GIMP Digital Drawing: Free GIMP with a Budget Tablet from Udemy

Hello,

Welcome to my beginners course on digital drawing using the free GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP). My name is Brian Jackson and I'm a top rated Udemy instructor of over 48 courses covering a wide range of topics from writing, self-publishing and book covers to 2D animation.

This course provides an introduction to both digital drawing using a tablet and the GIMP program. Hardware and software usage details are woven throughout lectures on fundamental drawing techniques and example drawing workshops. Each section concludes with a workshop in which all the previously discussed features are demonstrated followed by a project you can work on independently and submit for review and comment.

In an attempt to get you drawing fast, this course begins with tablet selection and installation and basic GIMP usage. That's enough to get you drawing. Then we'll add information on using layers, and digital editing.

Unlike other courses, this course assumes no former knowledge, begins at the beginning and teaches you drawing and the software rather than simply having you watch me draw (though you'll get plenty of that as well).

This course is designed for drawing and illustration enthusiasts who would like to learn how to draw digitally using a tablet and the free GIMP software product (that runs on Windows 10, Mac OS and Linux). The ideal student is someone new to digital drawing and possibly even drawing itself. Someone who has an idea trapped inside them that they need to express through a creative medium.

Thanks for your interest in GIMP digital drawing. I hope you're excited to get started. If you are, go ahead and click on the enroll button. Don't forget the Udemy 30 day money back guarantee. This should make your decision an easy one.

So, I'll see you in the classroom,

Brian

What's inside

Learning objectives

Draw digital images for use in designing book covers and web graphics
Color black and white drawings quickly and easily

Learn the fundamentals of drawing and digital tablet use
Share your ideas with the world

Draw digital images for use in designing book covers and web graphics
Color black and white drawings quickly and easily
Learn the fundamentals of drawing and digital tablet use
Share your ideas with the world

Syllabus

Introduction

Course Overview

Tablet Fundamentals

Introduction to Tablet Fundamentals

In this lecture, I show how to find the remainder of my Udemy courses and how to get them dirt cheap.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Assumes no prior knowledge of digital drawing, making it accessible for absolute beginners who want to learn digital art from scratch using a budget tablet

Uses GIMP, a free and open-source software, removing financial barriers and making digital drawing accessible to students on a budget who want to explore digital art

Includes hands-on workshops and projects at the end of each section, allowing students to apply what they've learned and build a portfolio of digital drawings for practical experience

Covers tablet selection, installation, and configuration, which is helpful for beginners who may be unfamiliar with the hardware aspects of digital drawing and its setup

Teaches GIMP, which is a viable alternative to paid software like Adobe Photoshop, but may require a steeper learning curve for users accustomed to industry-standard tools

Focuses on fundamental drawing techniques and GIMP usage, but may not delve into advanced digital painting techniques or specialized workflows used by professional digital artists

Reviews summary

Beginner digital drawing with gimp

According to learners, this course offers a beginner-friendly introduction to digital drawing using GIMP and budget tablets. Students found the practical projects and workshops helpful for learning the fundamentals of GIMP and tablet usage. While the course successfully breaks down the basics, some encountered challenges with tablet or software setup depending on their specific hardware. Learners note that the course stays at a beginner level, which is great for newcomers but might not satisfy those seeking advanced techniques. A minor point raised is the promotional nature of the final lecture.

Course stays at a foundational level.

"Good for starting out, but didn't go deep into advanced techniques."

"I wish it covered more complex GIMP features or drawing concepts."

"As a complete beginner, this was enough, but I'll need another course after this."

Skills are reinforced through hands-on activities.

"The workshops and projects helped solidify what I learned."

"I feel like I gained practical skills I can actually use."

"Applying the concepts in the projects was really helpful."

Specifically addresses free software and affordable gear.

"Glad the course uses GIMP, it's a powerful free alternative."

"Loved that it addressed using budget tablets directly."

"Great to find a course that doesn't require expensive software or gear."

A solid starting point for absolute newcomers.

"This course was perfect for someone like me who was completely new to digital drawing and GIMP."

"Really broke down the basics, making it easy to get started with my tablet and the software."

"I appreciated that it started from scratch, explaining everything step-by-step."

Final lecture is a self-promotion.

"Felt the final lecture was just a plug for other courses, which was disappointing."

"Didn't like that the last part was just advertising."

"Expected a wrap-up, not a promotion."

Some users reported issues with hardware setup.

"Had some trouble getting my specific tablet driver to work right with GIMP."

"The setup section was helpful, but my hardware wasn't covered exactly."

