GIMP: Free Photo Graphic Editor

GIMP is the GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a freely distributed piece of software for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition and image authoring. It works on many operating systems, in many languages. It is a bitmap based editor that is free and easy to use, yet very powerful and rivals programs like PhotoShop and Fireworks.

To install it on Windows, go to the Installers website at http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/
You will need to download and install the GTK+ 2 Runtime Environment first but that is available from the same site.

Installers for Unix and Mac OS are available from http://www.gimp.org/

This tool could be used by teachers and students for developing images and photos. It supports many advanced features like:

• Pattern and Radiant fills
• Layers
• Pressure sensitive pen tablets
• Multiple Language support
• Additional plug-in for Animation development.
  

Plenty of online tutorials are available at http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/