A simple program for drawing parts. The best programs for drawing on a graphics tablet -

In today's world, computers are increasingly penetrating our lives. Many areas are simply unthinkable without the use of a PC: complex mathematical calculations, design, modeling, Internet communications, etc. Finally, it came to drawing!

Now not only artists, but also ordinary amateurs can easily try to draw some “masterpiece” using special programs. It is these special programs for drawing on a computer that I would like to talk about in this article.

*Please note that only free programs will be considered.

It is with Paint that I would like to begin the review of drawing programs, because... it is included in Windows XP, 7, 8, Vista, etc., which means you don’t need to download anything to start drawing!

To open it, go to the menu " start/programs/standard", and then click the "Paint" icon.

The program itself is extremely simple and even a complete beginner who has recently turned on a PC can understand it.

Among the main functions: changing the size of pictures, cutting out a certain part of the image, the ability to draw with a pencil or brush, filling the area with the selected color, etc.

For those who do not professionally deal with images, for those who sometimes need to correct something small in pictures - the program’s capabilities are more than enough. That is why I recommend starting your acquaintance with drawing on a PC with it!

2. Gimp - a powerful graph. editor

Gimp is a powerful graphics editor that can work with graphics tablets* (see below) and many other input devices.

Main functions:

Improve photos, make them brighter, enhance color rendition;

Easily and quickly remove unnecessary elements from photographs;

Cut website layouts;

Drawing pictures using graphics tablets;

Own file storage format ".xcf", which is capable of storing texts, textures, layers, etc.;

Convenient ability to work with the clipboard - you can instantly insert a picture into the program and start editing it;

Gimp will allow you to archive images almost on the fly;

Ability to open files in ".psd" format;

Creating your own plugins (if you have programming skills, of course).

3. MyPaint - artistic drawing

MyPaint is a graphics editor aimed at beginner artists. The program has a simple interface coupled with unlimited canvas sizes. There is also an excellent set of brushes, thanks to which, using this program, you can draw pictures on your computer, just like on canvas!

Main functions:

Possibility of quick commands using assigned buttons;

A huge selection of brushes, their customization, the ability to create and import them;

Excellent support for the tablet; by the way, the program was generally designed for it;

Unlimited canvas size - thus nothing limits your creativity;

Ability to work on Windows, Linux and Mac OS.

4. Graffiti Studio - for graffiti fans

This program will appeal to all graffiti lovers (in principle, you can guess the direction of the program from the name).

The program is captivating with its simplicity and realism - the paintings come out of the pen almost like the best hits on the walls of professionals.

In the program you can choose canvases, for example, carriages, walls, buses, on which you can then work your creative miracles.

The panel provides a choice of a huge number of colors - more than 100 pieces! It is possible to make smudges, change the distance to the surface, use markers, etc. In general, a whole arsenal of a graffiti artist!

5. Artweaver - replacement for Adobe Photoshop

A free graphics editor that claims to be Adobe Photoshop itself. This program simulates drawing with oil, paint, pencil, chalk, brush, etc.

It is possible to work with layers, convert images into various formats, compress, etc. Judging by the screenshot below, you can’t even tell it from Adobe Photoshop!

SmoothDraw is an excellent graphic editor, with a lot of possibilities for processing and creating images. The program is mainly focused on creating pictures from scratch, from a white and blank canvas.

You will have a large number of design and artistic tools in your arsenal: brushes, pencils, pens, pens, etc.

The work with tablets is also quite good, coupled with the user-friendly interface of the program - it can be safely recommended to most users.

7. PixBuilder Studio - mini Photoshop

Many users on the Internet have already dubbed this program mini Photoshop. It has most of the popular functions and capabilities of the paid Adobe Photoshop program: a brightness and contrast editor, there are tools for cutting and transforming images, you can create complex shapes and objects.

Good implementation of several types of picture blur, sharpening effects, etc.

