Gimp 2.4 Released

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gimp.jpgAfter years in development, The GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) v. 2.4 is now available for download for your favorite OS, be it Windows, Linux or Mac OS. The popular open source image editing tool has been redesigned with new features and a new look, and it’s ready to take on all your texturing and image post-processing needs. Oh, and you can edit photos too! Don’t miss out, check out GIMP 2.4 today!

GIMP 2.4′s Release Notes give a nice overview of the new features, which include scalable brushes and some new selection tools, among other things. Other improvements include a new type of Clone tool, a Healing brush which will be familiar to Photoshop users, and a redesigned Crop tool with improved functionality. Even GIMP’s (dog?) mascot Wilbur has been given a new, classier look for this new version. So what are you waiting for? The GIMP is better than ever. Don’t leave it out of your CG toolbox!

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    • http://www.cuby.co.nr Cuby

      Cool. I’ll download it now! Thanks for the note.

    • Ronin

      just downloaded and tested – but still away from what i hoped would be in this release.
      Better than the last releases, yes. But it looks like it’s refreshing the display at a low rate, just moving around a layer created errors until the next redraw. Some options like perspektive Transformation take my CPU up to 100% load. :(

      That Layer-Size option is very confusing, when you have to resize the Layer each time if you want to add something.
      well, i’ll try it on linux this afternoon, maybe it’s running better there.

    • watsch

      unfortunately, there are no Mac OS X binaries yet. just the release candidate that I’ve already installed. I’m lookiing forward to an updated version, which runs without X11.

    • http://www.blendernation.com Bart

      @watsch: is there a version that runs without X11? I’d like to use the gimp on my MBP, but the X11 requirement has always put me off..

    • Daerd

      Ummm, Wilbur is supposed to be a cat! (I think.)
      Just found this on google: http://www.wilber-loves-apple.org/

      See for yourselves!

    • Alexandre
    • tdSkate

      > The official release of GIMP 2.4 is not available yet for Mac OS X. The links to the binaries included below are usually for the slightly older release candidates. We hope that they will be updated soon.

      :-(

    • http://membres.lycos.fr/bobois/index_anglais.html IamInnocent

      There are a few nice things that aren’t mentioned in the release logs.
      Of those I appreciate the presence of a nice Lanczos 3 filter for resizing since I always render oversize and then downsize to avoid loosing time with Blender’s less than overwhelming OSA.
      The desaturate function has and option to keep luminosity that does very well to keep the legibility of a converted image to a maximum..

      J.

    • gauravanim

      DownloadEEDDD !!!!

    • Smoking_mirror

      It’s nice but I can’t get the Normal map plug in to work with the new version. Does anyone know where to get an updated plug in, if there is one. Also I’ve had a lot of problems with very slow performance when using selections of any type.

      Probably only worth updating if you have a good CPU.

    • http://membres.lycos.fr/bobois/index_anglais.html IamInnocent

      Sorry for double posting but just to say, to balance information, that under Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon, 2.4 GHZ CPU and 512 MB RAM tha selection tools are lightning fast on an image 1024×768.

      J.

    • http://e2-productions.com Dion Moult

      I dunno. I’ll try it out one day but ATM it’s Photoshop for me. Guess I’m more used to photoshop.

    • Jurgen

      Title is bit misleading since this is 2.4.2 bugfix release or did blendernation just miss the original 2.4 release.

    • http://www.eofw.org Jarod

      hmm Headline should be “Gimp 2.4.2 Released”, because 2.4 was released on 2007-10-24.
      And could it be, that the WIN version isn’t 2.4.2 but rather 2.4.1?

    • http://www.blendernation.com Bart

      Yeah, we were a bit late with this announcement. Still, I hope you’ll enjoy it ;)

    • http://indiworks.wordpress.com/ indiworks

      Until there is an OS X version available maybe some will find the (older) Gimpshop useful – it still only runs under X11 – but really tries to make the Gimp more user friendly. It’s not perfect, but can be used for smaller work you might need for a 3D project: http://plasticbugs.com/?page_id=294 (OS X 10.3/10.4 – 10.5…?)

