25 GIMP Video Tutorials to Help Get You Started
The GIMP is a very powerful, open source digital image editing application that rivals its commercial counterpart – Adobe Photoshop. Open source alternatives are great not only because they’re free, but because of the helpful community that typically surrounds them.
One of the quickest ways to pick up something new is by watching video tutorials. With that concept in mind, I’ve collected 25 awesome GIMP video tutorials geared to get you started, get you familiarized, and get you inspired. If you’re intrigued to try out GIMP after watching some of these videos, you can grab GIMP from their download page.
Basics
1. Gimp Basics
A showcase of some fundamental functions in GIMP.
2. The User Interface
A basic introduction to the interface to help you get started in exploring GIMP.
Photo Enhancement and Manipulation
3. Authentic Vintage Effect
A simple but beautiful photo effect based on a photoshop tutorial from Veerle’s blog.
4. Selective Decolorization
Change parts of of an image into grayscale, a technique known as "selective decolorization".
5. Cracked Face Effect
Apply a cracking effect to your favorite photos.
6.Using Curves to Improve Contrast
Utilize the Curves tool to enhance the color contrast of digital images.
7. Streching shadows by using curves
Extend shadows in a photograph using the Curve tool.
8. Create a Graduated Neutral Density Filter to Enhance Photos
Improve photos using the ND filter in GIMP.
9. Create a Sketch Effect
This tutorial shows you a speedy way to create a sketch effect on digital photos.
10. Skin Airbrushing
An excellent introduction to Selective Gaussian blur and the Quick Mask tool.
11. Improve Night Shots Using Curves
Use the Curves tool to digitally enhance night shots.
12. Turn a digital photo into Polaroid
Create a Polaroid border effect on images.
13. Full Flare Control with The Gimp
Shows you how to create and control flares using the FlareFx effect.
14. Transform a Photo into Pop Art
An interesting photo tutorial on converting existing photos to mimic pop art.
15. Create a 3D Pop-out Effect
Make subjects seem like they’re popping out of a polaroid picture using this tutorial.
16. Eraser to Transparent Background Removal
A basic demonstration on how to remove the background of an image.
17. Semi-Advanced Photo Manipulation
This tutorial shows a few intermediate to advanced GIMP techniques.
18. Quick Masking
How to use the Quick Mask tool to selectively colorize a flower.
19. How To Change Hair Color
Showcases the Path tool.
20. Recolor Hair and Eyes
This is another demonstration on how to change hair color as well as eye color.
Lettering and Graphics Creation
21. Transparent Glass Lettering
A glossy/glassy lettering effect adapted from an awesome photoshop tutorial by the Collis Ta’eed of PSDTUTS.
22. Create a 3D Web Browser
A tutorial on replicating this popular effect using GIMP.
23. Realistic Water Droplets
Shows you how to make an almost photo-realistic water droplet.
24. Fire Effects
Create flames from scratch.
25. Vector Land
* This video is no longer available. In this tutorial, you’ll see how to create the vector look-and-feel in GIMP.
Here’s some additional GIMP resources:
- GIMPshop – GIMPshop is a modification of GIMP that mimics how Photoshop looks and functions.
- GIMPTalk.com – GIMPTalk.com is a community website of all things GIMP related.
- Gimpology – Gimpology is a tutorial site dedicated to GIMP.
- "Grokking the GIMP" – a downloadable book on GIMP.
- GIMP – Tutorials – the tutorials section on GIMP’s website.
I hope you enjoyed this collection of video tutorials, and I hope I’ve encouraged some to at least try out and experiment with GIMP.
22 Comments
Abhijeet from Jeet Blog
May 6th, 2008
Great Job Jacob ! This will help me a lot. I haven’t used GIMP till now. I use Snagit and other online photo editors. Lately I was thinking about shifting to GIMP and this is the ultimate resource which I was looking for ! :)
Daniele
May 7th, 2008
Awesome collection, thanks! I have been using The GIMP for quite a while now and I am always searching for new tutorials and resourches. I am not a designer but I think that every designer should at least consider to give GIMP a try becouse it is a very powerful program.
Sorry for my English, I am Italian ;-)
Daniel
May 10th, 2008
A great set of tutorials, there even useful for a seasoned pro.
sybillinux
May 10th, 2008
thanks!
Kasra
May 11th, 2008
Thanks for the link!
kiirpi
May 15th, 2008
thanks!
Torsten
June 2nd, 2008
Great collection of links not only for GIMP starters.
Many thanks for your work.
saman khan
June 13th, 2008
i am tryng to learn photoshop, and GIMP, really effective, i want to learn the basics and all regardng webdesigning…….thx for tutorials..
Yakov
July 2nd, 2008
Thanks. This is great!
P.Lloyd
July 15th, 2008
Nice.. Thanks thats great.. I have a website here the clip a pic site. This site offers editing of image with a low cost. Try to visit this site. http://www.clipapic.com/index.php
hulya'da bulusalim
July 17th, 2008
so useful. thanks for sharing.
John
September 10th, 2008
Nice work!
henry
December 3rd, 2008
Hey…great page. The last one, vectorland, isn’t there anymore. is it anywhere else? it doesn’t need to be video.
Just point and shoot. Thanks.
yhosi
January 21st, 2009
tanks alot.. that’s greate job friend. nice collections.
Andy
April 27th, 2009
- Gimp’s fine – I’m a photoshop user (more tutorials)- got gimp portable – and found it completely wonderfull. It’s actually no worse than photoshop – siriously – definetely try it !!! – … just like photoshop …
aone626
May 21st, 2009
can you make another vector look tutorial video the last one was removed.
Jacob Gube
May 21st, 2009
@aone626: Unfortunately, that’s out of my control. I will update the post with a note that the video is no longer there, thanks for bringing this to our attention.
Daniela
June 15th, 2010
my tool box is gone ): can someone plz help how to get it back?
Sharon
August 8th, 2010
Finally, a group of Gimp Video Tutorials that are truly teaching something. Thank you.
Mahmudur
February 11th, 2011
Nice collection of gimp video tutorials, Very useful for image editing professionals. I have download all and these are very useful for me. Thanks Jacob for sharing.
Jason LA
June 22nd, 2011
Very nice collection. Opened up my mind fully. These will definitely keep me busy!
Alex
September 8th, 2011
@daniela If you haven’t figured this out yet, a fellow GIMP user posted this extremely helpful video on how to fix it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzCL37xnRWw&feature=player_embedded
Hope that helped.
I’m a frequent GIMP user, and I do tutorials on my website. Feel free to follow me on Twitter @alexstandiford or check out my blog.
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