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Installing GIMP plugins, brushes and gradients is one of the best ways to make GIMP more powerful. However, this can be difficult to do for a beginner. This quick tutorial will show you how to install them very easily on Windows.
GIMP Brushes and gradients are installed similarly – extract and drop the brushes into C:\Document and Settings\<username>\.gimp-<version>\brushes\ and gradients into C:\Document and Settings\<username>\.gimp-<version>\gradients\
Install GIMP plugins
Plugins are bits of code that work with GIMP to add to the functionality. They may offer several exciting ways to extend the utility of the program. Plugins can be saved by unzipping the downloaded folder (if it is in a .zip format), and placing them in C:\Document and Settings\<username>\.gimp-<version>\plug-ins\. Restart GIMP, and the plugin will be activated.
Install scripts in GIMP
Some of the plugins are actually scripts, ending with a .scm extension. In such cases, drop them to C:\Document and Settings\<username>\.gimp-<version>\scripts\ instead.
If you use Windows Vista, you might have to go to your profile folder (the folder under which your documents, pictures etc. are located) to find your brushes, scripts etc.
GIMP is open-source, and is hence flexible in application. Many of the Photoshop plugins work with GIMP, and it is a matter of trial-and-error. The same procedure applies here too. Note that using Photoshop plugins in GIMP requires GIMP 2.4 or above.
i just wondering will these brushes work on my mac version of gimp?
i want to keep the folder structure of the brushes, can it be done?
@a: I’m not sure what you mean by “keep the folder structure of the brushes, can it be done?”. Perhaps you can clarify?
I have a bunch of brushes moved into my GIMP brushes folder, but I can’t figure out how to access them in the application itself. They’re not in my brushes tab.
D: Halp?
How do you “unzip” a file?
hehe im not that good with all the tecnology stuff so i dont really get the explaination… -___-; i wonder if anybody can explain it simply.. :p
hehe thanks
i didnt mean simply, just step by step… thats all.. where to go, and btw, what is the x for? i dont get the explaination.. htoughi think im getting closeto solving the problem.. hehe thanks again ^^
i have found how to do it so thanks for ur help^^
i had download the Gimp brushes, and im using gimp 2.4.7
where should i extract the zip file into? and im using windows xp….thx alot…..
@lily: Read the post once more please
I have mentioned the steps required to download GIMP brushes very clearly.
I keep copying the location of my brush file in the extraction wizard like I’m supposed to…but for some reason it won’t work! What am I doing wrong?
I have extracted the brushes to the Brushes folder and just started up Gimp, but the brushes are not there. All the brushes are in folders, must they be out of the folders to work?
Please else, I downloaded many brushes..
@Emily: You have to place the extracted brush files (individual files, not folders) into the brushes folder.
How do you install them in Ubuntu???? As Gimp is the default image editor in Ubuntu I really don’t understand why you explain how to install brushes in Windows and not in Linux. Please help
In Ubuntu, go to /usr/share/gimp/2.0/brushes and add them there.
The 2.0 will change according to your version, I just use the one that’s in the repositories.
Thank you! That’s exactly what I was looking for. A simple explanation of where to put these files.
im lost help!
i just figured out how to unzip them but how do i get them into my brushes dialog box?
@Pinkeh if u operate windows it should unzip these files automatically or if not u need to download winrar or easyzip it will guide u through it at that point to unzip these files
I’m looking for plugins, brushes and patterns for gimp on a mac computer, but how can I install them??
IM NOT QUITE SURE HOW TO DO ANY OF THIS,I FIND IT VERY DIFFICULT SO I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD TELL ME HOW TO GET SOME NEW BRUSHES.
I’m trying to extract the files in Windows Vista. I looked for the file path to extract the brushes into. I don’t have a Document and Settings folder. I found the brushes folder, under my computer name, and then under the gimp version that is directly under that. But it doesn’t give me a path to put in to extract it. Please help
I haven’t got any fonts in my Gimp is there a plug-in please?
Mandi, you can get fonts for GIMP by downloading them and installing on the system. You do not need a plugin to get fonts.
I defintatly do NOT know what to do. I dont have a Document and Settings folder either. I cant even find a brushes folder for heavens sake. So yeah…plaease help
Sara, if you use Windows Vista, you might be able to find the file under your profile folder (the one that is the parent folder for your documents, pictures etc). That’s where I found my GIMP folder + brushes. In explorer – it’s under the Desktop icon. Hope this helps!
TO MODERATOR
hi could you please amend my previous comment – it should say YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND THE FILE UNDER YOUR profile FOLDER. the word missing is profile as I had put the word in brackets and it doesnt show. many thanks! ^_^
I’ve edited the previous comment to say what you wanted it to – thanks for the clarification regarding Windows Vista, I will update the post soon (been a long time since I used Vista).
I have unzipped the files into the brushes folder and they show in my brushes window, but they are all black and white, no colour, why is that?
You can change your background/foreground colors to use the brushes in color. Only the previews are in black and white (unless the brush is specifically designed to be B&W).
changing the background/foreground colours makes no difference… the brushes are all black and white, not just in the previews… they actually apply as black and white. Does anyone else experience this?