Interesting

The best free drawing software ♠

Greetings to all!

If earlier, to draw a picture, you needed a brush, easel, paints and other things, now you can create without leaving your computer! 👌

Moreover, I want to note that pictures created in some editor on a computer also cause strong delight, as if it were a picture on a canvas!

I will add that many people mistakenly believe that drawing a picture on a computer is easier than on a canvas. Navigating or even drawing with a graphics tablet is neither easier nor faster!

Actually, this article is devoted to tools - after all, in order to draw a picture, you need special drawing programs (note: graphic editors). Here we will talk about them below (by the way, I will add that I chose free programs with support for all popular Windows: 7, 8, 10 (32 | 64 bits)).

So...

👉 By the way!

I have another article on my blog about drawing. There are specials. sites that allow you to create paintings online, meet other artists, find common ideas.

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List of the best programs. Are we starting to paint?

Before moving on to programs, I would like to dwell on one important issue - the type of computer graphics. In general, there are two main types - vector and raster graphics.

Bitmap is a canvas on which there are many multi-colored dots (pixels). Taken together, all these points look to the human eye, like some kind of picture (or photo).

Vector drawing consists of entities: line, segment, square, ellipse, etc., which are all interconnected. All these entities also form a wide variety of pictures.

The main advantage of a vector image over a raster image is the ability to transform it as you like (for example, to enlarge it) without loss of quality. The computer, in fact, only needs to recalculate your picture by mat. formulas.

Raster graphics are convenient for creating high-quality photos and digital drawings. The most popular bitmap formats are JPEG and PNG. It is raster graphics that are most popular in our time (and that is why, in my article, the main focus is on programs for working with it).

Vector editors in the article: Gravit, DrawPlus, Inkscape.

Raster editors in the article: Paint, Gimp, ArtWeaver and others ...

❶ 

Paint

Bitmap editor

Basic program in Windows

How to start: go to the START menu, or press the Win + R buttons, enter the mspaint command in the "open" line and press Enter.

Paint - drawing

A very simple graphic editor, designed not even for drawing, but for easy editing of pictures (add an inscription, an arrow, wipe something, cut one piece of the picture and paste it into another, save the screenshot, etc.).

Professionally, of course, you can hardly draw anything in Paint, but if we are talking about some very simple drawings, then the program can be used. At least, if you are only at the very beginning of the journey, then why not try it? 👌

❷ 

Gimp

Website: //www.gimp.org/

Bitmap editor (partially vector)

Main Gimp Window

The GNU Image Manipulation Program (or GIMP for short) is a very powerful free and multipurpose image editor. This editor is very versatile: it can be used for drawing, or as a program for retouching digital photos, as a program for processing a batch of pictures and publishing them (+ converting one format to another).

In addition, there are very interesting possibilities for creating step-by-step commands (scripts) that will automate routine tasks (moreover, scripts can be truly complex)!

Main advantages:

  • drawing pictures and posters;
  • support for graphic tablets (Wacom, Genius, etc.);
  • draw web designs for sites, edit ready-made layouts from Photoshop;
  • you can refresh your old photos, make them more juicy and bright;
  • make a collage or poster;
  • remove unnecessary elements from photos (an unsuccessful shot can become a good one!);
  • a huge collection of plugins for GIMP will allow you to solve a wide variety of tasks;
  • program support for Windows, Mac, Linux OS.

❸ 

ArtWeaver

Website: //www.artweaver.de/en

Raster editor (some analogue of Photoshop)

ArtWeaver: point, point, comma, face curve came out ...

This program repeats many tools of such a popular editor as Adobe Photoshop. For editing ready-made pictures and drawing new ones, there are a bunch of ready-made brushes of all types and sizes, different modes, pencil imitation, ink pen, oil brush, etc.

Main advantages:

  • support for all popular graphic formats: GIF, JPEG, PCX, TGA, TIFF, PNG (including PSD and AWD);
  • a huge number of tools for editing pictures: gradients, selections, fills, etc.;
  • plugin support;
  • the presence of convenient tools for drawing: brushes, pencils, etc.;
  • graphics tablet support (a BIG plus for those who like to draw);
  • many different filters: blur, blur, mosaic, masking, etc .;
  • work with text layers;
  • the ability to consistently undo their actions.
  • support for all popular versions of Windows.

