How to draw on a computer using various programs. Drawing programs - what to choose? List of the best free products

Many are mistaken that normal drawing on a computer requires powerful processor. For optimal functioning, you will have enough processor frequency of 1.5-2 GHz. The choice between manufacturing companies is not fundamental, the amount of your funds is the decisive factor.

Main parameter your iron for creating illustrations - the number random access memory . Work applications like Photoshop, Painter, OpenCanvas, or even 3d graphics applications require large amounts of RAM.

If your goal is to create complex, multi-layered sketches, then you need to purchase as much RAM as possible for your computer (you can work more or less optimally with from one gigabyte free RAM).

video card from the latest current lines, you also do not need. The manufacturer also does not play a special role, only your personal preferences. Among people involved in illustration from a computer, design, etc. there is an opinion that best graphics cards for this, Matrox creates, but this, of course, is exclusively subjective.

Drawing equipment

Next, we should move on to one of the most important aspects of this type of art - the main equipment. It's worth starting with scanner, it performs one of the key roles, namely, it transfers the picture depicted on paper into digital form.

I will give a simple example, you have depicted a tree and you need to transfer this tree to the forest. Scan the illustration, do a little stylization under the general image of the picture and transfer it as a separate layer, everything is ready, now your tree is in the right place.

The next essential part of being a good graphic artist or designer is tablet. Such equipment is created most often of two types - graphic And drafting. A little more about this.

Graphics tablet- has a small working area, creates a point rougher than the drawing one and reacts to the force of pressure on the pen, which greatly facilitates the work. Using professional software type Adobe Photoshop, it is more convenient to handle chiaroscuro and brushes on such a tablet.

Drawing tablet- created for CAD programs such as AutoCAD, 3DMAXStudio, etc. Such a gadget does not feel pressure on the pen, the dot is either there or it is not. It differs, often, very pleasant and high resolution and positioning accuracy.

In the case we are talking about, it is more suitable Graphics tablet. Of course, it is better to buy more expensive ones, since they have a wider range of features than cheap ones, but the usual one can quite cope with its functions.

Another important, but not mandatory gadget - source uninterruptible power supply . None of us is protected from interruptions in the supply of electricity, and we do not want to lose our many hours of work. That is why it would be better to get yourself such an assistant, so that later you do not grieve over the lost hours.

How to draw with a mouse

You can realize your creative urges without special gadgets, managing only mouse. This option is quite economical and simple, but then the task becomes hundreds of times more complicated, the lines become less even, and the operating time increases significantly.

This option has a place to be only if you set yourself the task of fulfilling simple drawings, or you are unable to purchase the required equipment. Or you just need to correct the scanned drawings.

As you can already understand, you can’t become the right artist on a computer with just a mouse, except in rare cases. People involved in graphics usually say: “You can draw with a mouse, but you don’t need to.”

But to work with a tablet, it will also come in handy, here are the requirements for it standard- it should lie well in the hand, and be comfortable, it would be nice to have a third button on the side, but this, one might say, is already surplus.

Drawing apps

There are many specialized software packages, from the simplest ones, such as standard Paint on Windows, as well as complex ones like Adobe Photoshop. We'll cover a few of the most popular.

painter- one of the most functional. All known and required this moment he quite simply imitates materials for art, which allows him to expand the range of his possibilities. Is paid.

Adobe Photoshop- software created more for editing and processing photos than for art. But it has a huge storehouse of functions and materials. It has a huge number of filters, brushes and other additions. Also paid.

Corel Draw- a vector editor, less functional than the last two reviewed, but free and has normal, no frills, functionality.

open canvas- an editor similar to the leading programs in their field, but greatly simplified. It is recommended to start your acquaintance with computer drawing here. Pretty strong inferior"flagships" in its field, but still has good features and is completely free.

Sets for computer graphics

Minimum set- mouse, computer, scanner, sheet of paper, pencil and graphics editor.

A very time-consuming set, but allows you to create relatively high-quality work. A sketch is created on paper, scanned, and processed. In the end, with enough diligence, a good job is obtained.

