The Book of GIMP: A Complete Guide to Nearly Everything

This is one of the few books that I've bought in recent years that is worth every penny of the cover price. The book is chock full of high quality, high resolution useful photographs, illustrations and screen-shots. There are many great tutorials and detailed explanations that cover most anything you would be using Gimp for. There's a TOC at the front of the book and an index at the back. The quality of the text, paper and book cover are all high. Printing and layout equally high quality - Chapter numbers are in huge bold numbers, with a bold chapter name in red. Heading areas are in bold blue along with page and chapter numbers at the top of each page, keyboard shortcuts such as SHIFT+O each have a border around it so you know it's done on the keyboard, and Most of the keyboard shortcuts shown also show navigation to the corresponding menu item for that shortcut. Font type and weight is perfect for easy reading. Besides the information contained in the pages, the book itself is high quality. If you use Gimp much at all, this is the book you need to have handy.

There are plenty of books written about how to use Photoshop.Very few on how to use the Open Source Equivalent GIMP.The BOOK Of GIMP is VERY thorough in going into all possible usages of the program.It's is currently up to date with the latest version 2.48It is easy to understand if you follow the flow of the book, as it gradually guides you through all the possible usages and options available to you.If you understand how powerful this program is, you will obviously understand that only familiarity with usage will make you a proficient user of GIMPIt is written and edited by some of the major writers of this open source program, so they really know the in's and out's of this program, and, subsequently, know how to get the most out of it.This book is as Technical as needs to be for those who just want to USE the program, without wanting to write code to help improve it.It is well indexed [a HUGE plus when searching] and includes references to additional PLUG-IN's and GIMP Specific sites and Forums.All in All, if you are after a definative book on GIMP, that is up to date [June 2013] and it's usage, well this is definitely the one to get.Highly recommended.

GIMP is a great program. It is a free photo processing program that is nearly as powerful as photoshop. Google it and you can find a free download. It is open source so it is constantly evolving with plugins. This book is a good introduction for learning how to use the program. It does a good job of reviewing the basics and teaching the general things you need to know. It is divided in sections with photo instructions that lead you through as you do the same things on your computer. Each chapter deals with another topic.I gave it 4 stars mainly because Im not sure you need any book. I like something in writing that I can follow but honestly there is so much on You Tube that you really don't need a book. If I have a specific problem I google it rather then using this book.

I always look at reviews before making a purchase and try to decide which totally negative views are just plain silly. Let me first say that I am reviewing this book as a photographer who enjoys modifying, restoring and upgrading photos. If you take photographs, you just have to do this or you are throwing away treasures. If you have old family photos hanging around, you need to restore them to their original state at the very least.This book is BIG and covers things at first in a general way. That is what you need to get started. The first chapter tells you about the GIMP environment and how to set it up to work the way you want it to. You need to know this information and it is very basic. Sounds like a lot of computerese gobbledygook some of the critics say. Well, if you use a computer, you will have to put up with that. You need to look at WHAT the lesson is telling you and follow the instructions. You can move on quickly to the good stuff after that.Another silly criticism is that, well it only talked about keyboard shortcuts and someone or other didn't like that. First realize that this book was written for Gimp Version 2.8. Some of the menus, tool windows and so on have changed with the newer version 2.1 and its upgrades. So you have the choice with the keyboard shortcuts. You can search out the tool from the menu dropdowns or follow the book with its keyboard shortcuts. And actually, if you do prefer menu drop downs, notice that the keyboard shortcut is always shown on the drop down menu items. So you can do either.The initial chapters ARE pretty basic. They are to show you the potential power of the GIMP program, no matter the version you are using. They are simple tutorials with illustrations to practice on from the books website.Then the chapters get more into the power of the tools but also in tutorial format.Afterwards every tool is examined TOTALLY. These tools have complicated and powerful adjustments. So once you have mastered understanding of what they are, the later chapters deal with them in depth.So use the book as you see fit. For example, I totally skip the sections on art and drawing and move on to anything that is part of photography. I look at a tool in depth after I have learned what it does and now I find I need to use it.What my concern was before purchasing the book, is that it would be a complete learning and reference tool on all of the GIMP features. It is that, so I am happy I bought it. I do not need any other books. If I need a quick reference about something I just don't understand how to do, I just do an Internet search on that topic to add to what I have already learned from the book.GIMP is a lot more of an affordable way for me to enjoy modifying photographs. And it is much more powerful than my ancient Adobe Photoshop version I own. I could never afford the newer ones.So I highly recommend this book and a little patience in learning.

Although I have only begun to explore this volume it is certainly comprehensive.I am a PC novice and find that many of the directions are still too vague for me,and make the assumption that I understand the "computerese" in which theyare speaking. This fault is both mine and the books. I perhaps need, "Gimp for Dummies."That being said, I shall persevere and simply keep at it.I am not at all sorry to have bought it.

this book is ok for new user, it is full details of very tools, but if your learn new technique/you being professional this book is not for yours. This book contain no technique of tutorial. I purchase but find here not image editing technique. I lost my money. in youtube i find many tutorial. very high price in India.

Pour version GIMP 2.8. Tout y est. Explications tres claires et documentees. Bonne illustration des exercices. Nouveau chapitre sur la video indispensable pour les applis de morphing ou de cinemagraph

This book has practically everything you could ask for in learning about gimp. The instructions are clear and helpful and there are numerous images to help walk you through everything. Well worth the money spent.

Volume che rappresenta un "must" per gli utilizzatori del programma GIMP.Non deve mancare ad un appassionato di grafica.Prezzo molto conveniente

Man merkt, dass die Autoren tatsächlich mit dem Tool arbeiten und auch nicht nur mit theoretischen Problemen kämpfen. Für die üblichen Probleme die ich mit meinen Urlaubsphotos habe, sind die Erklärungen gut und auch die Hilfen zu Produktphotos sind recht hilfreich. Nun ist DF ( Deep Focus) schon speziell. Aber da habe ich noch nichts im Buch gefunden, bin aber noch lange nicht durch. Also wohl wohl "42" sondern wirklich "Nearly Everything"