How to Manage Layers in GIMP

Once you've discovered what GIMP is and how to get started, you're ready to begin learning how to manage layers.

The Idea of Layers

The ability to create and maintain separate layers in the same workbook is one of GIMP's finest offerings. Although Adobe Photoshop has similar capabilities, its expensive price tag can be a hurdle for many. Hence the appeal of GIMP: a free, public domain version of Adobe Photoshop. GIMP is not identical to Photoshop, so whether you are familiar with the latter program or not, you still might initially find layering in GIMP to be tricky. But in time, you will likely find GIMP to be extremely user-friendly. So fear not! Keep practicing and refer to online tutorials, like this one, as needed.

If you've only ever used basic editing programs like Paint and Microsoft Office Picture Manager, the concept of layers might have escaped you. In Paint, for example, there is no layering capability. Once you insert a picture, besides edit-undo, there is no way to remove that picture leaving the background unchanged. The background is the only layer you're given, and any editing done, therefore, directly affects the background.

In GIMP, you have the ability to create and maintain multiple layers, giving you a much greater degree of freedom while editing. You can keep your background picture untouched while drawing on a new, transparent layer in the interim of editing. That way down the road, when you change your mind about adding those extra accents here and there, you can simply delete the accent layers without sacrificing the whole project you've been working on.

Background Layer

When you begin a project with GIMP, the file starts with one layer called the Background Layer. If you open a saved picture with GIMP, the picture will open as the Background Layer. If you're starting a new file, the Background Layer will be either transparent or a color of your choice (which can obviously be changed later).

Inserting a New Layer

At this point, to insert a new layer, you can (1) find the "Layer" section in the top toolbar of the workbook and click on "New Layer" or (2) hold down "Shift," "Control," and N on a PC. Either method will result in the popping-up of the New Layer Toolbar allowing you to choose the settings for your new layer: name, size, and fill type.

Managing Layers

To easily manage layers, the visibility of the Layer Toolbar is a must. Holding down "Control" and "L" will signal the Layer Toolbar's appearance. From this Toolbar, you can adjust the order of the layers, duplicate and delete layers, merge and anchor, and on and on. It might take some time and practice to completely master layering in GIMP, but the effort is well worth it.