Comfort set- mouse, scanner, computer, good graphic/vector editor and drawing kit.

With the help of a vector editor, any curved lines can be correctly outlined. Also, with the normal ability to use drawing packages, you can already create good work. Relevant for the most part only for vector editors.

Good set – normal computer, high-quality mouse (you can use a trackball) with a mouse pad, a scanner, a graphics tablet and paid programs (at least one, preferably Photoshop)

With such a set, you can reach a fairly high level, the restrictions are only in your skill.

computer graphics in Lately is gaining a lot of popularity. Even if you are not going to make money on it, many people just want to learn how to draw on a computer. It's one thing to draw on paper, and quite another to draw on a computer. This process has a number of undeniable advantages, but do not forget about the difficulties.

Most artists use special graphic tablets connected to a computer for this purpose. Drawing on such a device is very simple, almost the same as on a piece of paper. Many beginners and just amateurs are scared away by the high cost, so they want to learn how to draw with a mouse.

How to do it right? What is needed for this? What features can be encountered? You will receive answers to these questions by reading the prepared material.

Why, at all, draw on a computer? After all, you can safely do with a piece of paper, and then scan the drawing. But computer graphics has a number of undeniable advantages:

Availability of working tools. All you need is a computer and a special program - a graphics editor. Here you do not need to take into account the features of paints or pencils, buy them, make sure that they do not end at the wrong time.
The ability to quickly correct any shortcomings. If you notice some kind of defect on a paper drawing, it is often almost impossible to fix it, so you have to draw everything from the very beginning. In a digital drawing, everything is fixed with just a few mouse clicks.
non-susceptibility external factors. The digital drawing will not fade in the sun, it will not be spoiled by a child or a pet.

How to prepare for drawing with a mouse

Before you start drawing with a mouse on a computer, you should prepare a little. To do this, you will need to purchase a reliable mouse, a high-quality mousepad and install a graphics editor. Let's look at each of the points in more detail.

Mouse. It should ideally be large and massive, with very precise cursor positioning. It should react to your every movement instantly. Since drawing is a long process, the mouse should sit comfortably in your hand and not create inconvenience. Naturally, you should not count on the fact that a quality accessory will be cheap. If you want to achieve high results, be prepared to spend more.
Rug. Many manufacturers have a series of professional mats for graphic designers. They carefully calculated the coefficient of slip, and the material used is such that over time it is not overwritten and for a long time looks like new.
Graphics editor. There are professional graphic editors for entry level. In addition, there are programs for vector and raster graphics. Some are completely free, while others cost a significant amount. Some are pre-installed with the operating system, while most need to be downloaded and installed. The most famous editors are Microsoft Paint, Adobe Photoshop , Gimp, Paint Tool SAI.

Fundamentals of the basics

As already mentioned, drawing with the mouse has a number of features. Let's highlight some of them.

It is best to choose the Brush tool to create a drawing. Perhaps someone will say that this is not the best choice, but it is with its help that it is easiest to achieve the desired results. By the way, most editors have the option to adjust the hardness and degree of pressure, as well as transparency. For example, this function can be used without problems in Photoshop and Paint Tool SAI. Thanks to this, it is much more convenient to draw with a mouse than with the same pencil, which produces much harder lines.
Since, unlike a tablet, there is no way to adjust the pressure of the drawing tool, to soften the edges and outlines of the picture, it is better to use an eraser set to a low opacity level. This will reduce the sharpness of the lines. Most graphics tablets are supported by both Photoshop and AIS.
Do not try to draw contours with one long line. Use many small clicks to apply short strokes. Also, keep in mind that you will often have to switch between tools and their settings, as well as menu items. In order not to waste time, try to bring this skill to automatism. And if you really need to draw a long straight line, use a special tool, it will greatly facilitate your fate.
If you have already tried to create drawings on a computer in AIS or another editor, then you probably noticed that drawing lines is very difficult. They are constantly bent, made uneven, and if necessary, to paint on something - to hit right place quite difficult. In such a case, feel free to use the zoom tool. The larger you zoom in, the more accurately you can fit the edges of the pattern. Switch between normal view and magnification to bring the image to perfection.
Where to start learning? It is clear that complex pictures in AIS will not work for you the first time, you need to fill your hand. First of all, try to draw simple drawings for which it will be sufficient to use ordinary geometric shapes. For example, draw a Christmas tree or a snowman. Having coped with the symmetrical arrangement of elements and contours, proceed to fill with color. It is better not to use the fill tool for this, but to paint over with a brush manually. Then you can enter finishing touches, in also add shadows and all sorts of little things. There are many tutorials on YouTube for beginners.
You will experience much less difficulties if you first sketch out your drawing at least roughly on a regular sheet of paper. In addition, the experience of ordinary drawing will also come in handy.
In order not to go beyond the boundaries of the picture when painting, select the area in which you want to change the color, and then start painting.
If nothing happens manually at all, there is an alternative, and quite convenient. Draw the contours on paper, then scan the picture or take a high-quality photo and open the finished file in the graphic editor AIS or Photoshop. Then move the lines, change their thickness and add colors. By the way, in many editors, such as Photoshop or Paint Tool SAI, you can make good drawings in this way, since all changes are applied in the form of layers that can then be easily deleted.

