GIMP 2.10 Masterclass: From Beginner to Pro Photo Editing (Udemy.com)
GIMP 2.10 Complete Guide - Learn the Free Photo Editor GIMP. Go From a Beginner to Pro in Photo Editing + Graphic Design
Created by: Michael Davies
Last updated July 2025
Our take
Based on the ratings of 4,118 students, a sample of their written reviews and the syllabus, as the course stood in July 2025. No course pays to be reviewed.
Michael Davies teaches this as a tool-by-tool tour of GIMP 2.10, aimed at photographers and anyone who wants a free alternative to Photoshop. It runs 275 lectures and about 41 hours across 30 sections, covering layers, selections, paths, transforms, paint tools, color adjustments and all 38 layer modes. Three projects, a photo collage, social media graphics and a book cover, give the theory somewhere to land. The last three sections are bonus tutorial collections. Nearly 20,000 students have enrolled.
Reviewers praise the pacing and the clear explanations. One says nothing leaves them confused, another likes that the instructor explains how the tools behave under the hood and not just where to click, and a long-time GIMP user says the earliest lectures fixed setup problems they had fought for years. Of 4,118 ratings, 2,299 are five stars and 1,419 are four. Complaints are few. One two-star reviewer says promised source images were never uploaded and that the course is no longer being updated. A Spanish-speaking student wants an optional translation.
The last update was July 2025, and the course is built on GIMP 2.10, with a section on the development versions leading to 3.0. One beginner started when the current release was 3.2.4 and found the beginning tough, so expect some interface differences. It is a paid course, and a long one. If you are settled on GIMP and happy to work through a big syllabus, it is a solid pick. If you only need a few quick fixes, a shorter course will do.
Pros
- Covers all 38 layer modes, each with its own short explanation
- Three projects: a photo collage, social media graphics, and a book cover with a 3D mockup
- Reviewers say lessons stay focused, with little small talk and clear explanations
- Large bonus library on retouching, skin work, low light and photo manipulation
Cons
- A reviewer says promised source images for some lessons were never uploaded
- Teaches GIMP 2.10, and one reviewer starting on 3.2.4 found the early going tough
- About 41 hours, with a lot of it bonus tutorials, is heavy for casual editing
I've been searching for the perfect gimp course to have a comprehensive understanding of the application. This is it. The pacing is great and nowhere do you lose interest throughout the course.
Fits beginners well, since only basic computer skills and a camera are assumed, and one long-time GIMP user says it still fixed old problems.
What you will learn
- How to Master GIMP 2.10
- How to use all the tools in the GIMP toolbox.
- The GIMP layout and its most important features
- All 38 layer modes (blend modes) for creating image effects.
- Important design and image editing concepts like Layers and Selection Areas
- What's new in the latest versions of GIMP, including GIMP 2.10.38
- Edit a photo professionally from start to finish.
- Use proper methods, not shortcuts, for better and more professional results.
- Import photos into GIMP.
- Edit photos for print or web.
- Make image adjustments using powerful built-in tools and filters.
- Touch up photos to remove imperfections or background objects.
- Enhance photos for a better finished product.
- How to Master the Paths Tool
- How to add a vignette around photos for a more dramatic effect.
- The Dodge and Burn Tools for a "Vogue" look.
- Crop or resize images with minimal quality loss, including cropping images into a circle shape.
- Export your photos to file types supported by GIMP.
- Create image compositions that combine graphic design, images, and filters.
- Edit black and white photos using recommended tools and methods.
