GIMP - GNU Image Manipulation Program
Quick and Fast: This is the popular freeware that resembles Photoshop and is used in photo editing and even 3D Animation! Windows, Mac and Linux, etc.
Where you get it: www.gimp.org
GIMP is used for photo retouching and as a free photo program in 3D animation freeware, including Blender, Anim8or and Art of Illusion. GIMP seems to be considered by many to be a viable alternative to Photoshop (It is, in fact, the best photo editor for Linux users and the Linux books I’ve read recommend GIMP as your photo editing program). GIMP works a lot like Photoshop and if you have used Adobe’s popular tool, you will not be lost for long with GIMP. The interface feel and icon colors remind me of Flash when it was owned by Macromedia.
Unlike Photoshop, GIMP cannot draw shapes. It’s solely for compositing/retouching photos. If you need to make a poster, check out Inkscape for drawing and Scribus for layout. Poster Forge is also good for this (see the Summary and Other Graphics Freeware page).
NOTE: I have discovered since that the above is not quite accurate and that GIMP can actually draw shapes, it’s just that there is no dedicated shape tools like in Photoshop. You select an area and fill with color.
GIMP can be put together with Inkscape and Scribus and you have your own Adobe-like print design bundle: GIMP acting as Photoshop, Inkscape as Illustrator and Scribus as InDesign. Many GIMP users seem to have discovered this.
GIMPshop - I heard that this is a combo of GIMP and Photoshop. It’s a variation of the GIMP code. Since GIMP is under GNU GPL, this is legal. Sounds interesting, interesting enough that I downloaded it. The only good part is that there is one interface window to minimize and maximize, instead of a bunch of windows, like GIMP. The bad part is that it uses an older version of GIMP, so you can’t do everything the same way. Go to http://www.gimpshop.com/ I’m sticking with the original GIMP.
Tutorials and Documentation: The User Manual is Here. It is available in many other languages elsewhere on the website.
License and Use: GNU GPL, obviously! You own what you create.
