Download a good drawing program. The best drawing programs on your computer

Greetings to all!

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: 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! For SmoothDraw to work, 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.

As you work, 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 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 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 motion 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!

Krita is such an advanced and functional drawing program that it’s hard to believe that this is not a commercial product, but an 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 conveniently 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 here are unique - artists accustomed to Photoshop will have to relearn.

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

• Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux.

But this is already a tool for creating vector graphics - a free and open-source analogue of 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 of vector images: color and texture management tools, layers, smart placement and alignment of objects, as well as the ability to vectorize raster images.

• Platforms: Windows.

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

Its simplicity makes Paint.NET well suited for beginning artists. Plus, it can work quickly even on devices.

Paint.NET supports working with layers and has a large number of effects. There are tools for blurring, stylizing, sharpening and noise reduction, and if desired, the program’s capabilities can be expanded using plugins.

• Platforms: Windows, macOS.

• Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, web.

Gravit Designer is a fairly powerful and advanced, but free vector graphics editor. With it, you can easily create icons, logos, banners and other images. The application has many tools: curves, layers, shapes, selecting and transforming objects, working with text and fonts.

In addition, it has a built-in library of vector objects created by users. You can freely use them in your own works. Another feature of the application: if desired, you can launch it without installation, directly in the browser through the native Gravit web service.

Paid programs for drawing on a computer

• Platforms: Windows, macOS.
• Price:‎$49.99.

The editor is impressive with its capabilities. Customizable panels and key combinations, a convenient canvas rotation system that makes it seem like you are drawing on real paper, compatibility with graphics tablets, shadow effects, glow, contour, bevel - you can’t list it all.

Affinity Designer is definitely worth a try for those who are professional graphics and design professionals and don't want to overpay for Photoshop.

• Platforms: Windows.
• Price:$59.99.

A very unique drawing program that differs from others presented here. BlackInk will allow you to draw incredible pictures with a rather unusual style. What can I say, just 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 raster images, BlackInk uses its own mechanism. The so-called Controller opens up unprecedented possibilities for customizing brushes. It's not easy to master, but the results will impress you.

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

Photoshop is the de facto standard in the world of computer graphics, the most popular program for artists, designers and photographers. There is no point in talking about possibilities: if something can be done with an image, then it will do it.

Because Photoshop is part of the Adobe Creative Cloud, you can easily share your brushes, colors, and presets across your devices—settings synced on the fly. In addition, a ton of plugins have been created for Photoshop due to its popularity.

The only thing wrong with Adobe's creation 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 knows Corel Draw - the most powerful professional vector graphics editor. But Corel has another brainchild - the raster editor Corel Painter, perfect for drawing. This editor has many convenient 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.

Computers, which entered our lives not so long ago, have already become excellent helpers for us. Smart machines greatly facilitate work in all areas of human activity. Computers especially help creative individuals like artists. Surely many people know how difficult it is to paint pictures by hand. Rubbing paints, preparing the canvas - all this is a very long and tedious process, after which the desire to create is completely discouraged. And the process itself One wrong movement or stroke - and that’s it. The picture will have to be redrawn. After all, it is almost impossible to correct a mistake.

All this really interferes with the creative process. But you and I are already living in the 20th century. A long time ago, various programs for drawing on a graphics tablet and even a smartphone appeared. Now you can use your personal computer as a canvas. But to create on your gadget, you need a special program for graphic drawing. And sometimes finding a good application is quite difficult. But this article is designed to make it easier for you. After all, we will look at the best drawing programs.

Graphic drawing

The technical process has also reached the artists. Now anyone can create a masterpiece using their gadget. However, many painters are still skeptical about graphic drawing. And in vain! After all, drawing using new technologies has many advantages. We'll talk about them.

Perhaps the first thing worth noting is the savings. Artists are forced to constantly purchase canvases, paints, and various types of brushes. And this is very expensive, because professional ones cost a lot of money. When you draw on a computer, you don't spend a penny. All you need is a mouse or graphics tablet.