      Still in early development and only basic features, but much nicer to use than the Gimp (at least under X11) is the Gimp based Seashore http://seashore.sourceforge.net/ (OS X 10.3/10.4/10.5)

      Not open-source but free – unfortunately tries to phone home on start-up (solution: Little Snitch) and reminds the user of donating when the app is closed – but otherwise quite interesting: LiveQuartz Image Editing (OS X 10.4/10.5)

    • Chris

      I wonder when the GIMP folks decided to copy the design of the Blender website?

    • http://www.blendernation.com Bart

      @Chris: ah, you noticed! I had a good laugh when I saw their new design :)

    • Egan

      Wilbur is a coyote.
      (Taken from wikipedia)

    • http://www.klangfreund.com Samuel

      @Bart:
      Gimp for OSX without X11:
      http://www.nasendackel.de/2007/10/21/gimp-macos-ohne-x11/
      but there are issues with keyboard shortcuts…

      If you wanna have Gimp-App 2.4.1 for OSX:
      http://www.nasendackel.de/2007/11/11/gimp-241-fur-leopard/ (Intel)
      http://www.nasendackel.de/2007/11/20/gimp-241-powerpc-leopard/ (PowerPC)

      The same guy also wrote an up-to-date guide (this time in english) on how to build your own Gimp-App:
      http://www.wilber-loves-apple.org/

    • http://www.klangfreund.com Samuel

      oh, just check the download section, now it’s all in there:
      http://www.wilber-loves-apple.org/download/

    • http://www.cunabulapress.com cunabula

      @Dion Moult: I thought I’d feel that way but since I decided to try UbuntuStudio Feisty (Dual Booting Windows) I’ve not needed to go back to it once – in fact I’ve not gone back to the Windows partition at all. All I miss is Virtual Photographer and that only rarely.

    • LIGHTspeed

      Oh wow… I’ve always wanted them, and finally come Scalable brushes!

    • http://www.FALGOR.net Falgor

      I hope Gimpshop 2.4 comes soon.

    • http://www.blog.ohweb.com.ar Gez

      @IamInnocent:
      Lanczos is badly broken. Avoid it until they fix it. Cubic gives better results atm, but you will need to sharpen the image once it’s scaled down to avoid the filtering blur.

      @Chris: I’ve made a couple of suggestions for the new gimp website. The direct links at the bottom was one of my suggestions, and it was certainly inspired in Blender website. I guess I’m a Blender fan, you can’t blame me.
      For my deffense I can only say that the site was already black and orange when I arrived :)
      I guess Jimmac is a Blender fan too :-)

      @Smoking_Mirror: I’ve compiled the normal map plugins and a couple more (save for web wich is very cool and separate+ that converts RGB images to CMYK separations).
      I’ve compiled them on Ubuntu Gutsy, but I think they will work in other recent distros because they had few dependencies.
      http://www.ohweb.com.ar/gimp

    • http://www.renderreality.com Joe

      I have the 2.4 RC3 file from

      http://gimp-app.sourceforge.net/

      It may use X windows but the most important feature for me, the Texturizer plug-in works.

      I tried the download from Wilber loves apple and noticed 2 things:

      1. It still seems to use X11.
      2. Texturizer disappeared again. Maybe I could fix that if I had a compelling reason to do so. But I am not sure I could and have no reason to leave 2.4-RC3 right now.

      Anyone else get texturizer to work under 2.4.2? Anyone disagree that it’s still using X11? Anyone know why I should move from 2.4-RC3 to 2.4.2?

    • Donnie

      Alright. Thank you for letting us know. I will download it when I can. Hopefully tonight. Take care everyone. I really truly hope God blesses you all with the knowledge to make awesome games. My fellow gamers may you sweat and your fingers bleed. Take care.

    • Kory

      For linux (well ubuntu at least) only rc3 is in the repositories. I downloaded it from GetDeb.
      Just thought I would mention that.