It’s probably not worth talking about such features as changing the size of the picture, rotating, reversing, etc. Overall, PixBuilder Studio is an excellent drawing and editing program on your computer.

8. Inkscape - analogue of Corel Draw (vector graphics)

This is a free vector image editor similar to Corel Draw. This program is for drawing with vectors - i.e. directed segments. Unlike bitmap images, vector images can easily be resized without losing quality! Typically, such a program is used in printing.

It’s worth mentioning Flash here - it also uses vector graphics, which allows you to significantly reduce the size of the video!

By the way, it’s worth adding that the program has support for the Russian language!

9. Livebrush - painting with a brush

A very simple drawing program with good image editing capabilities. One of the main features of this editor is that you will draw here brush! There are no other tools!

On the one hand, this is limiting, but on the other, the program allows you to implement a lot of things that you can’t do in any other!

A huge number of brushes, settings for them, strokes, etc. Moreover, you can create brushes yourself and download them from the Internet.

By the way, by “brush” in livebrush we mean not “just a simple” line, but also models of complex geometric shapes... In general, it is recommended for all fans of working with graphics to become familiar with it.

10. Graphics tablets

A graphics tablet is a special device for drawing on a computer. Connects to a computer via standard USB. Using a pen, you can drag across an electronic sheet, and you can immediately see your painting online on the computer screen. Great!

Who needs a tablet for what?

The tablet can be useful not only for professional designers, but also for ordinary schoolchildren and children. Using it, you can edit photos and images, draw graffiti on social networks, and easily and quickly add manuscripts to graphic documents. In addition, when using a pen (tablet pen), your hand and wrist do not get tired during long-term work, such as when using a mouse.

For professionals, this is an opportunity to edit photographs: create masks, retouch, edit and make corrections to complex contours of images (hair, eyes, etc.).

In general, you get used to the tablet very quickly and if you often work with graphics, the device becomes simply irreplaceable! Recommended for all graphics lovers.

This concludes the review of programs. Good luck with your choice and beautiful drawings!

Free drawing programs, like any software distributed under a freeware or shareware license, are becoming less and less different from their large-scale commercial counterparts every year.

Thanks to the extensive community of developers and enthusiasts, new versions of well-known free graphic editors are regularly released, as well as new original projects are created.

At the same time, various drawing software is becoming increasingly specialized, focusing on use by children, creating cartoons, designing designs, etc.

Therefore, if you do not want to pay a significant amount for the ability to crop a picture and fundamentally do not use pirated software, then this review will help you choose the most suitable option for you.

GIMP

GIMP is a free alternative to the popular Photoshop editor from IT giant Adobe. This program is the default solution for creating and editing images on any Unix system, but there are also versions for Windows and Mac.

A special feature is the extremely low system requirements (from 128 MB of RAM and from 32 MB of video card memory), which makes it possible to install this software even on very old machines.

The program interface consists of separate toolbars that can be easily enabled/disabled and combined with each other. The working canvas is also a separate window.

Each tool can be called by a combination of hot keys, which can be changed at your discretion.

Advice! You can download any version of the program on the official website. There you can also findGIMPcompletely in Russian.

Although supporters of free software call GIMP a free analogue of Photoshop, its capabilities are still significantly inferior to the Adobe product. But this only matters if you use specific professional functions.

For the vast majority of users, these differences will not be noticeable at all.

Paint NET

This program is developed by Microsoft Corporation, which means that it can be used free of charge by owners of the Windows operating system of any version.

It is an expanded version of the paint editor, which for many users was their first introduction to the world of raster graphics.

When regular Paint no longer met modern requirements for basic image editing, Paint NET was called upon to take its place, adding several new features.

One of the key changes is the ability to work with layers, which is actively used to create photoshops, macros, and other media content that are popular on social networks.

It is very difficult to use this program as a medium for full-fledged fine art, but this is not its fault.

It will be indispensable if you want to quickly crop images, change colors, or add several elements from other pictures.