Another advantage is huge functionality. Professional drawing programs have a lot of settings. You can change the sensitivity of the brush, pencil, its transparency, etc. Using all these settings, you can create a real masterpiece.

Graphic tablets or computer mouse?

Well, we talked about the advantages of drawing using a PC. Perhaps now it’s worth discussing the basic tools for creating virtual paintings. Surely those painters who have used standard Paint at least once understand that drawing with a mouse is quite inconvenient. In order to create virtual masterpieces, precise positioning and appropriate kinetics of brush movement are required. A regular computer mouse cannot provide users with all this. Therefore, special tablets, also called digitizers, have been developed for artists and designers.

Typically, a special stylus pen is included with such a device, with which you can work with the digitizer. Essentially, the artist works with the tablet as if it were a canvas. The device connects to a PC via USB. Then the user writes his masterpiece on the tablet using a pen, and the drawing appears on the screen of his monitor online.

Can you draw with a mouse?

Many aspiring artists do not have the funds to buy a professional tablet. It is for this reason that many are interested in the question: “Is it possible to draw on a computer with a mouse?” In this part of the article we will try to answer this question.

Drawing with a computer mouse is quite possible. Moreover, you can do it very well. The main thing is talent and desire. As an example, we can cite a recently released video that took the Internet by storm. In it, a guy, using a mouse and standard Paint, was able to draw the famous portrait of Leonardo da Vinci “La Gioconda”. The program also plays a big role in drawing. You need to choose one that has extensive functionality. In addition, you need to perfectly learn how to use all the functions that the software provides you. In this article we will look at drawing programs for PCs that have the most comprehensive functionality.

There are many different applications available at the moment. Despite this, questions about which programs to choose for drawing on a graphics tablet are not decreasing. Are you interested in this too? Then this article is for you. After all, now we will look at the best programs for drawing on a graphics tablet.

Paint

Perhaps we will begin our acquaintance with drawing programs with Paint. This is a standard program that is present on devices with software from Microsoft. It has a rather meager set of functions, but even with them, with the right level of skill, you can create good drawings.

Inkscape

The program we'll look at now is Inkscape. An excellent drawing program in Russian. The main advantage of this software is its simplicity. The developers have created an intuitive interface that even a child can understand. On the left panel you can see the full panel (brushes, pens, pencils, etc.), on the top panel there are parameters for tools, and at the bottom there is a palette. Everything is indicated by standard icons that everyone can understand. But the fact that a program has an easy-to-learn interface does not mean that it is intended for beginners. Inkscape has a lot of settings. It will take quite a lot of time to figure it out.

Many people are looking for free drawing programs. Inkscape is one of them. This program is used by both experienced and beginning artists. Inkscape uses the universal SVG format. Thanks to it, you can create illustrations and even animations without any problems.

Is this software suitable for beginners? There are tons of tutorials on Inkscape. Therefore, novice artists and animators do not have to master the program on their own.

Gimp

Gimp is one of the most powerful programs. The program has enormous functionality. In addition to drawing, you can use it to edit photos, cut layouts for websites, etc. Perhaps the main feature of the program is support not only for a graphics tablet, but also for other, less popular input devices. Another interesting feature is support for homemade plugins. If you have programming skills, this feature will make your work much easier.

Livebrush

Livebrush is an excellent drawing program that is based on an engine called Adobe AIR. This fact may scare off many, because software written on this engine is famous for its instability. But don't worry. Livebrush functions very smoothly, and even when RAM consumption is exceeded, the program runs without lags or crashes.

As for the design, the program pleasantly surprises with its interface and menu. Not only do they look cute, but they also inspire creativity. For example, the canvas has a fairly realistic shade, and the brush exactly repeats the ink painting technique.

As for functionality, Livebrush has quite a lot of different settings that will allow you to create your own unique style. In addition, the program allows you to work with both vector and C. In order to switch between these two modes, you must press the corresponding key, which can be found on the top toolbar.

