Top GIMP tutorial sites
After some discussion at Creative Curio I was starting to think that building a site similar to PSDTuts for GIMP tutorials would be cool.
I haven’t seen much in the way of GIMP tutorial sites that I really like; except for Meet the GIMP, but video tutorials are different in my mind.
Before I go and jump into a huge project like that I wanted to have a look at what was out there. When I say “Top GIMP tutorial sites” I don’t mean that these are sites that I endorse or recommend (although I might when I get to know them better), it actually means these are the top search results (with my first impressions of them).
- Official GIMP website lists some tutorials, but I don’t think it gets updated very often.
- GIMP Tutorials is not particularly pretty, but it does seem to have fairly navigable features (sorting tutes chronologically, most viewed and most rated) as well as having a reasonable category system.
- gimp-tutorials.net is definitely my favourite to look at – that logo is cute! The whole thing is pretty easy to navigate; good categories. They even have some interpretations of photoshop tutorials for GIMP (something I really like doing).
- Gimp User Group has a tutorials page. No idea how often it’s updated. The layout for the tutorials is okay, some weird things happening with borders in my browser, but nothing disastrous.
- GIMP Talk Community has a page with a list of tutorials. It doesn’t excite me: the page only loads every second time that I try to load it and who really wants to read through long lists of titles? They might be great tutorials, but not very navigable.
- GIMPguru.org could probably do with a better site design – some elements that should be more weighty (like the titles next to the images) just aren’t. However, I have used tutorials on this site and found it to be really good. Perhaps with a revamp this would be a really great site.
- Gimpology is the second prettiest site I came across. The list of tutorials have thumbnails and the titles are easy to read. The categories could be a bit more categorical though… “article” what’s that? The site is basically a round up of tutorials on other sites, so it doesn’t control the end experience.
So, it seems like there are quite a few tutorial sites, but they could be better. The question then becomes, do I try to do better or do I get involved with other sites to improve them (or hope that my contributions/suggestions help)?
What do you think? Would you be interested in being involved with a new GIMP tutorial site?
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25 comments
kristarella
Monday, March 24
16:46 GMT+10
Another question: would this post have benefited from screenshots of the sites in question, or would that just be using images for the sake of it?
kristarella
Tuesday, March 25
12:22 GMT+10
Also just found another site GIMP University. Not sure about the decision to use a blogger blog: potential for very limited navigation (there’s potential for great navigation too, it just requires a lot more effort and know-how).
LaurenMarie - Creative Curio
Wednesday, March 26
10:05 GMT+10
I think screenshots of the sites would be good. We will recognize them when we get there then.
You could get involved with other sites if you don’t want to put the time into managing one yourself. But then you don’t have much control over where your content is and you can’t expect them to heed your advice or suggestions.
I think you should host your own GIMP tutorials! You don’t have to do them all the time or have a site solely dedicated to GIMP tutorials.
kristarella
Monday, March 31
14:01 GMT+10
Thanks for all your suggestions Lauren! I’ll keep thinking about it and keep writing tutes when I can
Gerard
Monday, March 31
21:32 GMT+10
Kristarella - I just stumbled upon your site, and wanted to say thanks for the very useful list - I had no idea there were so many GIMP resources out there.
You no what the funny thing is? Most of the sites are so ugly, it gives you no confidence in what GIMP is actually capable of.
I use GIMP in work to do post-processing on photographs, but I’d love to know more. I find myself watching PSDTUTS and wondering how I could do the same thing in GIMP. So maybe a better GIMP tutorial site wouldn’t be a bad idea!
Mohsin
Monday, March 31
21:36 GMT+10
Thanks for the list Kristarella. Great timing too as I was looking for GIMP tuts.