"Needed to do a bit more research on my own for my tablet model setup."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in GIMP Digital Drawing: Free GIMP with a Budget Tablet with these activities:

Practice Basic Drawing Techniques

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Reviewing fundamental drawing techniques will provide a solid foundation for digital drawing in GIMP.

Browse courses on Line Drawing

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Practice drawing basic shapes like circles, squares, and triangles.
Experiment with different shading techniques to create depth.
Practice drawing straight lines and curves accurately.

Read 'Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain'

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Reading this book will help you develop your drawing skills and understand the fundamentals of visual perception.

View Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain on Amazon

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Read the book and complete the exercises.
Focus on the techniques for seeing and drawing shapes.

Follow GIMP Tutorials on YouTube

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Following GIMP tutorials will help you learn specific techniques and workflows within the software.

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Search for tutorials on specific GIMP features, like layers or brushes.
Follow along with the tutorials and practice the techniques.
Experiment with different settings and approaches.

Four other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all seven activities

Practice Coloring Black and White Drawings

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Practicing coloring black and white drawings will reinforce your understanding of color theory and digital painting techniques in GIMP.

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Find black and white line art online or create your own.
Use GIMP's color tools to add color to the drawings.
Experiment with different color palettes and blending modes.

Create a Digital Book Cover

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Creating a digital book cover will allow you to apply your GIMP and drawing skills to a real-world project.

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Choose a book and research its genre and target audience.
Sketch out several cover ideas.
Create the final cover design in GIMP.
Get feedback on your design and make revisions.

Share Your Artwork Online

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Sharing your artwork online will help you get feedback and build a portfolio.

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Create an account on an art-sharing website like DeviantArt or ArtStation.
Upload your artwork and write a description.
Engage with other artists and get feedback on your work.

Read 'Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter'

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Reading this book will deepen your understanding of color and light, improving your digital painting skills.

View Dinotopia: Journey To Chandara (Calla Editions) on Amazon

Show steps

Read the book and study the examples.
Experiment with different lighting and color schemes in GIMP.

Career center

Learners who complete GIMP Digital Drawing: Free GIMP with a Budget Tablet will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Digital Artist

A Digital Artist creates art using digital tools and software. They may work in a variety of styles and mediums, including illustration, painting, and photo manipulation. This course is specifically designed for learning digital drawing and is tailored for drawing and illustration enthusiasts who want to learn how to draw digitally using a tablet and the free GIMP software product. The course will be useful in learning how to draw digital images. The digital editing portion of the course will also be helpful to a Digital Artist.

See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Artist

Digital Painter

A Digital Painter creates artwork using software and tablets to mimic traditional painting techniques. This role is very similar to that of an Illustrator, which is mentioned above. This course is tailored for drawing and illustration enthusiasts who want to learn digital drawing using a tablet and GIMP. The course emphasizes fundamental drawing techniques and software usage. The course's focus on digital tablet use and GIMP program, along with workshops throughout lectures, will be helpful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Painter

Illustrator

An Illustrator creates images for books, magazines, posters, and other media. They use various techniques, including hand-drawing and digital tools, to bring ideas to life. This course is tailored for drawing and illustration enthusiasts who want to learn digital drawing using a tablet and the GIMP software. The course emphasizes fundamental drawing techniques and software usage, while also providing hands-on workshops and projects. The course's focus on digital tablet use and GIMP program, along with workshops throughout lectures, will be helpful to an Illustrator.

See salaries and explore the career path for Illustrator

Graphic Designer

A Graphic Designer creates visual concepts to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, or captivate consumers. They develop the overall layout and production design for advertisements, brochures, magazines, and corporate reports. This course helps build a foundation in digital drawing using a tablet and the GIMP program, with hands-on workshops that teach fundamental drawing techniques and software usage. Learning how to draw digital images will be useful for designing web graphics. One who wishes to become a Graphic Designer should take this course to get familiar with GIMP, a free software, and learn how to navigate it effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Graphic Designer

Book Cover Designer

A Book Cover Designer creates visually appealing and marketable covers for books. They combine typography, imagery, and layout to attract readers and convey the book's essence. The course should be particularly useful for designing book covers, and teaches the fundamentals of drawing and digital tablet use. Notably, it teaches how to draw digital images for use in designing book covers. This makes the course particularly useful for one who wants to become a Book Cover Designer.