One of the downsides is the lack of customization. You won't be able to customize it to suit your whims. For example, the toolbar is always on the right side, and, unfortunately, you won’t be able to change this.

Graffiti Studio

Quite a specific and highly focused program. As the name suggests, Graffiti Studio is an editor in which you can create your own graffiti. One of the interesting features is the ability to select a background. For example, you have the opportunity to leave your masterpiece on a wall, carriage, bus, etc. We are also pleased with the extensive range of colors (there are more than a hundred of them in the editor). In addition, Graffiti Studio has a lot of settings. You can create drips, apply different markers, change the distance from the surface, etc. We can say that Graffiti Studio is a real writer simulator.

MyPaint

Need a graphic drawing program that is suitable for beginners? MyPaint is the best choice. A simple and intuitive interface, coupled with an unlimited canvas size, gives enormous scope for wild imagination. A huge set of brushes will allow you to paint in almost any manner. Using the create your own brush feature, you can discover a new, unique style. Among other things, MyPaint supports hotkeys, the use of which will greatly facilitate the work on your work. You can configure them at your discretion in a special menu.

Corel Painter

And since we have touched on programs for beginners, it would be unfair to remain silent about software for professionals. Corel Painter is the best graphic drawing program available at the moment. The application was developed by the well-known company Corel specifically for professional designers and artists. Corel Painter has immense functionality in its arsenal, which you will probably spend more than one month learning. Already on your first visit, about 30 brushes will be available to you. For each of them, you can choose up to 20 different types of fiber arrangement. In addition, the program contains so-called texture brushes of foliage, metal, asphalt, etc. The palette deserves special attention. Corel Painter has a huge number of colors. What is characteristic is that each color on the computer looks the same as it would look in real life. Since the program provides many features, a huge manual has been written for it, which is already built into the software. In it, the creators talk in detail about each function and its application. This guide is so large that the creators did not dare to localize it for the Russian segment. That is, Corel Painter is not Russified. And this is a huge minus. Another drawback of the program is the price. In order to take advantage of this offer, you will have to fork out and give the developers about $380. But it is worth noting that the price is completely justified. In this program, with skill, you can create real masterpieces.

MAXON Bodypaint 3D

MAXON Bodypaint 3D is an excellent 3D painting program. Using this software, you can easily create a high-quality texture or three-dimensional sculpture. MAXON has many different tools that will allow you to transform standard objects into real, highly detailed masterpieces.

Using this proposal, you can create professional textures for video games. But it is worth noting that 3D drawing is a very labor-intensive process. It will take a lot of time to learn how to draw three-dimensional sculptures.

ArtFlow

Where can I get high-quality drawing programs for Android? Sometimes inspiration finds a painter in the most unpredictable places. Sometimes, during a boring couple, a muse may come to you. But what to do if you don’t have a graphics tablet at hand? You must use your smartphone. But in order to draw using your phone, you need special drawing programs for Android.

The title of the best graphics program for mobile devices can be safely assigned to the brainchild of Artflow Studio - the ArtFlow application. This is an amazing mobile program that is not inferior in capabilities and functionality to its PC counterparts. A huge number of tools, a lot of settings and many colors. Drawing with this application is a pleasure. In addition, I am glad that ArtFlow is distributed absolutely free of charge. Anyone can download the program from the Play Market.

Today, paintings or art created using a computer are no less interesting than ordinary canvases written on paper. Controlling the mouse cursor is no easier than moving a pencil or brush across the canvas. Some artists who are professionally involved in the electronic art of drawing resort to using special devices like graphics tablets, which eliminates the need for a mouse, but in this case special software is required.

Let's look at the best programs for creating art on a personal computer for both amateur and professional environments. Let us outline the key capabilities of the software, ease of use and accessibility of products for different users. We won’t mention the venerable “Photoshop,” because literally all PC artists already know about its existence and widespread dominance in our computers, but we’ll look at lesser-known and smart drawing utilities.