You can download the program from the official website www.getpaint.net

LiveBrush Lite

The developers of LiveBrush Lite decided to return to the roots of real painting and provided users with only one tool - the brush. But at the same time, this tool is customized to the maximum, which opens up wide possibilities for its use.

When you first get acquainted with the program, this approach may seem extremely inconvenient, but after a few hours of practice everyone will be able to feel the charm of this creative solution.

It is worth noting that the “brush” in the context of this image editor is a universal tool that can create a variety of effects: from straight lines to fractal patterns.

Moreover, the process of creating your own graphic creations can become much more fun if you use the library of custom brushes published on the official website of the LiveBrush Lite developers.

Advice! The program is not free: you will have to pay for the full version, and if you decide to download for freeLite version, then be prepared for the fact that it is intended for evaluation and use and has greatly reduced capabilities.

PaintTool SAI

A development by Japanese programmers, which is intended for creating sketches, sketches and full-fledged artistic paintings. It gained particular popularity in its homeland and abroad among authors working in the anime genre.

All the tools collected in the program are as similar as possible to real prototypes: a pencil has a softness setting, watercolor is characteristically blurred, and a ballpoint pen leaves a clear, even line.

But for the convenience of artists, some of the capabilities of traditional image editors have been implemented, first of all, this concerns working with layers.

The user can draw several pictures at the same time, and then combine them using cropping, copying, pasting and hiding. This software is best installed on special drawing devices that work with a stylus.

Tux Paint

As mentioned at the beginning of our article, many developers do not try to impress their users with the maximum range of functions or their greatest efficiency.

Instead, they are looking for their own philosophy and a niche market in which they will be pioneers.

The Tux Paint drawing program is aimed primarily at children aged 3 to 12 years, in order to develop in them a love of painting with the help of modern information technologies.

Therefore, the interface of this program is significantly different from other representatives of software of this class.

All the tools are extremely simple, and to configure them there is no need to understand manuals; the controls are large and immediately indicate their purpose.

Tux the penguin (symbol of the Linux community) helps take the first steps, introducing young creators to the basic capabilities of the program, which will allow them to draw their first picture within a few minutes after the first launch of Tux Paint.

This software is an example of an excellent implementation of an original idea in an area in which it would seem almost impossible to fight the hegemony of corporate giants.

Tux Paint is successfully used in many European educational institutions for preschool and primary school children.

You can download the program completely free of charge from the official website www.tuxpaint.org

ArtWaver

ArtWaver is another image management solution developed under an OpenSource license. Like GIMP, it was created as a counterweight to Photoshop, and its appearance and tools are similar to older versions of the program from Adobe.

But this image editor does not simply copy its more successful competitors, but has its own unique approach to the issue of processing and creating various images.

In particular, much attention is paid to brushes: by default, the program has a large selection of brushes of various types that can be carefully customized to suit your needs.

This makes it possible to use ArtWeaver not only for editing finished images, but also for full-fledged digital painting classes.

This software also features a very sophisticated system for working with layers, probably the best among free graphic editors, which is very important for working with images at home on a computer.

The developers have also created their own AWD editor format, but the user can export their work to any popular format such as JPG, PSD, PNG, etc.

ArtWaver is a well-balanced software that can become an effective tool for both amateurs and semi-professionals in the field of processing or creating digital images.

The application is aimed at installation on graphics tablets, and not for full editing of ready-made pictures.

Despite the fact that many basic functions of modern editors are available in it, it shows its full potential only in the process of drawing from scratch.

In addition to a large number of tools that have real prototypes, such as brushes, pencils, felt-tip pens, pens, etc., SmoothDraw also offers original functions: a full imitation of an aerosol can for graffiti, creating visual effects of a cart, starry sky, grass, etc.

A free drafting program reminiscent of early versions of AutoCAD. Designed for quickly creating simple flat drawings.