- Edit low-light photos
- Remove objects from photos and perform other photo manipulations
- Repair old and damaged photographs
Course content
30 sections · 275 lectures · 41 hours of video 14 quizzes, 18 assignments, 8 articles
- 1Intro to the Course and GIMP 2 free previews15 lectures · 2 quizzes · 1.4 hours
- 2GIMP 2.10 Layers16 lectures · 5 quizzes · 2.1 hours
- 3GIMP Tools In-Depth: Move and Alignment Tools2 lectures · 1 quiz · 17 min
- 4GIMP 2.10 Selection Tools9 lectures · 4 quizzes · 1.2 hours
- 5GIMP 2.10 Paths Tool4 lectures · 1 quiz · 47 min
- 6GIMP 2.10 Crop Tool4 lectures · 1 quiz · 29 min
- 7GIMP 2.10 Transform Tools17 lectures · 3 quizzes · 2.1 hours
- 8GIMP 2.10 Text Tool7 lectures · 1 quiz · 33 min
- 9GIMP 2.10 Paint Tools13 lectures · 3 quizzes · 29 min
- 10GIMP 2.10 Miscellaneous Tools1 lecture · 1 quiz · 2 min
- 11GIMP Photo Editing Essentials (Image Adjustments) 1 free preview18 lectures · 4 quizzes · 2.3 hours
- 12Project: Creating a Photo Collage in GIMP7 lectures · 32 min
- 13GIMP 2.10 Layer Modes: Introduction to Layer Modes & Normal Layer Mode Types4 lectures · 8 min
- 14GIMP 2.10 Layer Modes: Cancellation Layer Mode Types3 lectures · 6 min
- 15GIMP 2.10 Layer Modes: Lighten Layer Mode Types5 lectures · 9 min
- 16GIMP 2.10 Layer Modes: Darken Layer Mode Types4 lectures · 6 min
- 17GIMP 2.10 Layer Modes: Contrast Layer Mode Types7 lectures · 1 quiz · 12 min
- 18GIMP 2.10 Layer Modes: Inversion Layer Mode Types6 lectures · 8 min
- 19GIMP 2.10 Layer Modes: Component Layer Mode Types7 lectures · 1 quiz · 10 min
- 20Lighting Effects3 lectures · 2 quizzes · 18 min
- 21Black and White Photography (GIMP 2.10)4 lectures · 1 quiz · 22 min
- 22GIMP 2.10 New Features and Tools16 lectures · 4.4 hours
- 23The Road to GIMP 3.0: Latest Development Versions7 lectures · 1.9 hours
- 24Project: Social Media and Website Graphic Design For Businesses18 lectures · 1.5 hours
- 25Project: Create a Book Cover and 3D Mock Up9 lectures · 29 min
- 26Image Precision and High Bit-depth Image Editing8 lectures · 29 min
- 27Course Conclusion1 lecture · 1 quiz · 1 min
- 28GIMP Photo Manipulation & Important Features Tutorials (Development Versions) 1 free preview14 lectures · 3.6 hours
- 29GIMP 2.10 Graphic Design Tutorials17 lectures · 6.5 hours
- 30GIMP 2.10 Photography Tutorials29 lectures · 7.6 hours
Who it is for
The instructor says it suits
- All skill levels looking to improve their knowledge of GIMP's features, filters, and tools.
- Beginner GIMP users who want to get familiar with this free photo editor.
- Photographers who want to edit their photos on a free and powerful piece of software.
- Beginner GIMP users who want to learn how to edit their photos.
- For those who want to "Photoshop" images but prefer GIMP or don't want to buy Photoshop.
- Intermediate GIMP users who have used the program before or are familiar with it but want to expand their knowledge of the photo editing aspects of the program.
- For those who want to master the various photo editing tools in GIMP.
- For those who want to familiarize themselves with the various design tools in GIMP
What you need before you start
- Know how to take photos with your own camera and upload photos to your computer.
- Prior knowledge of how layers work within GIMP is a plus, though not entirely necessary.
- Know how to use a computer.
How it compares
Against the other 19 rated Udemy courses in Affinity Photo on CourseDuck:
- Rating4.6 out of 5higher than 57% of them
- Reviews4,118#1 of 20 by number of reviews
- Length40.8 hourslonger than 100% of them
- Last updatedJuly 2025more recently than 78% of them
Quality Score
Overall Score : 92 / 100
Course Description
GIMP 2.10 Masterclass: From Beginner to Pro Photo Editing and Graphic Design
A UDEMY BEST-SELLER WITH OVER 15,000 STUDENTS
MORE GIMP CONTENT THAN ANY OTHER COURSE WITH 270+ LECTURES, OVER 40 HOURS OF CONTENT
OVER 3,500 REVIEWS WITH A 4.7 STAR RATING - MORE REVIEWS THAN ANY OTHER GIMP COURSE
THE FASTEST GROWING GIMP COURSE ON UDEMY
It's finally time for you to master GIMP.
Do you just wish you knew all of the great things GIMP had to offer (especially as an alternative to or replacement for Photoshop)? Have you taken photos with your camera but don't know how to edit them? Are you struggling to make your images look great or professional in GIMP? Are you curious as to what GIMP can offer as a graphic design program? Not sure which methods are best for getting professional results?
This is the course for you!
Join over 14,500 students and start mastering GIMP 2.10 today! This course has more in-depth GIMP 2.10 content than any other course on the platform, plus tons of projects, assignments and course resources to help you practice the skills learned in each lecture.
Get familiar with photo editing in GIMP 2.10 to improve your photos and master photo retouching with this BEST SELLING course, taught by a 10 year GIMP expert and photographer. No Photoshop required!
