, or social media. Introduction to Selections Master the Rectangle, Ellipse, Free Select, and Fuzzy Select tools to isolate areas for editing. Photo Editing Tutorials From basic color correction to advanced compositing - Learn professional photo editing techniques in GIMP. Photo Editing in GIMP Color correction, exposure fixes, background removal, portrait retouching, sharpening, and a complete workflow. ~50 min. Remove Background in GIMP Use Fuzzy Select, Paths tool, and the new foreground select to cleanly remove backgrounds. Color Correction Basics Fix exposure, color balance, and saturation using Curves, Levels, and Hue-Saturation. Portrait Retouching Smooth skin, whiten teeth, and enhance eyes using GIMP's healing and blur tools. How to Straighten a Horizon Fix tilted photos using the Rotate tool and the measurement tool guide. Layer masks are one of GIMP's most powerful features. Learn to use them for non-destructive editing, compositing, and photo manipulation. Non-Destructive Editing: Masks, Modes and Groups Layer masks, gradient masks, all 29 blend modes, compositing, layer groups, and clipping masks with worked examples. ~55 min. Layer Masks Explained Add a layer mask to any layer and paint black/white to show or hide parts of the layer non-destructively. Layer Blending Modes Understand Multiply, Screen, Overlay, and 25 other blend modes with visual examples.

Using Layer Groups Organize complex projects with layer groups and apply masks to entire groups at once. Clipping Layers Constrain a layer's visibility to the shape of the layer below it - Great for textures and effects. Text & Special Effects Special Effects in GIMP Gold text, neon glow, 3D text, duotone, vintage film, cinematic colour grading, blur effects, and G'MIC. ~60 min. Gold Text Effect Create realistic gold lettering using gradient fills, bump maps, and lighting effects. Make glowing neon-sign text using GIMP's glow filters and blur layers. 3D Text in GIMP Add depth and perspective to text with layer effects and the perspective transform tool. Add clean outlines to text using the Grow selection method and stroke layers. Digital Art & Illustration Use GIMP as a digital painting and illustration tool. Covers tablet setup, brush dynamics, inking, colouring, and professional layer workflows. Digital Art in GIMP Tablet setup, brush dynamics, sketching, inking, colouring, layer workflow, and exporting finished artwork. Beginner to advanced. ~55 min. Advanced Techniques Script-Fu & Automation Script-Fu console, Scheme syntax, batch resize/watermark/convert scripts, Python-Fu, and a full procedure reference. ~65 min. GEGL Operations Use GIMP's GEGL pipeline for HDR editing, linear light processing, and advanced color work. Create your own GIMP brushes from photos, drawings, and patterns. Frequency Separation Professional retouching technique to edit skin texture and tone independently. Python-Fu Scripting Use Python instead of Scheme for more readable GIMP automation scripts. GIMP Skill Levels - What to Learn First Recommended Learning Path 1 Download and Install GIMP Start by downloading GIMP 3.2.4 for your operating system and getting familiar with the interface. 2 Master the Basics Spend a few hours with the toolbox tutorials to understand every tool and when to use it. 3 Learn About Layers Understanding layers is the single most important concept in GIMP. Do this before anything else. 4 Practice Photo Editing Work on real photos - Color correction, cropping, straightening, and basic retouching. 5 Add Plugins Install G'MIC and Resynthesizer to significantly expand what GIMP can do. 6 Explore Script-Fu Once comfortable with the GUI, try writing simple Script-Fu scripts to automate repetitive tasks.