Manipulate this!

Free image editors and graphic viewers

by RISHI AMATYA

FROM ISSUE # 146 (February 2008) | IN THIS ISSUE
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The internet is surely a fantastic place to search for information, freebies and much more. The internet is a proverbial treasure box of praiseworthy programs that are equally at par with the most expensive of programs. They are many such freeware and freebies that come in various shapes and sizes and are suited for various purposes. One such area is image editing.

Photoshop may be the Holy Grail when it comes to image handling. Be it with professional graphics designers or amateurs cooking up interesting manipulations on existing photos and 'spicing' them up, most people swear by it. Yes, it is good. But, with its sharp learning curve and Herculean size is certainly a disadvantage to regular users. For those wanting to just have fun doing simple touch-ups and not beat the professional designers, it's a hard and reluctant choice. Worry not, there are good enough alternatives on the World Wide Web (www). And the best part is they are all free to download and use!

paint.net
With an excellent intuitive interface and no-nonsense approach to image editing, paint.net is an excellent choice for beginners and higher users who want hassle free image editing. It features a slick user interface with powerful tools, support for layers, unlimited undo commands (hallelujah!) and a plethora of goodies that are nearly too good to be true! With its humble beginnings as an undergraduate college design project, it has rapidly gained ground as one of the most user-friendly and up to date free image manipulating programs. Initially intended as a free replacement for the Microsoft Paint Software, it has grown into a strong image and photo editor in its own right.

Try it: http://getpaint,net/

The GIMP
If you want a robust open source image handling program, look no further than the GIMP. GIMP (GNU Image Manipulating Program) is the answer and alternative to Photoshop. It has all the features that you want and need to put a zing to your work. Most users and die hard open source enthusiasts associate it with Linux and Unix, but with each subsequent release, the GIMP has modeled into a software that runs evenly on both a Mac or Windows. The best thing about GIMP is its flexibility. It can be used as a simple paint program, an expert image retouching utility or an online batch processing system. With its support for various plug-ins and extensions, it can do just about anything. Don't take our word for it, experience it YOURSELF.

Try it: http://www.gimp.org/