How to Draw a Line in GIMP

GIMP does not have a simple "draw a line" tool the way some apps do. But it does give you multiple ways to draw lines - Some quick, some more precise. Here are the three most useful methods, ranked from easiest to most controlled.

Method 1 - Shift+Click for a Quick Straight Line

This is the fastest way to draw a straight line in GIMP and works with almost any brush or pencil tool.

1. 1
   Select the Pencil tool (N) or Paintbrush (P)
2. 2
   Set your brush size in Tool Options. Smaller numbers give thinner lines.
3. 3
   Click once where you want the line to start.
4. 4
   Hold Shift and click once where you want the line to end. GIMP draws a straight line between the two points.

To draw a perfectly horizontal or vertical line, hold both Shift and Ctrl when clicking the end point. This constrains the angle to 15-degree increments.

Method 2 - Paths Tool for Precise Lines

The Paths tool draws vector lines that you can then stroke (paint over) with any brush. This gives you pixel-perfect lines with clean antialiasing and control over where they sit.

1. 1
   Press B to select the Paths tool.
2. 2
   Click to place the first anchor point, then click again to place the second. A straight line appears between them.
3. 3
   In Tool Options, click Stroke Path. A dialog opens where you choose the line width and style.
4. 4
   Click Stroke. GIMP paints along the path with the settings you chose.

Method 3 - Line Art With the Pencil Tool

For pixel-level control with hard edges (no antialiasing), the Pencil tool is ideal. It produces sharp, aliased lines - Great for pixel art, diagrams, and technical drawings.

Use the same Shift+click method described in Method 1, but with the Pencil tool active instead of the Paintbrush. The difference is that the Pencil produces hard edges while the Paintbrush produces soft, antialiased edges.

Which Method to Use

Lines are building blocks for arrows, borders, and diagrams. The arrows guide shows how to extend this into adding arrowheads and directional indicators on top of the line techniques above.