How to draw in different graphic editors

photoshop

To create a drawing in Photoshop, download and install the program if it is not already on your computer. We encourage you to purchase a licensed copy, but if the high cost puts you off, look online for hacked versions. Just keep in mind that if the repack is of poor quality, the program will malfunction, and some functions may be missing.
After running the program, create new file. This can be done either through the menu File - New, or by pressing the combination Ctrl keys+ N. In a pop-up window you will be asked to select the size and resolution of the picture. The higher it is, the longer and more difficult it will be to create a drawing in Photoshop.
Look at the work area: on the right side you will see several toolbars where you can select a color, background, and also work with layers. On the left side you will see a menu for selecting working tools. In the upper part, under the program menu, you can use some options of the selected tool.
On the right side of the screen, click the "Create Layer" button, on the left side select the brush or pencil tool, and at the top select the type and thickness of the line.
Create a picture in Photoshop, then save it to a folder on your computer's hard drive.

Paint Tool SAI

Download and install Paint program Tool S.A.I. The program is paid, so either buy it or download the hacked version if you can't pay.
Launch Paint Tool SAI and create a new drawing. This function is no different from other image editors, so you can either press File - New or press Ctrl + N on your keyboard.
Paint Tool SAI will ask for the desired image size and file format. Depending on your desires and needs, select the necessary options.
Create new layer on the Paint Tool SAI toolbar on the left side of the screen, then select essential tool to draw and start the process.
Save the image to a directory on your hard drive.

Paint

Working with this editor is the easiest, however, it has minimum set functions. The program has undeniable advantage- you don't have to worry about searching and installing working version, since the editor is standard and built into the system by default. How to draw in Paint?

Find the program in the Start menu on a Windows computer.
When will it open working window, you will see a small white rectangle, and special markers on the side and in the corner.
Drag these handles to resize the image. The actual size will be displayed at the bottom of the screen.
Select the desired drawing tool, such as a brush or pencil, from the top menu bar on the Home tab.
Save the file after you've finished making changes.

Conclusion

Drawing with a mouse on a computer can be quite difficult at first, but with practice, you will get carried away with this process and be able to create real masterpieces in Photoshop or AIS. Let us know in the comments what program you are using.

We have considered the most common applications that act as full-fledged complexes for drawing, as well as processing various graphic images.

Which drawing program on a graphics tablet or editor on a PC you choose depends on your specific goals.

Corel Painter will be highly appreciated by experts in digital graphics. This is the best choice when you want to download the drawing tool to your computer to work with your tablet. The eminent developer offers a developed, but rather complex product. To learn how to use all the benefits of the package, you will have to spend a lot of time. And if you also want to learn how to work in vector, you will have to switch to a more functional tool from the same developer - CorelDRAW.

Autodesk Sketchbook Pro - quality program creating drawings for all categories of users. It allows you to both process graphics and create cool art, comics, sketches from scratch. The available interface in Russian will become nice bonus, but to work with the utility on highest level, it is advisable to think about purchasing a professional monitor with good color reproduction.