See salaries and explore the career path for Book Cover Designer

Freelance Artist

A Freelance Artist will typically handle the task of creating visual content for a wide variety of clients. This course helps build a foundation in digital drawing using GIMP. The course begins at the beginning, and teaches drawing in addition to software, which may be especially useful to a Freelance Artist who does not have a formal education in art. The digital editing components of the course will also be useful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Freelance Artist

Character Designer

A Character Designer job involves visually developing characters for animation, video games, and other media. This course will be especially useful in learning how to draw digitally using a tablet and the free GIMP software product. The course will be useful in learning how to draw digital images. The digital editing components of the course will also be helpful to one who wishes to become a Character Designer. The course assumes no former knowledge which may be useful for a beginner Character Designer.

See salaries and explore the career path for Character Designer

Visual Development Artist

A Visual Development Artist (often requiring a master's degree) creates the overall look and feel of a project, such as an animated film or video game. The ideal student is someone new to digital drawing, and possibly even drawing itself. The course will be useful in learning how to draw digital images. The digital editing components of the course will also be helpful to one who wishes to become a Visual Development Artist.

See salaries and explore the career path for Visual Development Artist

Concept Artist

A Concept Artist creates visual representations of ideas for use in films, video games, and other media. They design characters, environments, and objects to help guide the creative process. This course helps build a foundation in digital drawing using GIMP, which is useful for creating concept art. The course begins with tablet selection and installation and basic GIMP usage, so that one can get drawing fast. The example drawing workshops are of particular use to one who wishes to pursue the role of Concept Artist.

See salaries and explore the career path for Concept Artist

Game Artist

A Game Artist creates visual elements for video games, including characters, environments, and user interfaces. They work closely with game designers and programmers to bring the game's world to life. This course focuses on digital drawing, which is a critical skill for any Game Artist. The course will be useful for drawing and illustration enthusiasts who would like to learn how to draw digitally using a tablet and the free GIMP software product. The digital editing components of the course may also be helpful to a Game Artist.

See salaries and explore the career path for Game Artist

Web Designer

A Web Designer plans the visual layout of websites and online platforms. They ensure websites are user-friendly, aesthetically pleasing, and effectively communicate information. This course is designed with the aim of creating web graphics. The curriculum focuses on fundamental drawing techniques and introduces the use of tablets, alongside teaching how to use GIMP to create visual designs. The tablet fundamentals section project may also assist Web Designers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Web Designer

Storyboard Artist

A Storyboard Artist creates visual representations of scenes for films, television shows, and commercials. This course may be useful for Storyboard Artists as digital drawing is an important subskill. The course's inclusion of hardware and software usage details woven throughout lectures on fundamental drawing techniques may be helpful to a Storyboard Artist. The digital editing components of the course may also be useful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Storyboard Artist

Texture Artist

A Texture Artist in the gaming and animation industries creates the surface details of 3D models. They paint realistic or stylized textures that define the look and feel of characters, environments, and props. This course may be useful for Texture Artists as digital drawing is an important subskill. The course's inclusion of hardware and software usage details woven throughout lectures on fundamental drawing techniques may be helpful to a Texture Artist. The digital editing components of the course will also be useful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Texture Artist

Motion Graphics Designer

A Motion Graphics Designer creates animated visuals for videos, websites, and other media. They use animation and visual effects to communicate ideas and messages in an engaging way. This course might be useful for Motion Graphics Designers as digital drawing is an important subskill. The course's inclusion of hardware and software usage details woven throughout lectures on fundamental drawing techniques may be helpful to a Motion Graphics Designer. The digital editing components of the course may also be useful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Motion Graphics Designer

Animator

Animators create moving images using computer software or stop-motion techniques. They work in a variety of industries, including film, television, and video games. This course may be useful for Animators as digital drawing is an important subskill. The course's inclusion of hardware and software usage details woven throughout lectures on fundamental drawing techniques may be helpful to an Animator. The digital editing components of the course will also be useful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Animator

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in GIMP Digital Drawing: Free GIMP with a Budget Tablet.

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

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Teaches you how to draw by tapping into the creative side of your brain. It classic guide to learning how to draw realistically. It is particularly useful for beginners who want to improve their observational skills and translate what they see onto paper. This book provides a strong foundation for the digital drawing techniques taught in the course.

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

Paperback

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Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain

Kindle Edition

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Dinotopia: Journey To Chandara

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Explores the principles of color and light in painting. It valuable resource for understanding how light interacts with objects and how to create realistic color palettes. While focused on traditional painting, the concepts are directly applicable to digital painting in GIMP. This book provides a deeper understanding of color theory and lighting techniques, enhancing the digital drawing skills learned in the course.

Dinotopia: Journey To Chandara (Calla Editions)

Hardcover

GIMP Digital Drawing

Free GIMP with a Budget Tablet

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Beginner digital drawing with gimp

Activities

Career center

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