San Francisco, CA, January 23, 2013—GIMP is a powerful, full-featured, cross-platform, free alternative to Adobe Photoshop. Although it's one of the most popular open source programs, with millions of users worldwide, GIMP can be tricky to use and even trickier to master. The Book of GIMP: A Complete Guide to Nearly Everything (No Starch Press, January 2013, 676 pp., full color, $49.95, ISBN 9781593273835) is a thorough, heavily illustrated guide that will help users harness the full capabilities of GIMP 2.8.

The Book of GIMP begins with step-by-step tutorials that cover the most useful features of GIMP, like retouching photographs, creating illustrations, and website design. The second part of the book offers a comprehensive reference to nearly every aspect of the software, so that users can find what they need without hours of trial and error. This two-pronged approach makes the book suitable for readers of any skill level—the tutorials will help new users get started with GIMP, and the extensive reference portion will answer the questions that pop up for even the most seasoned GIMP users.

"GIMP is one of the most successful and useful tools in the world of free software. But users often need a little help mastering it," says author Olivier Lecarme. "When writing The Book of GIMP, my goal was to combine hands-on tutorials with the up-to-date user manual that users need. There's something in here for everyone: new users will get oriented quickly, and experienced users will have a useful reference to keep handy."

Full color, step-by-step instructions show readers how to:

• Improve the lighting and composition of images
• Remove distortions and noise to make old and damaged photos look like new
• Create stunning panoramas and digital collages using a series of photos
• Make, edit, and export custom textures, logos, and animated GIFs
• Work with selections, channels, and masks to edit images like a pro
• Create colorful digital art, layer by layer

With detailed tutorials and unmatched thoroughness, The Book of GIMP is an indispensable tool for image editors everywhere, from GIMP gurus to newly converted Photoshop refugees.