# Learning GIMP on YouTube **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 1, 2024, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-gimp-on-youtube/1008341 "2024-10-01T16:19:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-gimp-on-youtube/1008341/1 "2024-10-01T16:19:58Z")
I am learning GIMP from scratch and was hoping someone out there can recommend a course or at least a creator that does a good job efficiently. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2024, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-gimp-on-youtube/1008341/2 "2024-10-01T20:53:18Z")
Moving to IMHO, as you are going to get opinions (“what’s a good course”) , not a factual answer. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2024, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-gimp-on-youtube/1008341/3 "2024-10-02T07:30:37Z")
Need a little more info, to judge your skillset. Are you starting with zero knowledge? Have you used Photoshop before? What is your endgoal? I’m a web software engineer, so I work with designers who use PS or Gimp, so I have some knowledge of both - I am not a great designer but I know how to use the tools. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2024, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-gimp-on-youtube/1008341/4 "2024-10-02T07:59:32Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > Are you starting with zero knowledge? Have you used Photoshop before? What is your endgoal? Yeah, this is important. I use GIMP instead of Photoshop, mostly because GIMP is free and Photoshop isn’t. Since I’ve never used Photoshop I can’t really compare the two. I did find that GIMP had a bit of a learning curve at first. I mostly use it for simple photo editing and creating textures for 3d modeling. I am definitely NOT a graphics artist. I can do simple things but I can’t do any of the fancy things that real graphics artists can do. GIMP can be used for all sorts of things, so, as @scudsucker said, what’s your current skill level and what are your end goals? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2024, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-gimp-on-youtube/1008341/5 "2024-10-02T11:11:57Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Since I’ve never used Photoshop I can’t really compare the two. To your benefit. GIMP’s “legally distinct from Photoshop” interface makes it absolutely maddening to use if you’re already familiar with the latter, like trying to find your way around your house in the dark but everything’s been moved a few inches in random directions. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2024, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-gimp-on-youtube/1008341/6 "2024-10-02T14:39:25Z")
MOre info: Very little experience. Don’t care if the workflow is similar to Photoshop, just want to be able to edit images for touch up family photos with the ability to send goofy doctored images to make my friends and family laugh. Krita has been recommended by a friend. Possibility? What do you guys think? ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2024, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-gimp-on-youtube/1008341/7 "2024-10-02T14:54:06Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > To your benefit. GIMP’s “legally distinct from Photoshop” interface makes it absolutely maddening to use if you’re already familiar with the latte I was thinking of posting that it’s a truism that one can go from GIMP to Photoshop but not the other way around. I tried GIMP and everything I thought I knew about photo editing turned out to be wrong. I’m sure that GIMP can be a good starting point for someone who’s never dabbled in this field. Since I’m not working anymore, I can’t get Adobe’s products, since i refuse to fork up their subscription fee with my own money. I’m cautiously optimistic about Affinity. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2024, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-gimp-on-youtube/1008341/8 "2024-10-02T15:00:18Z")
There are several videos on YouTube to get you started. - [https://www.youtube.com/results?search\_query=gimp+tutorial+photo+editing](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=gimp+tutorial+photo+editing) More advanced techniques will probably have to be searched for as you realize you need them. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2024, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-gimp-on-youtube/1008341/9 "2024-10-02T21:01:35Z")
What OS? If you use Windows and are used to MS Paint, I’d recommend [Paint.NET](http://Paint.NET). It has a slightly similar interface + a bunch of features and plugins - crappy parts of MSPaint, and free. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2024, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-gimp-on-youtube/1008341/10 "2024-10-02T22:01:44Z")
> [@Charlie\_Tan](#): > > > [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > > > To your benefit. GIMP’s “legally distinct from Photoshop” interface makes it absolutely maddening to use if you’re already familiar with the latte > > I was thinking of posting that it’s a truism that one can go from GIMP to Photoshop but not the other way around. I tried GIMP and everything I thought I knew about photo editing turned out to be wrong. I’m sure that GIMP can be a good starting point for someone who’s never dabbled in this field. Back when Corel PhotoPaint and Adobe Photoshop were released, I had a chance to try both. Without a manual, I was able to do anything I wanted with PhotoPaint. Photoshop would just randomly allow you to do and not do things, with icons enabling and disabling each other without any obvious explanation. I assume that, given all of the effort that’s gone towards Photoshop, it’s far more powerful and that you’d be better served - as a professional - with it. But I’d generally say that Adobe was lucky that Corel targeted Windows and the artsy types wanted Macs. Gimp sits somewhere in-between. Some things you can figure out how to do on your own, other things you’ll need to find a reference.