So like there is this program called GIMP. It's a free image editor program originally for linux. People who use it usually say it works well as a replacement for photoshop. Once again found people arguing over this.
So I finally decided to see if you can actually paint with it... you know, to know if I can recommend it to people.
I'll just list things here comparing it to painting in photoshop because I can't write.
The way it doesn't have a unified window and wants to spread every piece around and screwing the order if I decide to switch to another program for a while is really annoying.
Wacom works. But the program imposes its own settings for the thing instead of using the ones I defined in the wacom settings and refuses to let me remap the buttons on my pen, which is annoying.
Creating brushes is alot worse than in photoshop and you can't adjust them on the fly which is annoying.
Adjusting brush size and hardness isn't a click away like in photoshop which is annoying. But brush hardness wasn't in photoshop 7 either and I did fine without it so I guess thats not so bad.
Program seems to instantly crawl to a halt when using bigger brushes which is annoying.
I completely forgot to test layers. Some people don't like the way GIMP does layers.
In conclusion. After using photoshop for so long, GIMP is very annoying. Alot of little things that break my "flow". Probably not impossible to get used to, but there's clear technical problems with it. Overall not a bad replacement for photoshop in terms of painting. "You get what you pay for" is a term I'd probably use here. But trying to convince someone to buy photoshop over this for non-professional use would be crazy.
Didn't try the photo-editing features and such (felt like uninstalling after an hour or so), but you don't need those anyways.
Friday, February 27, 2009
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I would agree with you that the current photoshop is better than Gimp. I use photoshop for anything seroius.
ReplyDeleteBut I think if you are just learning to use a photo editing program and are just using the basic tools then Gimp is a great program and an excelent tool. If you are a profesional and need every tool then cs4 is the program.
Yeah, when i first used GIMP it felt really annoying too. It's annoying to use for anything. But atleast it's for free.
ReplyDeleteGimp it's cool for who don't have money (Like me!) :D
ReplyDeletePersonally, I'm the other way around; I've used GIMP for so long and have gotten so used to it that when I used Photoshop I got fairly annoyed. It's all about habits and what you're used to, I guess.
ReplyDeleteeach to there own, they are both grate programs and both have there folowers (tho i like the whole opensource free idea of things ^_^)
ReplyDeleteFor those who enjoy photoshop and want a free alt try GIMPshop , its set up to be as much like photoshop as it can possibly be but there are differences, but it certainly helps the transition
The hell, the latest version of GIMP is in a single window. Brush size and hardness aren't even a click away they're right there at the side. Making simple brushes is very simple, but I don't know about more complex non square, triangle, or circle based brushes.
ReplyDeleteMost of the time when I see people complain about GIMP it's often about something that is there, but the complainer just doesn't know how to use it, or use it efficiently.
Well mine sure isn't in one window and it's the newest one I got from their site.
ReplyDeleteBiggest complaint is still that it slows and crawls when painting very very often.