It's no secret that the leader in design platforms at the moment is the "great and terrible" AutoCAD. Although recently it has been strongly squeezed by cheaper competing CAD systems based on IntelliCAD. Almost all of them are not free and can cost as much as a couple of decent computers.

A simple engineer may not need all these 3D bells and whistles for a hundred thousand rubles, when he just needs to draw a simple part or, for example, a bookshelf. Then programs like this come on stage A9CAD. And this is what we will now look at in more detail.

A9CAD Features

• creation of 2D drawings in popular DWG and DXF formats;
• working with layers;
• works correctly in Wine from Linux;
• Only English text is supported, unfortunately;
• export of the finished project to EMF.

Installing the program

Installing A9CAD does not contain any special surprises. It is in English, but a school course is enough to work with it. Launch the downloaded installer and in the first window of the Installation Wizard, click the “Next” button.

In the second window, set the switch to the “I accept the terms in the license agreement” position, confirming that we agree with the license and want to install the program. Click "Next" again.

In the next windows we leave everything as is. Again “Next”, “Next” and in the last one: “Install”. The direct installation of the program will begin, after which the final window will appear, in which we click “Finish”.

We launch from the Desktop or from the Start panel.

A9CAD interface

When you first launch the drawing program window will look like this.

As you can see, unlike serious CAD systems, there are not so many tools, but for simple drawings they are quite enough.

Let's first set up the A9CAD interface:

1. The black background of the working field can be made white in the menu "File" - "General Settings" - "Background Color" - "White".

2. In the same window you can set in pixels:

• cursor crosshair length (Cross Size);
• the size of the handles by which the figures are “grabbed” (Grip Size);
• the area of ​​the “capture” zone when selecting figures in the form of a square around the crosshair (Pick Size).

3. All panels can be dragged by grabbing the special areas at the very top (for vertical ones) or on the left (for horizontal ones). This can be useful if the program is installed on a netbook and some panel does not fit vertically. Then you can drag it up or down. Or even send him on a “free voyage”.

4. Unneeded panels can be hidden, shown or edited using the context menu that appears when you right-click on any of the panels.

The most convenient way to navigate around the working area of ​​a drawing is to use the mouse roller. By rotating it toward ourselves, we move the picture away, and by rotating it away from us, we bring it closer to the point where the mouse cursor is located. You can more precisely set the desired view using the navigation tools on the Standard toolbar.

Drawing in A9CAD

There is a certain drawing technique here, slightly different from the drawing technique in raster graphics editors. The difference is that all actions are performed with single clicks of the left or right mouse button. There is no such trick as holding down the button.

For example, let's draw a polyline:

1. We decide whether we need to draw lines at right angles, and also whether a grid and drawing step will be useful (for greater accuracy).
2. Select the Draw polyline tool from the drawing panel. In most cases, it is better to draw with polylines rather than simple segments. The PolyLine start point prompt will appear in the console.
3. Click the left mouse button once in a suitable place on the work field. A rubber line will appear behind the crosshairs. In the console, the inscription will change to PolyLine second point.
4. Click the left mouse button again to fix the second end of the segment. We will have one fixed line and a second rubber line.
5. Now you can continue drawing the polyline by pressing the left mouse button or interrupt it by pressing the right button.

You can control tools not only with the mouse, but also with the keyboard. For example, you can specify the next point of a polyline relative to the previous one using numbers separated by commas (X,Y).

The remaining figures are drawn in the same way, a tool is selected, then according to an individual algorithm:

1. Draw point - simply indicate where to insert the point.
2. Draw line - indicate the beginning and end of the segment.
3. Rectangle (Draw rectangle) - two opposite angles are indicated.
4. Arc (Draw arc) - the center of the circle of which the arc will be a part is specified, then the radius, the initial and final direction (counterclockwise).
5. Draw circle - set the center and radius of the circle.
6. Ellipse (Draw ellipse) - indicate the center, one of the two points closest to the center, then one of the two points farthest from the center.
7. Polyline (Draw polyline) - the first and subsequent points are indicated.
8. Text (Draw text) - the first point is indicated, then the angle is specified by the second point and then text is entered from the keyboard into the console (unfortunately, only the Latin alphabet and only capital letters are supported), which, after pressing the Enter key, appears on the screen.
9. Draw image - in the window that opens, select a picture on the computer, indicate the position of its lower left corner on the working field, and the second point sets its scale.