    • BlendRoid

      “just downloaded and tested – but still away from what i hoped would be in this release.”

      “I’ll try it out one day but ATM it’s Photoshop for me. Guess I’m more used to photoshop.”

      There are only two reasons I use Photoshop more often than GIMP:

      GIMP takes somewhat longer to start up.

      Photoshop runs in one window, while each tab is a separate window in GIMP, making it a lot harder to use it with other programs open.

      If they could fix those two issues, especially the multiple windows thing, I would use GIMP just as much as Photoshop.

    • http://www.mechgame.co.nr FlyingIsFun1217

      Yeah, a little late on the draw there :P

      FlyingIsFun1217

    • kram1032

      great :)

    • pctopgs

      wat doz this have to do with blender??????

    • Auria

      I’ve been following GIMP development a bit… i think we have a lot more goodness to come in the next versions! (BTW they want to switch to shorter developments cycles… the multiple window problem is known and should be fixed – integration with GEGL in the future will allow more color depth. so i guess GIMP has a rather bright future now with that version finally out!)

    • Tallguy

      pctopgs, what are you creating your textures with? That’s what it has to do with Blender.

      It would be awesome to see GIMP make the same jumps forward that Blender has enjoyed the last few years.

      As a Winders user, the multiple windows thing would be nice to see changed. (I don’t know how that would affect other OS users.) But the brush size thing is a) huge and b) obvious and overdue.

    • http://www.ebswift.com ebswift

      I use a combo of inkscape, the gimp & sometimes blender (I need to do more blender tutorials) for all my graphic art needs and there’s actually nothing missing from that combination of tools for any web graphics design or photo retouch work. I agree that photoshop might be superior but it’s far too expensive. If I could afford it I would use photoshop instead of the gimp. But, since I am using the gimp, the 2.4 release is a great improvement.

      Like everyone else I don’t like the multiple windows thing with the gimp – I’m always searching around the task bar looking for my lost dialog boxes.

    • Smoking_mirror

      Gez, thanks for the normal map update.
      It’s a deb package, I use windows vista, will it work?

    • freen

      Check out liquid resize!!

      Sweeeet!!

    • TK-421

      yes! scalable brushes! thats the only reason i ever favored ps when i got the chance to use it. now i don’t have to dish out the cash.

    • zenoscope

      I use the gimp in a (semi) dedicated desktop under kubuntu (it shares space with konq, my file browser). One of the things I’ve always hated about the gimp was the multiple windows, especially as with my focus-follows mouse, as sometimes the windows don’t pop up to the top like they should.
      other than that, I like the new gimp, for me its a bit faster.

    • TroutMask

      leopard release won’t even launch. nice quality control.

    • TroutMask

      and before people say i need to patch x11, my problem is that after i unzip the download, the disk image won’t even mount.

      i’ve tried to use gimp off an on over the last couple of years on the mac, but severe stability issues, the hassle of x11, and lack of tablet support (don’t you thnk it’s about time??) make me wonder why this software is even released on the OS X platform. the mac builds should be clearly branded as experimental since they never work properly.

    • Wishmaster

      Yehaaa! I love the GIMP .. contrary to what a lot of people say, I think it’s far more usable than Photoshop.

      And Wilber is neither a dog, nor a cat, nor a coyote – he is a Gimp. :)

    • Daerd

      TroutMaster: From where did you obtain your Leopard binaries? To the best of my knowledge, there are no “official” builds for any member of the OSX family as of yet. Most of them are fan builds. I could be wrong. :)

      Wishmaster: Right. Wilber is a Gimp (a derogatory term used to refer to a sexual submissive person). Whoa!

      Anybody know of an Ubuntu build?

    • scorps

      There is this plugin for windows version of Gimp called Backgroundwindow (a.k.a Gimp Deweirdefyer) which takes care of multiple windows
      registry.gimp.org/plugin?id=3892

    • Ronin

      i continued to test it, besides what i said, i can’t find anything against it.
      Some options are even easier to use than in Photoshop (paths for example)

      That multi window topic, can’t say anything against that, i hope they don’t take it out, maybe making it optional.
      I like very much working with multiple windows in GIMP.

