GIMP and Paint.net – Attacking Adobe’s Pockets from the Shadows Since 1996

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One of the best things about the modern internet is its ability to take a good idea and immediately dilute it to the point of demonetization. I remember looking at Photoshop in High School and thinking “Wow, this looks really cool. I wish the home version didn’t cost $800.” In hindsight, it’s understandable; when you fill a specific niche and are perceived as uncontested, you have the freedom to charge what you want. Fast forward to the modern day and the picture is significantly altered (pause for yucks or maybe weak smiles). Photoshop now has to deal with some serious competitors, a number of which are completely free. Coincidentally, I have some (mild) experience with a couple of them! Lucky you, friend.

Paint.net is my day-to-day image editor. It’s lightweight, easy to use out of the box, and is still feature-rich enough to replace Photoshop for the layman. I favor it when I need to quickly crop something or apply basic adjustments like red eye removal to a photo. It also accommodates a more systematic and stepwise approach through the same type of layering system Photoshop uses. I rarely need to deviate from this one.

But what if, for posterity’s sake, I didn’t WANT to settle for a Photoshop-lite? Enter the GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP for short)! GIMP is touted as an open-source, full alternative to Photoshop that’s free for anyone to use. It has layering. It has the dodge/burn tool. It has the smudge tool. It’s got it all! It’s also a bit more of a commitment than Paint.net if you want to get comfortable using it, so I generally shy away. However, I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to get their feet wet in image manipulation without ponying up for Adobe’s flagship offering.

And that’s it. While these two programs come highly recommended from yours truly, there are a dearth of other options out there. Give them all a try! Become the son/daughter I always wanted!