Gimel Studio

Gimel Studio is a node-based graphic editor for your images. The tool is meant to be used for creating pictures and static model edits that can be imported in 3D programs like Blender.

Gimel Studio is an open-source initiative that was written exclusively in Python. Its roadmap is quite impressive and extensive. The program is completely free and still in its early stages, in beta. Despite being a non-stable variant, the tool's developer is constantly updating and working to improve the product, which is a positive thing, and as a result, Gimel Studio is getting better and better.

The tool's editor is a blank panel where one must develop the sequence of nodes that modifies a picture. To do so, one must add the nodes as follows: right-click to add new nodes and start with an input (or more, depending on your needs). Then select the output (that will generate a preview). Between these two essential points, additional nodes can be interleaved to change the image's original form.

When it comes to image edits, Gimel Studio supports minor and medium complexity levels. The tool is super useful for those who need to visualize the editing process in successive steps and understand, through visual indications, each effect. The program illustrates a comprehensive graphical representation of all your edits — each node you set can display the modifications it applied in a small preview window (by clicking on the node's small picture icon, only after the entire sequence was completed and the final output node added).

When adding images, it's important to mention that this can be done by referencing the visual based on its path location. Besides input and output, all nodes have relevant names such as 'Brightness,' 'Opacity,' 'Contrast'; so, matching functions to the right container won't be difficult. The nodes must be connected, in the desired sequence/order. After connecting the final node, you should choose between two options: Quick Export or Render. For the second option, choose the image format.

A major advantage of Gimel Studio and other node-based editing tools is the possibility to always adjust the final product. Because each modification is stored inside one node, you can target your interventions/changes and minimize wasted time.

Some things that should be improved are: the sections Draw, Value, and Other from 'Add a Node'; these do not display anything at the moment. Another improvement could be made for the Render, which is not quite intuitive. It does display how long it will take to finish, but for the end-user it looks confusing, as nothing happens. A countdown timer with the output directory opening when the render is finished would be a much better suited and intuitive alternative.