Class 33: GIMP Basics

Held: Monday, April 2, 2007

Summary: Today we begin investigations of the GIMP, The GNU Image Manipulation Program.

Related Pages:

• EBoard.
• Lab: The GNU Image Manipulation Program.
• Reading: The GNU Image Manipulation Program.

Notes:

• Are there questions on the second exam?
• The intent is that this week be relatively low key (other than the exam), since it's the week after break.

Overview:

• About the GIMP.
• This week.
• Getting started with the GIMP.
• Lab.

GIMP

• This week, we'll play with an interesting application that is controlled by a scripting language that bears remarkable resemblance to Scheme (but isn't quite the Scheme you know).
• The GIMP i free alternative to Photoshop and the ilk
• It has a remarkably awkward user interface, but you'll get used to it.
• It is currently available for Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X.
• We're studying the GIMP because you can script it with Scheme (which you'll see later this week).
• On our Linux boxes, start GIMP by typing gimp in a shell window.
• Create a new file by selecting New from the File menu.
• Draw with the appropriate drawing tools (waving the cursor over a tool should tell you what it does).
• Save by clicking with the right mouse button within the picture and then selecting Save or Save As from the File menu..

Plans for This Week

• Monday: Play with GIMP.
• Tuesday: Start programming with one-liners.
• Wednesday: Write your own procedures.
• Friday: Algorithmic art.
• Next week: Cool programming techniques.
• In week 13: Project.

Lab

• Sam does a short demo.
• Do the lab.
• Be prepared to reflect.