One of the cool thing about using wordpress as a content management  program for your website is all the free, open source, Themes you can choose from.  If you take the time to look you can find a theme that has the layout you want or one that will only need minor tweaks to be ideal.  One thing that is certain, however, is the need to modify some graphic element.  Whether it is the header graphic or the development of your website logo, you will inevitably need to do some graphic work on your site.

Most web users don’t have access to Photoshop or some other high end professional graphics program.  That is why I like to recommend GIMP.  It is an open source, FREE, graphics manipulation program that does everything you would every need to modify your wordpress theme.  I think it is golden.  You can modify your header, add your logo and save it to .jpeg, .gif, .png or any other web compatible format

If you have not checked out GIMP yet, you are missing an excellent program for web based applications.

There have been countless times when designing a website or creating a video that I have needed a graphic, whether edited or created.  Fortunately, I have had access to Photoshop during those times.  But what do you do when you don’t have that expensive Adobe product?  Do you resolve to do the best you can with Paint or grab whatever will work from Google images?

We all need a graphics manipulation program at some point and I have recently found the most awesome open-source program to fill that need.  Have you ever heard of GIMP?  GIMP “is an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a freely distributed program for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition and image authoring.”  It is TOTALLY FREE and offers most, if not all, of the same features that Photoshop offers.

The interface is simple to use and the tools do exactly what you would expect.  If you have ever worked with Photoshop, you will find the learning curve for GIMP to very shallow.  I was able to use the application quickly and easily once I downloaded the app.  It works on a PC and a MAC and simply works.

Check it out and see if it doesn’t meet your graphic needs.  And it’s OPEN SOURCE!!!  I love Open Source.  Once you download it, let me know what you think of the app.  Worth the trouble of the download?