Gimp is a free software for artists and I've ben using it the past few days to sort out some of my older drawings so that they look alot sharper and more smoother artwork, although I need to learn a few advanced things about the Gimp software I feel by just using the smudge and burn tools that are incorporated into the software that these are more than enough for now to update my existing artwork.

Although the advanced features like layers interests me, but because this software is free, it gives you the idea that you can almost do anything with it and so this is going to be an ongoing hubpage series on the stuff that I have learnt to do with Gimp and I'll show you the before and after results of my work to prove that I am using it and experimenting different applications and computer art techniques.

See some more examples of my smudging with the gimp software

In the example below I uploaded an old drawing I did about 4 years ago that was in one of my old computer files...gathering virtual dust I might add! and I began editing the drawing by adding blacks and some greys and then smudging to create some great smooth textures and computer shading, then I started to add colour gradually with the airbrush tool, using various sizes for colour application, although I haven't finished the drawing using Gimp yet as I can foresee several layers of smudging and shading that will need to be made up to combine with zoomed in details that I will have to draw in right at the end.

Although I haven't used Gimp for a considerably long time I can see the benefits of using it for whatever art I am drawing offline and then to scan it in and just have a play around with some of the softwares features is what helps you to learn anyway.

Get some extra plug ins for Gimp, to make it more closer to Photoshop,

 Cheers to Sunforged for this link, because I wouldn't have known about it otherwise.