As you can see, the main problem of A9CAD has been discovered here, which does not allow it to be used to create full-fledged drawings - the program “doesn’t support the Cyrillic alphabet at all.” However, there are many tasks where you can do without explanatory notes. For example, if you need to explain to a measurer what the future furniture you want to order should look like.

It is precisely in such tasks that the last 6 tools in the drawing panel, designed for creating dimensions, are useful:

1. Align dimension - specify two arbitrary points between which the distance will be calculated.
2. Vertical dimension - the distance along the Y axis between two arbitrary points.
3. Horizontal dimension - the distance along the X axis between any two points.
4. Angular dimension - angle in degrees. You need to specify the center and two directions between which the angle will be calculated.
5. Diameter dimension - the diameter of a circle or arc. It is enough to indicate the desired figure.
6. Radial dimension - the radius of a circle or arc. Indicate the desired figure.

Editing a drawing

Drawing from scratch and without errors is of course good, but not realistic. It doesn't happen that everything works out the first time. Therefore, there are tools for editing the created shapes, and now we will look at them.

The editing panel is divided into two parts: the tools themselves and buttons for turning on/off object snaps.

Snaps are a very handy thing because they allow you to precisely “snap” the mouse crosshair to different points on existing shapes.

For example, if we need to draw a line from the intersection of a circle with a rectangle, then we turn on Snap to intersect, select the Polyline tool and move the cursor crosshair to this intersection. A yellow prompt appears, indicating that the anchor point is captured.

Now, if you press the left mouse button, the beginning of the polyline will be exactly at the intersection of existing shapes. Other bindings work the same way:

• by endpoint (Snap to Endpoint);
• by midpoint (Snap to Midpoint);
• at any nearest point on the contour (Snap to Nearest);
• Snap to Perpendicular;
• in the center (Snap to Center);
• by insertion point (Snap to Insert);
• by intersection (Snap to intersect);
• and the last button in the panel (with the image of a magnet) is to reset all bindings (Clear OSnaps).

If everything is clear with the bindings, then let's look at what editing tools we have:

1. Select is the same as simply clicking on a shape with the mouse crosshair.
2. Reset selection (Deselect).
3. Erase.
4. Move.
5. Copy.
6. Scale - resizing.
7. Rotate.
8. Explode - dividing a complex figure into primitives, for example, a square is divided into 4 segments.
9. Trim - removing part of a shape that extends beyond the border of another shape (for example, an auxiliary line).
10. Extend - extending a line until it intersects with a specified part of another figure.
11. Fillet.
12. Offset - creating the semblance of a figure at a given distance from it.
13. Break - dividing a figure into two parts at a specified point.
14. Mirror - creating a mirror copy of a figure.
15. Join - joining two figures (for example, two polylines) into one.

Thus, with the help of all these tools, you can build quite complex drawings, put dimensions on them and send them for printing.

Working with layers

We haven't covered another important thing - working with layers. Layers allow you to display and edit created shapes in separate "packages".

For example, we decided to draw a plan of our room (to plan the rearrangement of furniture), where the walls will be black, the windows and doors will be blue, and the furniture will be orange. Then the most logical thing to do is to draw each type of object in its own layer and give it a layer color (BYLAYER). To do this, go to the layers panel (Layers button) and create two more layers (for example, OKNO and MEBEL), in addition to the existing one with the name “0”.