    • http://www.esthesie.fr Maxim

      For the latest Ubuntu builds of Gimp (and Blender by the way…), there is http://www.getdeb.net/

      Well, at the time I’m writing there is no 2.4.2 version of Gimp (only 2.4.1) but it should come shortly.

    • Daerd

      Ronin: I’ve been following their development mailing lists for sometime and they’re planning to implement tabbed windows as an option. The lead developers don’t even think that implementing tabs is difficult. Now, if only they’ll implement tab-undock, that’ll finally kill this endless bickering regarding an unappreciated feature such as multi-windows. I honestly don’t mind the multi-windows feature, it helps when you have either a large screen or multiple screens because independent windows are much more easy to put in separate screens.

      Maxim: Thanks for helping. But I already know of that link, in fact, that’s the only most up-to-date link I know. :)

    • Daerd

      So, the tabbed-windows feature is on the task list (http://cr33dog.fedorapeople.org/misc/gimp_task_list_02.html). But, unfortunately, it’s not slated for 2.6. (:c)

    • cekuhnen

      mh

      stil far away from photoshop.

      painfully slow refresh rate, no CMYK, no shadow highlight correction, and other tools.

      still a great tool to have but not a thread at all.

    • Daerd

      BTW, Photoshop is never the target of GIMP development. So, stop comparing GIMP to Photoshop like as if the latter is some be-all and end-all. If you don’t like GIMP, then don’t use it. Comments like above never help. To each, his own, haven’t you heard?

      For most of us who do use the GIMP, it’s plenty useful just the way it is. No software is perfect. At least, GIMP is evolving and all its users have the freedom to participate in its evolution. This freedom is GIMP’s silver bullet against all other similar but proprietary applications.

    • cekuhnen

      And you think posts like yours make sense as well?

      As far as I can remember I also wrote still a great tool to use and guess what, I use it on the Windows side as Inkscape as well. I do all my other work in OS X with PS simply because Gimp still lacks some tools I need for my work.

      The refresh rate are some strong drawbacks. And the lack of CMYK just limits its usability – since they included a color management system, lets see when that one is coming.

      PS is not a great tool, it is just mainly used. Even when they do not aim to at PS many I know are just waiting until it gets certain features, so they can ditch Photoshop.

    • Daerd

      What I meant by “help” is “help in development”. Comments like “Photoshop is better than GIMP” never really help the developers of GIMP realize anything, because, chances are, they already know that, ummm, 5 years ago or so. They are just awaiting more resources (e.g. more developers, implementation details, etc.). And, you know what? They could be planning the feature as we speak (or flame :). Like, I know that full CMYK support will be possible after GEGL is fully integrated. Partial GEGL integration is slated for 2.6 (see: http://cr33dog.fedorapeople.org/misc/gimp_task_list_02.html ). That’s why, as early as 2.6 we can probably see a little bit of CMYK, 16-bit+ (a.k.a. deep color), color management (among other things) love here and there. So, supporting the developers and waiting patiently is the way to go. But feel free to do what you want! :) I’m sorry if I struck some strings. Your comment really sounded like a whine to me.

      The way I see it, you could have meant “help” as in “help users decide what is better”. Well, users can test the GIMP for themselves, can’t they? :P

    • Daerd

      This (http://rants.scribus.net/2006/06/03/why-no-cmyk-in-gimp-is-a-good-thing-now/ ) was written more than a year ago, but the guy really hit a lot of things spot-on. Pretty interesting coming from a non-GIMP developer (obviously, a Scribus developer). The way he ranted about GIMP achieving about 50% of the comments on the Scribus 1.0 story because of CMYK support is both extremely hilarious and extremely sad. ;P

    • pctopgs

      I made my textures with photoshops (warez :) )