Krita is no less functional. Artists draw in it both posters and entire comics. The application is free, open source and suitable for all modern operating systems. However, it will be a little difficult for beginners to master it. If you are not afraid of difficulties and are ready to spend time - try it and you will get a really functional tool.

Adobe Photoshop allows you to apply a wide variety of effects and filters. Creating images will seem very comfortable and quite simple. You can enjoy affordable Russian-language interface and a large number of training video tutorials and materials on the Internet.

Working with Tux Paint, aimed at quality learning inexperienced users. The interface of the utility will be convenient for any user, and the presence of sound and animation effects will attract the attention of a children's audience whose parents want to teach their child the art of drawing on a computer.

Paint.NET will bring a lot of positive impressions, the program engine is able to remember all user activity and return more than a dozen completed actions, excluding the errors present in the editing process and applying all kinds of effects. With the help of Paint, vector graphics are effectively edited.

Pixbuilder Studio is distinguished by high performance indicators, the rest of the utilities from the above selection demonstrate more low speed launch and open images. The program contains rich professional-level functionality and is available for download absolutely free of charge.

Fans of various brushes will appreciate the Artweaver Free program, which has a lot of useful filters and effects. It is worth noting that the application allows you to create your own brushes, which will become difficult for competitors.

Paint Tool SAI is a serious utility designed for professional artists and designers to create stunning illustrations as well as digital paintings. The utility supports graphic tablets, giving creative people all the necessary resources for artistic activities. Moreover, some studios use SAI as a cartoon drawing program. Its functions are too good.

Graffiti Studio is difficult to compare with full-fledged painters and even drawing games for children, since the purpose of this application is to entertain the user. You can fulfill your teenage dream and feel like a master of street graffiti. True, the range of tools is scarce - only a marker and spray cans, but a huge selection of colors and shades, line thicknesses will be a significant plus.

Also, the wonderful programs MyPaint, Medibang Paint, SmoothDraw, Affinity Designer, the Paint graphic editor built into Windows and the raster editor were not included in the review. inkscape graphics. Their detailed descriptions you can always find on our website.

Krita is so advanced and functional program for drawing that you can’t believe that you don’t have commercial product, and open source development. This editor has support for layers, a huge number of brushes and tools, a bunch of different filters and effects.

Krita can be used to create digital paintings, sketches, paintings, comics, and even hand-drawn stop-motion animation. The interface is easily customizable. Plus, Krita works great with graphics tablets.

GIMP

Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.

Powerful, flexible, customizable open source raster editor. True, the interface and hotkeys are peculiar here - artists who are used to Photoshop will have to relearn.

GIMP has most of the tools available in Photoshop: layers, masks, color correction, smart selection, brushes, filters, and a mountain of other features. Some of the missing ones can be fixed using third-party extensions.

Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.

Now this is a tool to create vector graphics- free and open source analogue Adobe Illustrator. It is well suited for creating logos, icons, web graphics, vector illustrations, and other design products.

Inkscape contains everything for comfortable creation and editing vector images: color and texture management tools, layers, smart placement and alignment of objects, as well as the ability to vectorize bitmap images.

Platforms: Windows.

This, of course, is not a full-fledged analogue of Photoshop, but rather, the good old Paint on steroids, but for amateur drawing it will be enough.

It is precisely because of its simplicity that Paint.NET is well suited for beginner artists. Plus, it is able to work quickly even on devices.

Paint.NET supports working with layers and has a lot of effects. There are tools for blurring, styling, sharpening and noise reduction, and if desired, the program's capabilities can be extended using plugins.

Platforms: Windows, macOS.

Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, web.

Gravit Designer is quite powerful and advanced, but at the same time free editor vector graphics. With it, you can easily create icons, logos, banners and other images. The application has many tools: curves, layers, shapes, selection and transformation of objects, work with text and fonts.

In addition, there is a built-in library of user-created vector objects. You can freely use them in your own work. Another feature of the application: if desired, it can be launched without installation, directly in the browser through the Gravit native web service.