We immediately assign the desired color to the new layers and then, either during the drawing process or after, we indicate to each figure its layer. This allows you to later, in one fell swoop:

• change the color, type and thickness of lines for all objects in one layer;
• hide this layer so that it is not visible;
• lock the layer so that the shapes in it cannot be accidentally “edited”.

Saving a project

When working with any serious program (and A9CAD is no exception), it is important not to forget to periodically save your project, since if there is an accidental failure, you can lose hours and even days of your work.

You can also save the project as a drawing in EMF format. The format is not very popular, but is easily recognized by standard Windows tools. To convert to it, use the “File” - “Export to EMF” menu and give the new drawing a name other than Drawing (otherwise it won’t be saved).

Conclusions

A9CAD is indeed not a full-fledged CAD program, and does not pretend to be this title. Drawing in this program is convenient only in cases where you need to create a simple drawing without Cyrillic characters. This could be some small household task, like sketching a future cabinet.

But on the other hand, installing A9CAD is much easier and faster than professional CAD systems, at least the same free nanoCAD.

P.S. Permission is granted to freely copy and quote this article, provided that an open active link to the source is indicated and the authorship of Ruslan Tertyshny is preserved.

P.P.S. Carrying furniture around a room in A9CAD is not the most exciting activity. There is a special program for this that allows you to see how the future arrangement will look in 3D:

Training video on working in A9CAD

subscribe to new video lessons!

P.P.P.S. By the way, good results do not always require high-quality, expensive graphics. Sometimes all you need is a good idea, like in this strategy flash game.

Many home computer users know that there is free drawing software available. A great variety of them have been created. In this review, we will help you decide on the choice of the most suitable graphics application for yourself.

Free drawing programs

As already mentioned, a huge number of different programs for creating and processing images have long been created. They are divided into: professional, semi-professional, and amateur. In addition, there are programs for fast graphics processing. For example, they allow you to: in just a couple of mouse clicks, improve quality, increase sharpness, remove red-eye, and also contain other useful little things.

As for programs specifically for drawing on a computer, our review today will be devoted to free applications. Today the undisputed leaders are: Paint.NET, Gimp, Inkscape, SmoothDraw, MyPaint. In addition, there are also various “drawers”.

Now let’s briefly look at the above-mentioned free drawing programs.

Method 1: Paint.NET

The application is positioned as a free replacement for the classic Paint, which is included by default in all versions of the Windows operating system. Unlike its predecessor, the functionality has been significantly expanded. The program belongs to the middle segment of graphic editors. Despite the fact that the application's capabilities are quite extensive, it still falls short of such a well-known image processing program as Gimp.

Marked with numbers

1. Toolbar.
2. Menu.
3. Working palette.
4. Change log.
5. Layers.

Download graphic editor Paint,net

Method 2: Gimp

This is a professional image creation and processing tool. Can be used as a full replacement for commercial. Has similar functionality. Supports PSD file format. It also easily imports brush sets designed for Photoshop.

Used by photographers, web designers, artists. In addition, the program's capabilities are easily expanded by installing add-ons.

Gimp supports graphics tablets, so the program can be recommended for artists.
The advantage of the graphic editor is that gimp supports import and export to the popular PDF format.

The screenshot notes:

1. Classic Toolbar - Most of the tools are similar to Adobe Photoshop.
2. Tabs containing open images.
3. Menu.
4. A work area in which all program capabilities are combined. Layers, brushes, image options, log, etc.

It should be noted that in this screenshot all work areas of the program are combined into one “ working window" To disconnect windows, just go to the menu “ Windows", and uncheck the box " Single window mode" Sometimes this mode of operation is quite useful.

We also note that during installation, the application will automatically detect the operating system language and automatically install the required language version. You can also set the language manually during installation. The program has support for almost all the most popular languages.

Download Gimp for free

Method 3: Inkscape

This is a famous free vector graphics editor. Suitable for artists to create illustrations. The program has almost all the capabilities of the most famous vector graphics editors. Tools such as knot editing, star, ellipse, freehand line, pen, and others are familiar to all designers.

