Scaling an Image Using The Gimp

The Gimp is a free tool that allows you to create and edit digital images and photos. It allows the user to do many, if not all, of the tasks that can be preformed using Adobe Photoshop, but unlike Adobe Photoshop, Gimp is free to download and use. It is available for most platforms, including Windows, Linux, Mac OSX, and Unix.

The Gimp was first developed in 1996 and likely its name needs a little explaining. The Gimp is an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program.

While The Gimp is capable of doing many high level image creation and manipulation tasks, such as offering about 150 different effects like Grayesian Blur and Drop Shadows, it can also be used for standard photo manipulation.

The term scaling a photo refers to resizing a image, while typically retaining its proportions. This can be used to make an image smaller or larger, so it is easier to print or send to others. Online, scaling images is often important to save space and ensure proper formatting.

Digital images have a width and a height, which is usually measured in pixels. A digital images dimensions is similar to the resolution of your computer monitor. For instance if you have a wide screen monitor, your might be using a 1680 x 1050 Resolution, with 1680 being the width and 1050 being the height.

Digital images are very similar. One reason that scaling an image is important is because often digital cameras create very big pictures. The camera itself can of course be changed so this does not occur, but by default, most cameras take very large pictures that are not suited for the web, printing, or sharing.

Scaling an Image with The Gimp is very easy, but you would of course have to install The Gimp first.

1. Open the image using The Gimp - If The Gimp is already open, you can goto the File Menu and Select Open, if not, depending on your settings, you should be able to right click on the image and select "Open with The Gimp"
2. Goto the Image drop down menu and select "Scale Image," which will open up the dialog box shown on the right.

3. Under the "Image Size" Section, you can change the new width or height.

4. Click "Scale" - This will scale the image.

5. Remember if you don't like it, you can goto "Edit" and select "Undo" and try again.

6. After you get the image scaled like you like it, save the image, by going to the File Menu and Selecting "Save" or "Save As." I usually like to use "Save As" for my personal photos that I have taken myself, because this will leave the original unchanged.

You will notice what looks like a link in a chain next to the Width and Height. This is used to link the Width and Height together, allowing the image to retain its proper proportions. If you click on the link, you will be able to change the Height or Width, without keeping the images proportions. Typically most people will want to keep the photos proportions, because this keeps it from becoming stretched or distorted.

By default, The Gimp will use Pixels to measure the height and width of the image. This can be changed by selecting the white drop down box in the "Scale Image" dialog. By clicking on the white box that says "Pixels," you can change it to use Inches, Centimeters, or several other measurements.