Paid programs for drawing on a computer

Platforms: Windows, macOS.
Price:‎$49.99.

The editor impresses with its capabilities. Customizable panels and keyboard shortcuts, a convenient canvas rotation system that makes it look like you are drawing on real paper, compatibility with graphics tablets, shadow effects, glow effects, contours, bevels - just to name a few.

Affinity Designer is definitely worth a try for those who are professionally involved in graphics and design and do not want to overpay for Photoshop.

Platforms: Windows.
Price:$59.99

A very peculiar program for drawing, which differs from the others presented here. BlackInk will allow you to draw incredible pictures with a rather unusual style. What can I say, just take a look at the images created in the editor, and you will understand that it allows you to create art.

Instead of traditional approaches to creating bitmaps, BlackInk uses its own mechanism. The so-called Controller opens up unprecedented possibilities for customizing brushes. It is not easy to master it, but the result will impress you.

Platforms: Windows, macOS.
Price: subscription from 644 rubles per month.

Photoshop is the de facto standard in the world. computer graphics, the most popular program for artists, designers and photographers. It makes no sense to talk about the possibilities: if something can be done with the image, then it will do it.

Because Photoshop is part of cloud service Adobe Creative Cloud, you can easily use your brushes, colors and styles on all devices - settings are synchronized literally on the fly. In addition, there are just a bunch of plug-ins created for Photoshop because of its popularity.

The only thing wrong with Adobe's brainchild is the subscription price. However, this was to be expected, because Photoshop is the most powerful and advanced of all raster editors in the world.

Platforms: Windows, macOS.
Price:$429.

Everyone has heard of Corel Draw - the most powerful professional editor vector graphics. But Corel has another brainchild - the raster editor Corel Painter, which is great for drawing. This editor has many handy tools for working with color, synthesizing textures and cloning objects, as well as brushes, canvases and layers.

This expensive but effective editor for sophisticated artists is definitely worth the money.

Greetings to all!

If earlier, to draw a picture, you needed a brush, easel, paints, etc. things, but now you can create without leaving your computer! Moreover, I want to note that the pictures created in some editor on a computer also cause great delight (as if it were a picture on canvas)!

I will add that many mistakenly believe that it is easier to draw a picture on a computer than on a canvas. Moving the cursor (or even drawing with a graphics tablet) is no easier or faster!

Actually, this article is about tools - to paint a picture, you need special programs for drawing (note: graphic editors). Here they will be discussed 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 is a special sites that allow you to create paintings online, meet other artists, find common ideas. See this article for more on this:

List of the best programs. Let's start drawing?

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

Raster drawing It is a canvas on which there are many multi-colored dots (pixels). 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 the most diverse pictures.

Main advantage vector drawing in front of a raster one is the ability to transform it in any way (for example, increase it) without losing quality. The computer, in fact, only needs to recalculate your picture according to the mat. formulas.

Raster graphics are convenient for creating high-quality photos and digital drawings. The most popular bitmap formats JPEG images and PNG. Exactly raster graphics is the 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 more...

Paint

Raster editor

Basic program in Windows

How to run: find it in the START menu, or press the Win + R buttons, enter the mspaint command in the open line and press Enter.

A very simple graphics 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? ☺

gimp

Raster editor (partly vector)

The GNU Image Manipulation Program (or GIMP for short) is a very powerful free and multi-purpose 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 package of pictures and publishing them (+ converting one format to another).

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

Main advantages:

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

ArtWeaver

Raster editor (some analogue of Photoshop)

This program repeats many of the tools of such a popular editor as Adobe Photoshop. To edit ready-made pictures and draw new ones, there are a bunch of ready-made brushes of all types and sizes, different modes, imitation pencil, 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, fillings, etc.;
plugin support;
the presence of convenient tools for drawing: brushes, pencils, etc .;
support for a graphics tablet (a BIG plus for those who like to draw);
many different filters: spot, blur, mosaic, masking, etc.;
working with text layers;
the possibility of consecutive undoing of their actions.
support for all popular versions of Windows.