This application is mainly used to create logos, posters, business cards. Web designers and developers use this program to create website layouts and graphics for games.

The graphic editor is actively developing, is also used by the most famous designers, and continues to remain free.

Work areas are highlighted in red:

1. Tools (ellipse, star, pen, etc.).
2. Flip vertically/horizontally, rotate.
3. Program menu.
4. Working palette.
5. Panel for importing/exporting/saving documents in various formats.

It should be noted that, according to various information, Inkscape developers are often in contact with the developers of another well-known and successful editor, Gimp. Together they discuss plans for the development of their programs and exchange experiences.

Free download Inkscape

Method 4: SmoothDraw

This is an interesting and free editor for graphics tablets, which at the same time is a fairly simple and “light” program.

The application interface is standard. Above is a different selection of classic drawing tools.

You can expand the tab to see the full list of tools.

It should be noted that the size of the program is very small (about 2 megabytes). The editor is suitable for simple projects, or when you just want to “draw.” As already noted, the application integrates with graphics tablets. A stylus is recommended for drawing.

The downside is the lack of Russian language.

Download SmoothDraw for free

Method 5: MyPaint

This application is ideal for drawing. A good choice for digital artists. Suitable for both entertainment and serious projects.

Features of the program

• It should be noted that the program contains minimal functionality of a classic graphic editor, because mainly aimed at direct drawing;
• The program was created exclusively for working on a graphics tablet. However, it is possible to work without it;
• In the "limitless canvas" program. This means that the drawing area is not limited in any way. The lack of frames is a definite plus. When saving a document, the unused area is simply cut out by the program;
• MyPaint, like all graphic editors, has a large set of brushes and tools;
• The application, like most of the above, is cross-platform. That is, it works on most operating systems;
• Russian language support.

Work area

The application interface is quite simple. There is no need to describe it in detail.

Download MyPaint for free

Conclusion

The considered image creation tools are leaders among free solutions for creating graphic projects on a computer. Most of the capabilities of these programs are not inferior to paid, commercial graphic editors such as Adobe Photoshop. Some of the presented applications have even wider functionality than Photoshop.

Greetings everyone!

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

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

Actually, this article is dedicated to tools - to draw a picture, you need special drawing programs (note: graphic editors). These will be discussed below (by the way, I’ll add that I chose free programs that support all popular Windows: 7, 8, 10 (32|64 bits)) . So...

By the way!I have another article on drawing on my blog. There is a special sites that allow you to create paintings online, meet other artists, and find common ideas. For more information, see this article:

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

Before moving on to the 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.

Raster drawing 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 a wide variety of pictures.

The main advantage of a vector drawing over a raster one is the ability to transform it in any way (for example, enlarge 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 raster image 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...

Paint

Raster editor

Basic program in Windows

How to start: 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 graphic editor, designed not even for drawing, but for easily editing pictures (add an inscription, an arrow, erase something, cut out one piece of the picture and paste it into another, save the screenshot taken, 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 just at the very beginning of your 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 graphics editor. This editor is very multifunctional: 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 the scripts can be truly complex)!

Main advantages:

• drawing pictures and posters;
• support for graphics 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 vibrant;
• or poster;
• remove unnecessary elements from photos (a bad photo can become a good one!);
• a huge collection of plugins for GIMP will allow you to solve a wide variety of problems;
• The program supports Windows, Mac, Linux operating systems.

ArtWeaver

Raster editor (some analogue of Photoshop)

This program replicates 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, 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, filling, etc.;
• plugin support;
• availability of convenient drawing tools: brushes, pencils, etc.;
• graphics tablet support (BIG plus for those who like to draw);
• many different filters: spot, blur, mosaic, mask, etc.;
• working with text layers;
• the ability to sequentially cancel your 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). 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 for 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 screenshot above).