Stumbled.
gimper
Tuesday, April 1
0:59 GMT+10
hi makes me happy to see my site on the list and glad you liked the logo
i totally agree with the comment Gerard made and thats one of the reasons why i started gimp-tutorials.net.
the site has been doing ok but could do much better with more than just me writing tutorials.
its been hard to come by GIMP users who are willing.
so i’m definitely interested in starting something like psdtuts.
let me know if your still interested.
kristarella
Tuesday, April 1
9:32 GMT+10
Gerard - I was surprised that there were so many as well. You’re absolutely correct about the look of many of the sites. I think it’s why I didn’t really get into them in the first place (when I started using GIMP 6 years ago). I love using PS tutorials (usually from deviantArt, not from PSDTuts because I only found that site very recently) and working it out in GIMP. Often it works, sometimes you just can’t do it.
Moshin - you’re welcome! Thanks for the stumble
gimper - Schweet! Sounds like we could join forces… I’ll email you.
gimper
Wednesday, April 2
15:16 GMT+10
great looking forward to your email.
Jay
Tuesday, April 8
23:21 GMT+10
Do you not use Photoshop?
kristarella
Tuesday, April 8
23:33 GMT+10
Nope
Can’t afford it… although I hope to afford the student price before I cease being a student.
Mathias
Sunday, April 13
6:51 GMT+10
I have spent hours googling on the internet trying to find good gimp tutorials and guides. Thanks for the list. I eventually bought a couple of books to learn the gimp.
sumit
Sunday, April 13
13:12 GMT+10
not a gimp fan, but its also good for photoshop
thanks
kristarella
Sunday, April 13
16:46 GMT+10
Mathias - hope the books help! I’ve also found it worth while to look at Photoshop tutorials and figure out if GIMP has those tools and how to use them.
sumit - it’s true, a good chunk of the information, especially when it involves brushes or gradients etc, is transferable.
Jason
Monday, April 14
1:18 GMT+10
I have some to: http://www.jasonbradleyonline.com
Simon
Monday, April 14
8:31 GMT+10
Here’s a set of gimp tutorials for photographers. Each tutorial has a photoshop equivalent. Really shows the power of the Gimp.
http://GoingManual.com
I still hate the name though!
Geoserv
Monday, April 14
10:36 GMT+10
I have always struggled with Gimp, will check out a view of these tutorials.
Thanks for compiling.
Barbara
Monday, April 14
12:00 GMT+10
I have been using GIMP for about 3 years now, it is the only editing program I have ever used. I would love to see more sites dedicated to helping people use it to the fullest and to embrace the importance of ‘Open Source’.
If you click on my link you will see some examples of what I have been able to do with it. I have to give credit to the nice folks at Gimp Talk, most of what I know, I learned there.
Best Regards
http://circleof2.googlepages.com/home
kristarella
Monday, April 14
13:01 GMT+10
Jason — thanks for that, I especially like your button and fire tutorials.
Geoserv — thank you for that link too. That ebook seems like a good idea, I’m going to check it out.
Barbara — you definitely have a unique style. Great work! If we do anything new in terms of a GIMP tutorial site I’ll let you know, thanks for the vote
Barbara
Tuesday, April 15
2:49 GMT+10
Thanks, that would be very cool. Be well
Watch Weeds Online
Saturday, April 19
6:13 GMT+10
However, if you are really focusing on working with professional photo editing, you better go for Photoshop.
kristarella
Saturday, April 19
9:26 GMT+10
WWO - Yep, I would recommend Photoshop to someone wanting “professional” photo editing. However, in my opinion that means you’re getting paid for your photos and it’s reasonable to think you can buy photoshop. GIMP is incredibly powerful and can do an enormous amount. Some stuff is hidden under different names than Photoshop, but if a person isn’t highly familiar with either program then they’ll have to learn those things anyway. I would recommend GIMP over Photoshop for someone who’s just starting photo editing any day, because $3000 is a damn lot of money (more than my computer and all the software currently on it cost!).
cariann
Wednesday, April 23
7:37 GMT+10
Thanks for the list. I am converting to Open Source as I can’t afford to maintain the various programs I run… I am intrigued with GIMP from a designer’s perspective and want to learn more about it to create and design digital scrapbooking components. Thanks again
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