MyPaint

Raster editor

MyPaint - painted portrait of a girl

A popular raster graphics editor designed more for digital artists (those who like to draw). Represents an unlimited canvas (sheet) and a relatively simple interface on GTK +, without distracting the artist from the creative process - drawing.

Unlike the same 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 is difficult to resist if there is a craving for drawing ...

Main features:

the program is specifically designed for drawing, so it has fewer options for editing existing pictures (that is, there are no functions such as selection, scaling, etc.);
a huge set of brushes that can be customized: create and change groups, blur, mix colors, etc.;
the program supports graphics tablet;
the boundless canvas is very convenient in the process of drawing - nothing holds you back while creating;
layer support: copy, paste, transparency settings, etc.;
supported by Windows, Mac OS, Linux.

SmoothDraw

Raster

A free program for painting and those who like to draw by hand on a computer. The interface of the program is very simple, designed so that anyone who has just started as an artist can immediately start creating, without wasting time studying.

I want to immediately note 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 .

Program features:

many types of brushes for drawing: 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 photo retouching tools;
work with layers;
the possibility of color correction;
compatible with Windows 7, 8, 10.

Note! For SmoothDraw to work, you must have in Windows NET Framework not lower than version v2.0.

Paint.NET

Raster

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, a dimensionless canvas, special effects, useful and powerful tools editing (analogues of which are available only in paid products).

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

Peculiarities:

free for distribution and use;
user-friendly interface (somewhat similar to Photoshop);
you can work with multiple 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.

livebrush

Raster

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

In the process of work, you can pick up and adjust the brush so that while it is moving, the line under the brush will change its thickness, color, transparency, tip rotation, depending on your mouse movement speed, pressing 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 force of pressing and its inclinations.

The set of the program has a lot of brushes different forms: from simple lines to patterned gothic ornaments. By the way, any pattern can be corrected by yourself by switching to pencil editing.

In addition, you can draw a pattern yourself and save it as a template. You can import ready-made brush sets, projects, decorations into the program. By the way, they can be found in large numbers on official forum programs.

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

Inkscape (Inkscape)

Vector editor (one of the few)

Free analogues: Gravit, DrawPlus

Paid counterparts: CorelDRAW and Adobe Illustrator

Inkscape is a free vector editor, one of the few that can partially replace such monsters as Corel Draw and Adobe Illustrator. The application has a fairly standard interface: a 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. Looks very cool and unusual.

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

Gravity

Vector editor (online version)

Gravity- quite an interesting vector editor. Of course, he will not be able to replace Adobe Illustrator, but he will be able to argue with the previous program (Inkscape).

Of the tools, there is all the most basic: feathers, lines, intersection and carving of shapes from each other, alignment, layers, fonts, etc. Works can be exported to SVG format, to multiple bitmaps. Also in the program you can open the work made in Adobe Illustrator.

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

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

In general, an interesting editor that deserves attention.

Draw Plus

Vector

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

DrawPlus has many tools that will allow you to easily and quickly 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. Own Format for projects - DPP.

graffiti studio

Website: http://www.vandalsquad.com

Raster graphics

One of the most the best programs for drawing graffiti, looks as realistic as possible!

To start drawing: you need to select a piece of canvas (car, walls, bus), and, in fact, start creating (there are just heaps of ready-made options for selection!). The artist's arsenal includes 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 streaks. In general, for fans of such graphics - the scope is huge!

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

PixBuilder Studio

Raster editor

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

PixBuilder Studio has quite interesting tools that allow you to finely work with color, brightness, contrast, and layers. In addition, there are built-in effects (for example, dithering (when processing digital signals is the mixing of pseudo-random noise with a specially selected spectrum into the primary signal) ), blur, sharpen, etc.

Peculiarities:

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

Krita

Raster editor

An excellent and convenient raster graphics editor for artists (by the way, at the time of writing this review, 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 brush motion stabilizer, layers, masks, dynamic brushes, animation, a large number of blending modes, paper and pastel imitation, an "infinite" canvas, etc.

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

PS: the article will be supplemented ...

Thanks in advance for tips and advice in the comments!