Free Course Image Gimp for image editing

Free online courseGimp for image editing

Duration of the online course: 2 hours and 26 minutes

5

StarStarStarStarStar

(2)

Edit photos like a pro with this free GIMP course—learn layers, retouching, color correction, and creative effects, plus tips to work faster and smarter.

In this free course, learn about

  • GIMP course overview, setup, and basic workflow for photo editing
  • Alternatives to GIMP for digital art and photo editing
  • Using single-window mode and navigating the GIMP interface
  • Changing/selecting colors and beginner-friendly recoloring methods
  • Using Dodge, Smudge, Clone, and Heal tools, plus key shortcuts
  • Core selection tools (e.g., rectangular select) and when to use them
  • Layers fundamentals: why layers matter and how they improve editing
  • Crop, Move, Rotate, Scale, and Handle Transform tool usage and shortcuts
  • Transparency and alpha channels; best formats to preserve transparency (e.g., PNG)
  • Text tool basics: creating text and adjusting size and properties
  • Path tool basics for precise shapes, selections, and edits
  • Photo-to-pixel-art conversion; benefits of transparent backgrounds for low-res art
  • Colorizing old/black-and-white photos using separate coloring layers
  • Effects workflows: pencil sketch, exposure blending, and layer/effect adjustment goals

Course Description

Build real image-editing skills with GIMP, a powerful free alternative for photo editing and digital artwork. This course is designed for beginners who want results fast, without getting overwhelmed by complicated jargon. You will learn how to set up a comfortable workspace, understand essential tools, and develop an efficient workflow that helps you move from quick fixes to polished edits you would feel confident sharing online or using professionally.

As you progress, you will practice the techniques that make the biggest difference in everyday editing: selecting and changing colors cleanly, improving highlights with dodge-style adjustments, and fixing distractions with clone and heal methods. You will also learn how to make accurate selections for targeted edits and how to use layers to keep your work non-destructive, organized, and easy to revise. Along the way, you will gain confidence with common transformations like crop, move, rotate, and scale, so your compositions look intentional and balanced.

A key focus is understanding transparency and alpha channels, which unlock cleaner cutouts, better compositing, and professional-looking exports for web and design. You will also learn practical text basics for simple graphics, plus the path tool for precise shapes and clean curves. Beyond the fundamentals, the course guides you through creative, portfolio-friendly outcomes such as converting photos to pixel art, restoring and colorizing older images, and turning a photo into a pencil sketch effect. You will even explore exposure blending concepts to create a more balanced final image when lighting is tricky.

By the end, you will have a solid foundation in GIMP that translates into faster edits, better control over detail, and a clearer creative process. Whether you are improving photos for social media, building design assets, or learning image editing for personal projects and career growth, this course gives you practical skills you can apply immediately using free software.

Course content

  • Video class: Gimp Lesson 1 | Course Overview

    02m

  • Exercise: _What are the alternatives to GIMP for digital art and photo editing?

  • Video class: Gimp Lesson 2 | Getting Started

    12m

  • Exercise: _What is single window mode in Gimp?

  • Video class: Gimp Lesson 3 | Changing and Selecting Color

    09m

  • Exercise: _What is the recommended way to change the color when starting out in Gimp?

  • Video class: Gimp Lesson 4 | Dodge

    06m

  • Exercise: _What is the shortcut to access the smudge tool in Gimp?

  • Video class: Gimp Lesson 5 | Using Clone and Heal

    08m

  • Exercise: _What is the shortcut key to select the clone tool in Gimp?

  • Video class: Gimp Lesson 6 | Using Selection Tools

    11m

  • Exercise: _What is the shortcut key to access the rectangular select tool in GIMP?

  • Video class: Gimp Lesson 7 | Intro to Layers

    07m

  • Exercise: _What is the benefit of using layers in GIMP?

  • Video class: Gimp Lesson 8 | Using Crop and Move Tools

    06m

  • Exercise: _What is the shortcut key to select the crop tool in GIMP?

  • Video class: Gimp Lesson 9 | How to Rotate and Scale

    09m

  • Exercise: _What is the shortcut to access the rotate tool in Gimp?

  • Video class: Gimp Lesson 10 | Using Transparency and Alpha Channel

    08m

  • Exercise: _What file format should you save an image as if you want to preserve transparency in Gimp?

  • Video class: Gimp Lesson 11 | Text Basics for Beginners

    11m

  • Exercise: How can you modify text size using the text tool?

  • Video class: Gimp Lesson 12 | Gimp Path Tool

    09m

  • Video class: Convert Photo to Pixel Art using Gimp

    08m

  • Exercise: _What is the advantage of using an image with a transparent background when creating low res pixel art using Gimp?

  • Video class: How to Color an Old Photo using Free Software, Gimp

    06m

  • Exercise: _What is the importance of using a separate layer for coloring?

  • Video class: How to use Handle Transform Tool in Gimp

    01m

  • Exercise: _Where can you find the handle transform tool in some versions of Gimp's toolbox?

  • Video class: Gimp | Color a Black and White Picture

    04m

  • Exercise: What element of filmmaking is highlighted in the transcript?

  • Video class: Gimp | Color a Black and White Picture

    04m

  • Exercise: What element of filmmaking is highlighted in the transcript?

  • Video class: GIMP | Free photo editing. Like Photoshop, but free!

    01m

  • Video class: Convert Photo to Pencil Sketch / Effect using Gimp

    04m

  • Exercise: What is the primary goal of adjusting layers and effects in the image editing process described?

  • Video class: Exposure Blending | Gimp

    09m

  • Exercise: What is the main technique described in the video?

This free course includes:

2 hours and 26 minutes of online video course

Digital certificate of course completion (Free)

Exercises to train your knowledge

100% free, from content to certificate

Ready to get started?Download the app and get started today.

Install the app now

to access the course
Icon representing technology and business courses

Over 5,000 free courses

Programming, English, Digital Marketing and much more! Learn whatever you want, for free.

Calendar icon with target representing study planning

Study plan with AI

Our app's Artificial Intelligence can create a study schedule for the course you choose.

Professional icon representing career and business

From zero to professional success

Improve your resume with our free Certificate and then use our Artificial Intelligence to find your dream job.

You can also use the QR Code or the links below.

QR Code - Download Cursa - Online Courses

Course comments: Gimp for image editing

AY

Aphiwe Yamile

StarStarStarStar

good

More free courses at Image Editing and Photo Editing

Free Ebook + Audiobooks! Learn by listening or reading!

Download the App now to have access to + 5000 free courses, exercises, certificates and lots of content without paying anything!

  • 100% free online courses from start to finish

    Thousands of online courses in video, ebooks and audiobooks.

  • More than 60 thousand free exercises

    To test your knowledge during online courses

  • Valid free Digital Certificate with QR Code

    Generated directly from your cell phone's photo gallery and sent to your email

Cursa app on the ebook screen, the video course screen and the course exercises screen, plus the course completion certificate