❹ 

MyPaint

Website: //mypaint.org/downloads/

Bitmap editor

MyPaint - painted portrait of a girl

A popular raster graphics editor designed more for digital artists (drawing lovers). It is an unlimited canvas (sheet) and a relatively simple interface on GTK +, without distracting the artist from the creative process - drawing.

Unlike Gimp, MyPaint has much less graph functionality. editor, but to your attention a huge dimensionless canvas; a large number of brushes, for a variety of tasks and for different functions (there are a lot of brushes, see the screen above).

MyPaint is a tool for painting with brushes on a PC screen in much the same way as you would on a real canvas. In addition to brushes, there are crayons, charcoal, pencils, etc. It's hard to resist if there is a craving for drawing ...

Key Features:

  • the program is specially designed for drawing, therefore, it has fewer options for editing existing pictures (i.e., there are no such functions as selection, scaling, etc.);
  • a huge set of brushes that you can customize for yourself: create and change groups, blur, mix colors, etc.;
  • the program supports a graphics tablet;
  • the boundless canvas is very convenient in the drawing process - nothing holds you back during creativity;
  • support for layers: copying, pasting, setting transparency, etc.;
  • supported by Windows, Mac OS, Linux.

❺ 

SmoothDraw

Website: //www.smoothdraw.com/

Raster

SmoothDraw - drawn apple

Free program for painting and freehand drawing on the computer. The interface of the program is very simple, designed so that anyone who is just a beginner artist can immediately start creating without wasting time studying.

I want to note right away that the program has a lot of brushes (pen, brush, airbrush, pencil, etc.), there are tools for retouching, working with layers, you can change the brightness, contrast, colors of pictures, add some effects ...

Features of the program:

  • many types of brushes for painting: pencil, chalk, pen, airbrush, brush, spray, etc.;
  • works with tablet PCs, supports graphic tablets;
  • works with the following image formats: PNG, BMP, JPEG, JPG, TGA, JIF, GIF and TIFF;
  • there are tools for retouching photos;
  • work with layers;
  • the possibility of color correction;
  • compatible with Windows 7, 8, 10.

Note! For SmoothDraw to work, you must have a NET Framework v2.0 or higher on Windows.

❻ 

Paint.NET

Website: //www.getpaint.net/index.html

Raster

Paint.NET - the painting process

Paint.NET is a free picture and photo editor for Windows. The main difference from other programs is that it uses an intuitive and innovative interface with support for layers, dimensionless canvas, special effects, useful and powerful editing tools (analogues of which are only in paid products).

Active and growing online support will help in case of solving non-standard problems. In addition, a lot of instructions have been written to the program, add. plugins to expand capabilities.

Features:

  • free for distribution and use;
  • user-friendly interface (somewhat similar to Photoshop);
  • you can work with many documents at the same time;
  • support for working with layers;
  • a large number of instructions;
  • the program is optimized to work with 2- and 4-core modern processors;
  • supported by all popular Windows: XP, 7, 8, 10.

❼ 

Livebrush

Website: //www.livebrush.com/

Raster

Picture created in Livebrush

Livebrush (translated from English. "live brush") - a powerful graphics editor that allows you to paint with brushes. Moreover, I want to note right away that "drawing" is not simple, with its help you can create quite interesting paintings, decorate art with beautiful strokes and lines, etc.

In the process of work, you can select and adjust the brush so that while moving it, the line under the brush will change its thickness, color, transparency, tip rotation, depending on your mouse movement speed, click speed, etc.

By the way, those who have a graphics tablet will be able to fully experience the benefits of Livebrush, because it also understands the pressure and its tilt.

The set of the program contains a variety of brushes of different shapes: from simple lines to patterned Gothic ornaments. By the way, you can correct any pattern yourself by switching to editing with a pencil.

Alternatively, you can draw the pattern yourself and save it as a template. You can import ready-made sets of brushes, projects, decorations into the program. By the way, they can be found in huge numbers on the official forum of the program.

In general, my verdict is that the program is very convenient, interesting, and deserves the attention of all drawing lovers!

❽ 

Inkscape

Website: //inkscape.org/ru/download/

Vector editor (one of the few)

Free counterparts: Gravit, DrawPlus

Paid counterparts: Corel DRAW and Adobe Illustrator

Drawing in Inkscape

Inkscape is a free vector editor, one of the few that can partially replace monsters like Corel Draw and Adobe Illustrator. The application has a fairly standard interface: color palette, menus, tools. The program supports all major graphic formats: SVG, PDF, AI, PS, EPS, CorelDRAW.

