Articles: GIMP

GIMP is often the first program someone running a small business reaches for. It is free to use, runs on an ordinary computer and is enough for most simple advertising materials. It does start with a few ideas that take a moment to get used to.

Where to start

The guides in this tag fall into a natural order:

• Basic tools - selecting, cropping, text and working with colour.
• Layers and masks - the way to change one element without breaking the rest of the design.
• Cutting out a background from a product photograph so the edges still look natural.
• Saving for print - preparing a PDF and checking it before you send it.

There is no need to work through all of it at once. It is easier to pick one job, preparing a leaflet for example, and learn only the tools that particular job actually needs. The rest becomes obvious later, once you have a finished file behind you.

Things worth remembering for print

A screen gives off its own light while paper reflects it, so a print often looks calmer than the preview. Photographs taken from the internet look fine on a small screen but turn soft once enlarged, so original camera files are safer. Keep important wording and the logo away from the edge, because there is always a small margin of movement when sheets are cut.

When GIMP is enough

For a leaflet, a poster, a simple banner and artwork for a branded item it is more than enough. Longer documents are quicker to build in page layout software, but the principles stay the same. If you are new to it, work through the guides in order and try a simple project first.