MyPaint is a tool for painting with brushes on your PC screen almost as if you were doing it on a real canvas. In addition to brushes, there are also crayons, charcoal, pencils, etc. It's hard to resist if you have a craving for drawing...

Main features:

• the program is specifically designed for drawing, so it has fewer options for editing existing pictures (i.e., there are no functions such 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 graphics tablet;
• the boundless canvas is very convenient in the drawing process - nothing is holding you back while creating;
• support for layers: copying, pasting, adjusting transparency, etc.;
• Windows, Mac OS, Linux supported.

SmoothDraw

Raster

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

I would like 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 graphics tablets;
• works with the following image formats: PNG, BMP, JPEG, JPG, TGA, JIF, GIF and TIFF;
• there are tools for photo retouching;
• working with layers;
• possibility of color correction;
• Compatible with Windows 7, 8, 10.

Note! To use SmoothDraw, you must have at least NET Framework version v2.0 on Windows.

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 editing tools (analogues of which are only available in paid products).

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

Peculiarities:

• free to distribute 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.

Livebrush

Raster

Livebrush(translated from English as “live brush”) is a powerful graphic editor that allows you to paint with brushes. Moreover, I would like to immediately note that the “drawing tool” is not a simple one, with its help you can create quite interesting pictures, decorate the art with beautiful strokes and lines, etc.

While working, you can select and adjust the brush so that as you move it, the line under the brush will change its thickness, color, transparency, tip rotation, depending on your speed of mouse movement, the speed of pressing, 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 pressure and its inclination.

The program's set includes many 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.

In addition, you can draw the pattern yourself and save it as a template. You can import ready-made sets of brushes, projects, and decorations into the program. By the way, they can be found in huge quantities 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!

Inkscape

Vector editor (one of the few)

Free analogues: Gravit, DrawPlus

Paid analogues: Corel DRAW 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: color palette, menu, tools. The program supports all major graphic formats: SVG, PDF, AI, PS, EPS, CorelDRAW.

By the way, Inkscape also has tools from the raster 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. All this is available at the office. program website.

Gravit

Vector editor (online version)

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

The tools include all the most basic things: pens, lines, intersection and cutting of shapes from each other, alignment, layers, fonts, etc. Works can be exported to SVG and several raster formats. You can also open works made in Adobe Illustrator in the program.

What's somewhat surprising is that Gravit looks like a real program while running in a browser window, without using Flash. Among the main shortcomings I would highlight the lack of Russian language.

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

Overall, an interesting editor that deserves attention.

DrawPlus

Vector

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

DrawPlus has many tools that will allow you to easily and quickly create a variety of shapes, strokes, and lines. Each of the elements can be combined with others and gradually the whole 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, and flowcharts.

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

Graffiti Studio

Website: http://www.vandalsquad.com

Raster graphics

One of the best programs for drawing graffiti, it 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 to choose from!). The artist has a large palette of colors (more than 100 pieces), several types of caps (skinny, regular and fat), and a marker. The distance to the surface is changed manually, it is possible to make drips. In general, for fans of such graphics there is a huge scope!

Those who don’t believe that you can create real masterpieces in the program, I recommend taking a look at the official website and seeing the best works - your view will change a lot!

PixBuilder Studio

Raster editor

A powerful program for processing and editing graphic images 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 finely work with color, brightness, contrast, and layers. In addition, there are built-in effects (for example, dithering (when processing digital signals, it is the mixing of pseudo-random noise with a specially selected spectrum into the primary signal) ), blur, sharpening, etc.

Peculiarities:

• support for popular raster formats: BMP, PNG, JPG, GIF, TIFF, etc.;
• there is the opportunity and tools for drawing (though very limited);
• Great opportunities for editing finished photos and pictures;
• ability to work with layers;
• professional work with color: adjusting 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.

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 runs on both Windows and Linux.

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

PS: the article will be updated...

Thank you in advance for tips and advice in the comments!