GIMP Version: 2.8.16
Operating System: Linux
GIMP Experience: Basic Level

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Ive been using krita for a very long time now to draw in , but im using gimp more and more, it was tedious and hard to learn at first but i got used to it in a few months and now i can do the basic things i wanna do in it now , except i can't rotate canvas ,i realize i need to be able to rotate the canvas in gimp whilst inking/sketching like how i can rotate paper when i draw in real life , or with every other art program i use, is their such a canvas rotation feature in gimp ?

Gingle, I have not seen anything to rotate the canvas but some of the more experienced will probably be along to address that. However, in the meantime, you can rotate the layer to whatever degree you want, either by transform under layers, or using the rotate tool in the toolbox.

Rotate the image.
Then use "fit canvas to layers"
Like this.


note: the "white" you see around is really "transparent"

Not yet in 2.8. IIRC there could be one in 2.10 (the testing version is 2.9.x).

Your memory has not failed

@Gingle

It is worth trying out Gimp 2.9.5 It is quite usable these days and some nice features. I can not pretend to using the 'artistic' tools but they are there.

Shift-middle-mouse button to rotate the canvas.
Symmetry painting
Mypaint brushes.

Depends on your linux how easy it is to install. Ubuntu and derivatives, there is a ppa. There are also 'portable' versions 'appimages' that might work depending on distro.

This is my own appimage in Kubuntu 16.04. Allows me to use a regular Gimp 2.8.20 as well.

Just for myself, to understand:
- what is the benefit to rotate a canvas instead of rotating the image?
I ask because I can't figure it out (my fault).

The natural movement of your fingers holding a pencil has a 45% slant, so vertical and horizontals are hard to do. By turning the paper/canvas by 45% one of these directions become the natural ones.

Now, do we turn the canvas and the graphics tablet (turning the tablet alone could be a solution), or just the canvas?

Thanks Ofnuts, but I still don't understand (not what you say, which is the clear reason for turning, but the advantage of a "canvas" rotation).
Is it not the same if I draw on a rotated image?

Here it is just a User Interface operation (like a zoom) and the real data is not changed (when you zoom, the actual image data is not scaled). if you rotate the actual image data (twice) you will eventually get some visible blur.

OK, now it's clear, many thanks Ofnuts.

only the canvas turns, same goes in real life

i tried the other method in one of the first posts but thats actual transforming and takes15 seconds just to rotate and sometimes it crashes gimp and thats not what i wanted, This method is the best way though this doesnt work for me in 2.8 , but it does work in the 2.9 appimage, the only problem is that it looks really bad and out of place like a blocky windows 98 look with bad contrast , it doesn't take on theming like 2.8
and my os is gecko linux gnome. also Is there a way to reply to someone without having to quote them? It takes up so much space on the forum when you have to keep quoting people in order to reply to a specific person, i dont see a simple reply button like on other forums

There is a "Quick Reply" button at the bottom of the page, that lets you add a post without answering anyone in particular. But if you quote a specific post(*) you can always edit the quote and pare it down to the part you are replying to.

(*) ) Nothing worse than a "Thanks it works!" reply that doesn't quote any of the 5 possible solutions expounded above it.