Can GIMP apply Curves as a non-destructive adjustment layer?
Asked 10/11/2013
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In GIMP, using the Curves tool changes the image pixels directly, so the original values are no longer preserved for later editing. Is there a way to apply Curves non-destructively, similar to an adjustment layer or layer filter, so the curve settings and original image data can both be kept for future changes?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
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Sadly, no. In Photoshop, this is called "adjustment layers" and it is one of the key photographic features Gimp currently lacks.
We have a question about how to work around this, here: How to create the equivalent of an Adjustment Layer in an editor that does not support it? (but I'm afraid the answers aren't going to be very helpful).
You can find "filter layers" on the Gimp roadmap, somewhere in the middle of the top 15 high-priority features, but unfortunately it looks like no one is actually working on it and it's scheduled for only the vague "Future".
Originally by user1943. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1943
12y ago
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No. In GIMP, Curves is applied destructively to the layer/image data, so it does not work like a non-destructive adjustment layer.
What you’re looking for is similar to Photoshop’s adjustment layers. According to the community answer, this is a feature GIMP lacks. So once Curves is applied, the original pixel values are not preserved in an editable adjustment layer that you can reopen and tweak later.
A practical workaround is to duplicate the layer before applying Curves, so you keep an untouched version underneath, but that is not the same as true non-destructive editing.
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