The Gimp is a fairly decent art tool, free and full of features, but with a somewhat frustrating user interface. And I'm not even referring to the fact that it puts windows all over your screen. The Gimp just works weird. So, below is my list of things to know. These are things I didn't even know I had to know. And I'm sure this list is extremely incomplete, but here it is.


Delete to Transparency
If this doesn't seem to work ...
Layer > Transparency > Add Alpha Channel

Paste to New Layer
Always puts selection in the upper left corner where you won't see it if you're zoomed in.
If you have an active selection, it may locate it there.

Floating selection
When you paste a copy, it will go on a new layer called Floating Selection. You can move it around with the move tool, but to finalize it onto your working layer, you need to anchor it. That's the icon at the bottom of the "Layer,Paths" window that looks like a blooming tulip.

Feathering selection
What would be 3 pixels in PS should be 15 pixels in Gimp.

Layers
These have their own dimensions and you'll see them as a dotted line. I've never found a use for this and I hate it. Do ...
Layer > Layer to Image Size

The active layer does not have to be visible. This will confuse you.

The only way to rename a layer is to double-click on the name.

Posterizing filter
Colors > Posterize

Image > Flatten Image
Fills all transparency with the background color. (Use Merge Visible Layers, instead)

Image > Merge Visible Layers
select Clipped to image (most of the time)
click Discard invisible layers
This can then be saved as a .png file.

Text tool will create a new layer and keep it. This can be useful sometimes, but is clutter other times.
Merge Visible Layers to finalize the text. (Don't Discard invisible layers)

File > Save As
In the lower left corner, you need to click the text "Select File Type (By Extension)" to get a list of the file formats.


Animated Gifs
File > Save As ... gif
Go through a couple dialog boxes and you'll see that option.