In This Course, You'll Learn:
Getting started with GIMP
The GIMP layout and other GIMP Basics
A comprehensive overview of ALL GIMP tools in the Toolbox, including:
Selection Tools
Path Tool
Transform Tools
Paint Tools
Text Tool
Miscellaneous Tools
Setting up the program interface for photo retouching
Opening RAW images into GIMP
Editing your photos to improve their color and quality
Color balancing
levels adjustment
Brightness & Contrast
Hue/Saturation
Hue/Chroma
Sharpening an image
Touching up an image
Eye enhancement
Creating a "Vogue" look
Designing a Photo Collage Using Multiple Images and Layer Masks
All 38 layer modes found in GIMP for blending images
Includes explanations of each Layer Mode Type
Scaling and cropping your images, including cropping images into a circle shape
Enhancing your photos with lighting effects and filters
Editing Black and White Photos
Creating social media banners for Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn
Includes free templates for social media banners
Exporting your images out of GIMP for use in print or web projects
PLUS you'll get access to over 10 hours of Bonus Photo Editing Tutorials, Graphic Design Tutorials, and Photo Manipulation Tutorials (including GIMP 2.10 tutorials) at the end of the course - commercial free - to help you further develop and acquire new GIMP skills! Tutorials cover a wide range of topics, including:
Top 5 Photo Enhancement Techniques
Fix Dark Portrait Lighting the RIGHT Way
Picture in Text with 3D Pop-out Effect
Rain Effect Photo Manipulation Tutorial
GEGL, Explained
5 Things You Didn't Know You Could Do with GIMP
Acne Removal and Improving Skin Complexion
What's new in every GIMP 2.10 release version, including: GIMP 2.10.2, GIMP 2.10.4, GIMP 2.10.6, GIMP 2.10.8, GIMP 2.10.10, GIMP 2.10.12, GIMP 2.10.14, GIMP 2.10.18, GIMP 2.10.20, GIMP 2.10.22, GIMP 2.10.24, GIMP 2.10.28, GIMP 2.10.34, GIMP 2.10.36, and GIMP 2.10.38
How to Open RAW Images in GIMP 2.10 (using Darktable)
How to Fix Old and Severely Damaged Photos
How to Recolor Photos
How to Import Palettes
How to Create Pixel Art (For Game Design)
and more!
What Students Say About the Course
"I'm so glad I found this! I have been using GIMP for several years (a couple of decades actually) and have been looking for a comprehensive GIMP course like this forever. This course has finally given me exactly what I've been looking for. Michael's course and teaching method are absolutely impressive!"
-Reg E.
"Very thorough explanations of numerous GIMP features. As a long-time Photoshop user, I wanted to learn more about how to use GIMP effectively, and this course has been very good."
-Jud D.
"When I started this course I had some basic knowledge of GIMP. However I had many gaps and/or insecurities when applying my knowledge. So I wanted to become a better user. By the way you already noticed English is not my native language. But Michael's English is easy to understand and with the the help of subtitles I understood most everything[...] After having concluded the course I can say: - I am really a better user - I learned a lot[.] This course is worth every penny. Highly recommended!"
-Hans-Peter L.
"An Outstanding course on Gimp that will help any user develop a solid understanding of all the tools and how to apply them."
-Arthur
Whether you want to edit photos for clients, touch up your own portraits, or make your own graphic design compositions, this is the place to start! Join over 15,000 students!
By the end of this course, you will have a strong understanding of how to use the photo editing tools within GIMP. You will also develop a better eye for coloring and correcting your images. Overall, you'll be able to more consistently enhance images for a better looking final product!
Instructor Details
- 4.6 Rating
4,118 Reviews
Michael Davies
I'm a GIMP, WordPress, Inkscape, and Darktable expert and owner of Davies Media Design, one of the largest FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) educators in the world!
My goal is to help beginners master free and open source software so they can create beautiful creative projects of their own without needing to purchase expensive software. Whether you're looking to build a professional and eye-catching WordPress website that ranks high on Google, or simply want to take your photography to the next level, I've got the courses to help you master the skills you've always wanted to learn.
My GIMP Masterclass is a best-selling course on Udemy. I also have a course on WordPress and Darktable, with more subjects to come!
I have a Marketing Degree from the University of Central Florida, a UX Certificate from Google, and am the owner of Davies Media Design - an educational company that designs courses, video tutorials, and eBooks for GIMP, WordPress, Inkscape, and Darktable. In addition to teaching online, I have also taught various in-person workshops in the US.