By the way, Inkscape also has tools from the bitmap editor - for example, it supports various types of blending. In addition to drawing some geometric shapes, the program supports extensive work with text: you can write text along curved lines. It looks very cool and unusual.

The application has a fairly large number of filters, extensions, etc. in its arsenal. All this is available on the official. website of the program.

❾ 

Gravit

Website: //gravit.io/

Vector editor (online version)

Gravit Editor

Gravit - quite an interesting vector editor. Of course, it cannot replace Adobe Illustrator, but it can compete with the previous program (Inkscape)!

From the tools there are all the most basic: pens, lines, intersecting and cutting shapes from each other, alignment, layers, fonts, etc. Works can be exported in SVG format, in several raster. You can also open works made in Adobe Illustrator in the program.

What is somewhat surprising is that Gravit looks like a real program, while running in a browser window, and without using Flash. Of the main drawbacks, I would single out the absence of the Russian language.

By the way, in Gravit, the choice of canvas is quite interesting: you can choose both standard formats for sheets, business cards, postcards, and create covers of popular social networks, phone screens, and other gadgets.

In general, an interesting editor that deserves attention.

DrawPlus

Website: //www.serif.com/ru/

Vector

The girl drawn in DrawPlus

A very flexible and powerful graphic editor that allows its users to create high-quality illustrations. This program will allow you to fully reveal your drawing capabilities.

DrawPlus has many tools that allow you to quickly and easily create a variety of shapes, strokes, lines.Each of the elements can be combined with others and gradually everything in the complex will become a rather complex, but beautiful illustration.

By the way, DrawPlus has a 3D module - it will allow you to turn your creativity into real 3D design elements. You can apply a wide variety of effects when creating logos, isometric projections, flowcharts.

A huge number of formats can be imported into the program: PDF, AI, SVG, SVGZ, EPS, PS, SMF, etc. The proprietary format for projects is DPP.

You can save your work in DrawPlus in a variety of formats, including: JPEG, PNG, TIFF, SVG and PDF (among which there are raster ones).

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Graffiti studio

Website: //www.vandalsquad.com

Raster graphics

Graffiti Studio - an example of work

One of the best graffiti drawing software out there, looks as realistic as possible!

To start drawing: you need to choose a piece of canvas (carriage, walls, bus), and, in fact, start creating (there are just heaps of ready-made options for choosing!).

In the artist's arsenal there is a large palette of colors (more than 100 pieces), several types of caps (skinny, regular and fat), a marker. The distance to the surface is changed manually, it is possible to make drips. In general, there is a huge scope for lovers of such graphics!

Those who do not believe that real masterpieces can be created in the program, I recommend that you take a look at the official website and see the best works - the look will change a lot!

12

PixBuilder Studio

Website: //www.wnsoft.com/en/pixbuilder/

Bitmap editor

PixBuilder Studio - main window screen

Powerful program for processing and editing graphics and photographs. In addition to editing, it is quite possible to draw and create (although there are fewer tools for this than in previous similar programs).

PixBuilder Studio has quite interesting tools that allow you to subtly work with color, brightness, contrast, layers.

In addition, there are built-in effects, for example, dithering (when processing digital signals, it is mixing pseudo-random noise with a specially selected spectrum into the primary signal), blurring, sharpness, etc.

Features:

  • support for popular raster formats: BMP, PNG, JPG, GIF, TIFF, etc .;
  • there is an opportunity and tools for drawing (albeit very limited);
  • great possibilities for editing ready-made photos and pictures;
  • the ability to work with layers;
  • professional work with color: adjustment of balance, brightness, contrast, etc .;
  • setting up "hot" keys;
  • the presence of ready-made effects (you just need to apply them);
  • preview (to evaluate the result);
  • support for popular Windows OS: 7, 8, 10.

13

Krita

Bitmap editor

Website: //krita.org/en/

Screenshot of the window // Krita

An excellent and convenient raster graphics editor for artists (by the way, at the time of this writing, the program is free even for commercial use). Krita works on both Windows and Linux.

As for the most important thing: there is a good stabilizer for brush movement, layers, masks, dynamic brushes, animation, a large number of blending modes, paper and pastel imitation, "endless" canvas, etc.

By the way, there is even a portable version of the program that can be run from a regular flash drive on any PC. The program has also been translated into Russian.

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PS: the article will be supplemented ...

For hints and tips in the comments - thanks in advance!

Good luck!

👋

First publication: 05/10/2017

Correction: 01/30/2020

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