Quote: ...I want that blank looking canvas thing in a new tab.The short answer is , you can't
That is the default view with no images open. . Want a new tab, then you have to open an image, even if it is new blank one.
Quote:....how do I get the first image to appear without closing and opening the program againThat is not an image, it is the way GImp displays the user interface.To get back to that, no need to re-start Gimp but you do need to close any / all tabs, or you can use File -> Close All