GIMP is preparing to unleash a revolutionary new update—a high-performance, modern UI powerhouse designed to dismantle Adobe’s stranglehold on the industry.
To deliver the final blow to subscription-based creative tools, GIMP desperately needs testers right now.
Linux AppImages:
https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gimp/-/jobs/7011657/artifacts/browse/build/linux/appimage/_Output/
Windows installer:
https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gimp/-/jobs/7011659/artifacts/browse/build/windows/installer/_Output/
Linux Snap:
https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gimp/-/jobs/7011658/artifacts/browse/build/linux/snap/_Output/
macOS:
https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gimp/-/jobs/7011661/artifacts/browse/build/macos/dmg/_Output/
Windows MSIX:
https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gimp/-/jobs/7011660/artifacts/browse/build/windows/store/_Output/
Just open the software and do random stuff.
Open different files
Use the text tool
Put an image in black and white
Convert files from one format to the other
If you spot any bug, please report it here:
https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gimp/-/work_items/16712
Stop funding the corporate machine. Take back your software, test the build, and help launch the new era of open-source creation
I’ve been daily driving gimp for over a decade now.
But these “revolutionary update” headlines are tiring. I’ve been listening that since 2.0, each minor patch is a “revolutionary gimp update”. You go excited to see what they added and most of the time is nothing that important.
Non destructive editing was probably the only “revolutionary” thing that was done in these last 10 years. And that’s ok, the development pace is what it is.
“Brothers in arms, take up this rightful jihad against the Adobe scourge and throw every able man, woman, and child into this holy battle to make our voices heard. Lift up your hearts and let it be known that we the people shall no longer be oppressed by this hateful regime, and shall bring about the light of hope in a dying world by casting our lot into the boiling pot of battle-tested warriors, and right all the wrongs in the universe…”
Is this the year I finally learn how to use GIMP?
A big part of my work is testing software, especially UI, and making Devs ragecry.
Here, I’ll start. Opens GIMP.
Uhhhhhhhhh
Have you guys tried starting from scratch?
My main issue with Gimp is that it does work well, but it takes me forever to find where the features are
That is my annoyance as well, especially since I took photoshop classes for a couple years in school. But i figure, every time I use GIMP i remember where stuff is a bit better and I get faster at using it.
I used to use Photoshop and indesign prolifically
to shitpostto do great art work in the 2000s. I took a good decade and a half off and decided to go Gimp instead of a new version of Photoshop this year. I’m at about 80% of what I could smoothly do with Photoshop, and honestly I love it.I don’t think I could have made the switch if I didn’t take a super mega long break, though.
I boycotted Adobe and stopped using any programs for photo editing when they switched to a subscription model. I was REALLY good at it and just abandoned my skills right then and there. I’ve since started using GIMP but… Off the top of my head, adjustment layers were added LAST YEAR. So, that should give you an idea of how far behind Adobe they are. Maybe Adobe not innovating for 20 years will allow them to catch up.
It’s opening up PS and ID after the break and realising the application you once knew inside-out have changed so much, may as well learn a new one instead.
i am in favour of them just doing this. the experience is a mess. affinity via wine worked much better for me.
(ps: maybe a rust rewrite? just kidding… unless… )
Sounds like op overstates the changes to GIMP 3.2
Where is this quoting from?
I think they are quoting themselves. I’m fairly sure they’ve posted this exact thing before, for other versions of GIMP
I think they are quoting themselves
Linux releases are done via Flatpak, both mainline and development. I don’t think Gimp itself would be linking to a snap package.
I meant that OP was quoting themself. I’d be rather surprised if they have anything to do with the GIMP project
Is there an OG post to reference here?
EDIT: Nice, big improvement on UI responsiveness with large font libraries. Still some room for improvement, but it was almost unusable before.
Who in the comments is an Adobe employee?
Hello, this is Tim Adobe. Don’t worry, we are working hard to make sure we remain the best. There’s currently a team trying to figure out wtf a “gnu” is while another team figures out the maximum price increase our customer base will accept to give us a good budget to work with (previous profits were used on boats for executive team and some pizzas from the cheapest place my executive assistant could find with free delivery). Is Mr GIMP interested in selling?
This isn’t Reddit.
how recently can i have installed it? like, yesterday? HOW DO I DRAW A CIRCLE
GIMP is meant more for retouching photos, not drawing shapes. If you mostly want to draw shapes from scratch, you probably want something like Krita or Inkscape instead.
But if you really must draw a circle in GIMP, you make a circular selection and then fill it in with the bucket fill tool.
GIMP is meant more for retouching photos, not drawing shapes.
Then why is there a brush tool which has stars and sparkles? Even the screenshot software Spectacle and Flameshot can draw circles effortlessly. Something this trivial is downright silly not to have as a feature. Every year I have a moment where I decide “okay, I’m gonna do this in GIMP”, but then get so pissed off because something that should take less than five seconds takes ten minutes and tutorial, whereafter I go back to Photopea.
