Q: How can I edit images on Athena?

Answer

There are many graphics programs available on Athena (see What graphics programs are available on Athena? for more information), however the easiest way to edit images on Athena is with software called the GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP). GIMP is a powerful image editing package which duplicates much of the functionality available in software such as Adobe Photoshop.

To start GIMP, select Graphics from the Applications menu, and then select GIMP Image Editor. Several palette windows will open on your screen, as well as the main GIMP window. You can then open a file from the File menu and begin editing.

You can also right-click on files on the Desktop or in your home directory, and choose Open With... from the menu. If the file is a format supported by the GIMP, one of the options will be Open with GIMP Image Editor.

The GIMP website has a large number of tutorials, ranging from novice to expert, to guide you through the various features of the GIMP. For more information, view the GIMP tutorials.

Note: Common photo formats such as JPEG, GIF, etc cannot save a lot of the complex information created during the editing process, such as image layers. If you wish to retain this information (i.e. because you will need to edit the image further), you should be sure to save your file in the GIMP XCF (.xcf) format or Adobe Photoshop format (.psd). The GIMP will prompt you if you are about to save your image in another format which would omit some of this information.