A new digital magazine centred around the popular open-source image editor ‘The GIMP’ is gearing up for launch.
‘GIMP Magazine’ – which despite the unfortunate connotations the name may bring in some quarters – will provide enthusiasts and professionals alike with development news, tutorials, reviews of hardware , software and resources, any plenty more.
Showcases of work created in GIMP will also feature heavily.
‘Promote GIMP’
So why a magazine, and why now? I spoke to the project lead Steve Czajka to learn more about what readers can expect to find in the magazine.
“We want to better promote the image of GIMP and have some fun along the way,” Czajka told me via e-mail.
“Speaking for myself I would love to see the image of GIMP improved, not just as a free tool to create images but as a powerful tool used by talented creative individuals all over the world every day.”
‘I have a huge respect for everyone that had a part in making this software over the past 15+ years (and everything around it – help, website, books, tut[orial]s, etc…), not for the product itself, but for what the product allows me to create. You are enabling people.’
‘And when you enable people around the world you have something that is truly remarkable. This is an incredible community and I hope that GIMP Magazine can help.’
‘4 Issues a Year’
The GIMP Magazine folks are looking at producing 4 issues a year.
‘Ideally we would love to see this become a monthly magazine,’ Steve told us. ‘But we need about a year of getting this right before we can commit to anything further,’
The magazine will initially be distributed in the well-worn PDF format, largely for the widest possible compatibility.
‘We are also looking into publishing this down the road in a blurb.com or issuu.com type of service, as well as [the] ePub format.’
But the GIMP Magazine folks see more value in a ‘digital experience’.
‘We might want to have some link through type articles, meaning that we may start a tutorial and get to step 3 of 10 with a link through to the originating site to complete the article. This link through type of format will help to better promote the portfolios of the artists and contributors.’
In order to get the magazine to as many people as possible the team are open to distributing the title through the Ubuntu Software Center.
Call for Content
The magazine will only be as good as its content – which is where you can help.
In an open call for content the magazine team are looking for content submissions from capable writers on a variety of topics, including (but not limited to):
- GIMP plug-ins and extensions
- Tutorials of varying difficulty
- Reviews of GIMP related software like Darkroom, Krtia, etc
- Book reviews
- Useful GIMP tips and tricks
- Resource reviews (patterns, etc)
Should you wish to get involved head to blog.meetthegimp.org. The deadline for content submissions in June 1st – so you have a good month left to flex your creativity.