The most advanced image editing tools like Adobe's worth a lot of money. But there are free and quite worthy alternative opportunities which will be enough for most. Magazine for photographers and designers has chosen Creative Bloq The best free graphic design software the best among similar programs and services.
Free vector editors
Designed to create and edit logos, interfaces, and other scalable graphics.
1. Gravit Designer
- Platforms: Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
Gravit Designer - formerly known as Gravit - a full-featured vector graphics editor. It is suitable for all applications, from interface design and icons to work with presentations, illustrations and animations.
Neat Gravit Designer intuitive interface you can customize for yourself. The editor contains a lot of tools for creating beautiful detailed vector. Among them - the non-destructive (their action can be canceled) functions for working with Boolean operations, Tools "Knife" and "The Count of ways," plus a lot of filling and blending modes, and powerful text engine.
If you need access to work on the go, the cloud service Gravit Cloud will return you to the project on any device.
Gravit Designer →
2. Vectr
- Platforms: Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
Vectr offers all the features that can only be required to create vector graphics, plus a variety of options for the use of filters, shadows and fonts. This is enough to cope with most everyday design tasks. Particularly useful are opportunities for joint editing and synchronization, through which you can work anytime, anywhere in tandem with others.
Vectr →
3. SVG-Edit
- Platforms: Web.
If you need to quickly create and edit simple SVG-file, there are several Online editors, Which are suitable for this task better than Adobe Illustrator. Among the best of them - SVG-Edit.
This editor is entirely built on HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript and does not use servers for data processing. SVG-Edit open code. Therefore, if you want you can download it and modify to create their own version of the editor.
SVG-Edit has all the basic tools vector editor. But only supports SVG format.
SVG-Edit →
4. Inkscape
- Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.
This powerful editor offers many tools and functions that are often not available in other similar programs. Among them - the alpha blending, cloning sites and markers.
Full support for different color models do a decent Inkscape alternative Adobe Illustrator for web design, as well as in the field of printing. Despite the simplicity of the interface in this program you can create incredibly complex work.
Individual attention, features such as the conversion of raster images into vector, creating a stroke with variable width and support for Illustrator files.
inkscape →
Free bitmap editors
Intended for creation and editing of any nonscalable drawings and photographs.
1. GIMP
- Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.
Free editing software with open source. GIMP is equipped with a rich set of functions for drawing, color correction, cloning, isolation, improvements and other activities. GIMP interface is different from the popular Photoshop, but long to find the tools you do not have to.
GIMP team has taken care of compatibility, so you can easily work with all popular image formats. In addition, the built-in GIMP file manager, similar to the Bridge of the program from Adobe.
GIMP →
2. Photo Pos Pro
- Platforms: Windows.
If you're on Windows and do not need so many tools like the GIMP, your ideal editor can be Photo Pos Pro. Last created with an eye to the image editing and copes with typical tasks such as adjusting the contrast, lighting and saturation. But Photo Pos Pro is also suitable for more complex manipulations.
This program can boast a very user friendly interface and detailed help, that helps beginners to understand. If you make the Photo Pos Pro more functional, offers many extensions and plugins.
Photo Pos Pro →
3. Krita
- Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.
Another editor with open source. Krita has existed since 1999 and is constantly being improved to meet the needs of the concept artists, illustrators, visual effects, additional drawings and textures.
The program includes a set of a variety of brushes and supports a variety of plug-ins from the advanced filters to auxiliary tools to work with Vista.
Among the most interesting features - brushes stabilizers that smooth line, loop mode for creating seamless textures and patterns, as well as pop-up palette for quick color selection.
krita →
4. Pixlr
- Platforms: web, iOS, Android.
Pixlr offers more than 600 effects, overlays and borders. In this service, you can do anything, what to expect from Photo Editor: Resize images, crop them, remove red eye, whiten teeth, and more.
If you're familiar with Photoshop, then very quickly you learn web version of Pixlr. The interfaces these editors are very similar.
Pixlr →
5. Paint. NET
- Platforms: Windows.
Paint. NET is an alternative program Paint, built-in all version of Windows. But let the similarity of names does not confuse you: Paint. NET is much more advanced and useful editor.
the development team is focusing on ease of use and excellence in Paint. NET more features for editing images than graphics design capabilities. Nevertheless Paint. NET can control perspective, manipulate pixels on canvas, clone isolated zone and so on.
Thanks to the support layer, a wide choice of selection tools and settings such as brightness / contrast, and curves, Paint. NET can be regarded as a worthy replacement for Photoshop.
Paint. NET →
6. sumo Paint
- Platforms: Web.
Sumo Paint is fast running on the Web and to cope with problems better than desktop editors. But to start it, you will need Adobe Flash Player. So Sumo Paint is not for iOS-devices.
Arsenal settings and Sumo Paint features include pencils, brushes, text, gradients, cloning, forms and more. Everything is always in the zone on the floating toolbar appear like the one you can see in the Photoshop.
Sumo Paint →
Free editors of 3D-graphics
Designed to work with 3D-models, effects and animations.
1. SketchUp Free
- Platforms: Web.
SketchUp Free can be called an ideal entry point into the world of 3D-graphics. This editor kindly introduces newcomer the ropes and forgive him all the mistakes. You can start with a simple drawing lines and shapes, and then transform them into 3D-objects.
If you need inspiration, you can download models of various objects from the 3D Warehouse library through the search box on the SketchUp website.
SketchUp Free →
2. daz Studio
- Platforms: Windows, macOS.
With Daz Studio you can customize, move in space and animated a variety of 3D-objects such as people, animals, objects.
You can create unique characters, worlds, a variety of design elements and more. But there are no Daz Studio modeling and texturing available in paid alternatives. Detailed table with the comparison of editors look at the project site.
Daz Studio →
3. Hexagon
- Platforms: Windows, macOS.
Hexagon - free tool for 3D-modeling. It has everything you need to create detailed models are ready for the final rendering.
Among the tools and functions of the program you will find the ability to quickly import from Daz Studio, blanks for different objects, hand for hand modeling, UV-unwrap (applying flat textures on three-dimensional object), advanced drawing tools and instant shadowing (instant ambient occlusion).
Program Daz Studio and Hexagon created by one developer and complement each other. Together they form a complete set free to work with 3D-graphics.
Hexagon →
4. Blender
- Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.
Blender - is an advanced freeware editor of 3D-graphics with open source, available for all major platforms.
Developers are constantly developing Blender. It supports all possible operations with 3D-graphics: allows you to model, texture, animate, render and assemble.
Blender →
5. Sculptris
- Platforms: Windows, macOS.
If you're interested in the art of digital sculpting, try Sculptris Products from Pixologic. It fits equally well for any level of training. Newcomers get a good starter instrument, and has experienced digital artists - a platform for fast and easy implementation of ideas.
Sculptris based on ZBrush editor from the same developer - the most popular application for digital sculpting. When you're ready to move on to the next level, you can easily switch to ZBrush.
sculptris →
6. houdini Apprentice
- Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.
Houdini - tool for working with 3D-animation and visual effects, which is often used when working on movies, TV shows and other media content.
Editor's price starts from US $ 2000. But the developers of the program - Side Effects Software - are allowed to use a version of Houdini Apprentice free. Thanks to her, you can access all the functions of the full version and to hone skills on personal projects. Only Houdini Apprentice is intended solely for non-commercial and educational purposes.
Houdini Apprentice →
see also
- 6 different programs for video editing →
- 6 schools and courses where there is a study design →
- How to make beautiful posts, presentation and mailing if you're not a designer →