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Reviews
By Urszula Nawrocka on 5/23/2026
I'm very impressed with general knowledge of "The Dude Talking". Also like the sense of humor. And I obviously find whole course very very valuable. I am a beginner so beginnings ware tough. Especially because last version of GIMP when I started this course is 3.2.4 and English is not my native. Lessons are very intense. No unnecessary smalltalks which I appriciate a lot. Michael D. is very precise. Talks not just about visual efects but also about how alghorythms works or intent to work. It helps to understand some things and remember what to expect with centain functions. In summary - great course.
By Golfwinner on 9/6/2025
Mike Davies promised to upload source images. Time and again, he neglected to do this. Mike’s moved on to teaching other courses — he’s no longer updating this course. It’d be nice, especially for the cost of this course, to have all images he said he’d upload. I spent hours hunting for images Mike failed to upload. If your time has little value, take this course.
By Valter Robson de Oliveira Santos on 12/16/2024
Sim! aliás muito além, a forma como foi ensinado e principalmente os quiz ajuda muito a entender a ferramenta, o professor tem um domínio sobre vários temas de trabalho que o GIMP pode oferecer, desde logos, capas de revistas e tratamentos de imagens, me ajudou a ter uma visão geral sobre o real potencial do programa, parabéns mais uma vez ao professor por oferecer um curso realmente profissional.
By James Guy Dotson on 9/6/2023
So I just finished this course! Wow! Very long and very detailed! Loved every minute of it. I keep an excel spreadsheet complete with notes, tab colors and what not to track how many times I have watched each video. I do want to become a master of GIMP and this course does that. There is so much to it but every lessons leaves you with something new learned or repetition of tools already used but in a different way. Having taking these lessons, I feel I robbed the creator of what it really is worth! This is a definite buy!
By Tm on 7/19/2023
Michael really brings value to the FOSS community, and also to anyone who wants to learn GIMP in depth. His course is pretty good for its price. What I would change about it is the method of showing examples. For instance, in the "layer modes" sections, it would greatly enhance comprehension to illustrate a practical application for each mode, providing a better understanding of their respective uses. Furthermore, I would suggest incorporating additional assignments, as they serve as excellent opportunities to learn and practice several concepts. Thank you for the knowledge!
By Barry Spigel on 2/9/2023
Very comprehensive and detailed exploration of GIMP's features. Recommend this class for anyone who wants thorough training in GIMP's photo editing and graphic design capabilities. While my focus for taking the class was photo editing, I also enjoyed learning about GIMP's graphic design features should I decide to use them. Truly appreciated the step-by-step detail of tools, settings, and options. Kept pages and pages of notes for reference during the class. But most certainly will refer back to course content for missed details.
By John Keil on 7/9/2021
The content of the course is excellent. However the challenging of managing such a wide range of functionality within a single course has resulted in the quality being a little variable. Michael has endeavoured to keep us up to date but it would have been user friendly to replace a lecture rather than edit it. I have re-run a number of lectures because |I found I could not keep up. However that is not too bad because I can re-run them and stop and start. I am very pleased with what I am learning and appreciate the mammoth task Michael has taken on. Thank you.
By Kenny Terkelsen on 4/23/2021
Mike, I feel you did a great job with your format of teaching. I was able to follow the course although, being new at this it is really too much information to take in so quickly. I'm glad I can come back to reference the material any time I need to. I never realized how much stuff that this program was capable of. I'm not a photographer but I wanted to learn more about this program so I could use it in conjunction with Inkscape. Still have a lot to learn about both programs but at least it's keeping me out of trouble...LOL! Thanks, Kenny
By Steve Gilson on 12/26/2020
The instructor should have furnished a list of keyboard shortcuts. His use of these shortcuts are confusing to a beginner. It is difficult enough to catch the concept without trying to remember a short cut that you might not use for several lessons. There should be more opportunity to work with the instructor on your own edition of Gimp while he is demonstrating Thee are also several contradictions. He suggests the use of the white background and then proceeds to use a black background. There should be a complete lesson about movable dialogues. As you get into the lectures, they tend to move and stay in places other than where thet started
By Gus Sanchez on 11/7/2020
The course seems to be very comprehensive so far. Thanks.
By Jean Goosen on 11/7/2020
I am new to Gimp and this course is really helping me to understand Gimp better
By Lenin Maury on 11/7/2020
Well structured. Michael is very attentive to details. Even though you could think about knowing something already, he does a great effortless routine to detail every step to pin-up every new ability learn.
I definitely recommend this course. It worth the money.
Thank you, Michael