Edit: I just discovered Pixelitor which now obviates my need for Photopea/GIMP. My review on AlternativeTo:
“Impressive. Basically has every basic functionality what I looked for in GIMP, straightforward to boot, but which isn’t in GIMP or too inconveniently so. Installing Pixelitor on every machine from now on.”
This was consistently my experience as well, basic functionality in any other app is a hacky workaround and/or a tutorial
GIMP and Adobe Photoshop are image editing programs. If you want to create your own vector images from scratch you use Inkscape or Adobe Illustrator
Circles ≠ Vectors. Sometimes I want to edit images by drawing circles around things. I’m actually serious, e.g., indicating locations where there is a leak and such. Freehand circles look ridiculous and unprofessional without a drawing tablet.
But why not have the basic stuff like every other tool does?
Check out Pixelitor. I’m almost sad I only just discovered it. It has all the basic functionality I ever need, conveniently so.
Friend, even GIMP dev themselves is currently adding shape tool.
GIMP official site listed ‘Graphic Design Elements’ as supported workflow, means shape tools is absolutely necessary.
Yeah, I should’ve revised my comment after I read the release notes.
Use ellipse select tool with a fixed aspect ratio of 1:1. Then Select -> Border and choose a width. Then fill it with a color.
Like yeah, it is 3 steps instead of having a dedicated “Shapes” tool with a bunch of options that would do the same. But GIMP is kind of built around selections, you do need to learn to use them if you ever want to use GIMP effectively. It’s about as important as understanding layers.
Use the ellipse selection tool, hold shift as you make your section to keep it 1:1, selection to path, fill/stroke as needed?
Release notes:
BRING OUT THE GIMP
You called, we came.

You came, i came, it was a real mess.
Such pain, Such pleasure.
Ive been a gimper since university.
I am going to get slammed here … but GIMP is just way too complex to use. Maybe the new UI will be better, but the old UI is not just clunky or slightly bad … it is UNUSABLE by normal people.
Draw a circle in GIMP. Draw a square. Yea … how long did that take to figure out?
New Ui announced, testers needed. What do you do? Complain about the old UI. Smart.
I dont care about it to test it. I just use Krita.
You just wanted to shit on something.
Sit anybody in front of Photoshop for the first time and it will be the same.
The UI of modern Photoshop is now insanely bloated.
It’ll take them as long just to boot the program, and every time they change tools they’ll have to wait for it to catch up
You want MS Paint.
Yeah it’s literally not for you. Its like opening up cad (engineering tool) and complaining that there’s a learning curve. My good friend is a graphic designer. I tried to get them to use gimp when they couldn’t pay for photoshop anymore but it sounded like they just wanted to rip their hair out because of how behind photoshop it is. Gimp needs the basic features that are expected from photoshop for people to be willing to transition. You would be better off trying a graphic design bootcamp.
I will try to convince them to test it out but they just got access to photoshop again so it’s unlikely they’ll want to touch gimp anytime soon😮💨
I am a graphic designer. Used to build ads for Autotrader magazines. Its a very difficult program.
o7 Doing my civic duty in the fight to keep digital art in artists’ hands.
If they could make it as dummy proof as Macromedia Fireworks from the 2000s, they would make transitioning creative work in Linux a bit easier. And this is coming from a Linux user since 2008.
You mean Inkscape? I think that’s more Inkscape’s wheelhouse.
I regularly use both. Inkscape and Gimp could benefit from ux improvements that ease newbies in, with intuitiveness being front and center.
Change the name. 😄 Edit: Imp is right there. If you miss 3 syllables of GNU Imp, try Photobash. Make it obvious.
Please do not change the name.
There’s nothing wrong with it whatsoever. ~ I feel seen (with my gimpy walk), with that homonym out there. It’s a strong positive.
Also, what an ugly book-burning history-rewriting miscrediting to try hush an advocacy of freedom, when [ironically] that freedom’s right there, availing you the solution (that does not seek to impose any doubleplus goodspeak), in that you can just fork it, and rename it, yourself, if that’s the issue you have with it.
… Also… I’ve never heard it called GNU Imp. Gimp, or GNU Image Manipulation Program, or the gimp. That’s just silly. … And why’s Imp considered an improvement? What’s the benefit? What itch would it scratch?
Yeah… I’ll stick with 2.10. It’s responsive.
Have you even tested the new version? How do you know it’s not responsive?
I have tried various versions in the 3 series. Several times. Across several distros. And several arrangements of useflags in gentoo. The new new point version? probably not yet. Have they changed the toolkit or done some magic to change it to be as responsive as the 2 series? If not, seems a safe bet it’ll still be noticeably laggy like all prior versions in the 3 series.