Paint.NET

This is a basic art creation program that is included in almost every copy of the Windows platform. She has at her disposal all the tools necessary for basic drawing: brush, pencil, eraser and fill. Moreover, each instrument has a dozen varieties: thickness, saturation, handicap, etc.

For connoisseurs of virtual art in the style of abstractionism and cubism, the art creation program includes triangle, rectangle, stretching ellipse, polyhedra and conversation clouds for comics. There are also no problems with support for graphic formats. On the official Microsoft resource and on amateur sites you can find some additional plugins and add-ons that significantly expand the capabilities of the program for creating art, turning it into a real monster of art.

We can recommend the utility to any novice artist, as they say, for testing the pen. You can’t count on creating any serious paintings using this program, but it’s quite possible to get your hands on it.

The GIMP

This is a fairly powerful program for creating pixel art, and in its functionality it is as close as possible to the legendary Photoshop. The utility's capabilities allow you not only to draw a picture from scratch, but also to apply many effects to ready-made images. In addition, the program’s functionality easily copes with the initial layout of websites or some other design layouts.

The program for GIMP supports multi-layer work with images, detailed customization of tools, the most accurate color calibration, etc. The utility also supports professional graphics tablets, so it can be recommended to both experienced artists and novice amateurs.

Inkscape

Another well-developed program for creating pop art and complex drawing. The utility allows you to perform any operations with contours, edit the gradient, change the style and type of nodes. In general, the software provides almost everything to draw professional masterpieces of art.

In addition, in the settings you can find a large number of preset shapes that can be changed as you wish. The program supports convenient “hot keys” and export not only to all popular graphic formats, but also specific ones, such as XML. Professional painters have plenty of room to explore in Inkscape, but amateurs will find it difficult to understand all the nuances and specifics of the utility, so it’s better for them to choose something simpler or study the manual thoroughly.

SmoothDraw

This is a great program for creating art from photos. The utility has been adopted by tens of thousands of users, including professional artists and amateur beginners. There is no need, as in previous programs, to thoroughly study the menu and available tools - just open a new file and give free rein to your imagination using intuitive and well-visualized functionality.

At your disposal are multi-layered objects, canvas rotation along all axes, blending modes and sub-pixel anti-aliasing levels. In addition to the standard set of tools for painting on ready-made photos or from a blank sheet of paper, the utility includes rare ready-made brushes like graffiti, stars, grass or water drops. The program also fully supports graphics tablets, which is a clear plus for such software.

PixBuilder Studio

Another program for editing and creating pixel art, that is, raster graphics. The software’s capabilities also allow you to easily work on website design, which is why the utility is enviably popular among webmasters, competing with the famous Photoshop.

In addition to the already familiar basic set of tools, there is work with layers, multi-stage undoing of operations, adjusting curve lines and levels, as well as adjusting the popular Bloom (blur) and sharpening effects. The user also has the opportunity to customize the interface at his own discretion: pin tools, display important options as separate elements, etc. Working with the program is quite comfortable for both professionals and amateur beginners.

Manga Studio

This is a special program for creating anime art. The user has access to a chic set of tools for drawing manga and comics. Those who have thoroughly studied the manual and have a good understanding of the menu branches as well as hot keys consider the utility the most convenient for sculpting anime.

All the tools, which are customizable, are always at your fingertips: screentone, coloring, black outline, brightener, etc. If you are unfamiliar with software of this kind, but really want to draw anime, then an extended version of the program with step-by-step instructions is at your service your choice - illustrations or videos, which explain in detail all the nuances of this event - from the basics to the creation of professional manga paintings.

Livebrush

This utility can be called a shining example of what a high-quality drawing program for children should look like. Despite its specificity, the program is enviably popular among established artists.

One of the distinctive features of this software is vector patterns, where the user can apply a drawing of specified shapes and sizes. Here you can easily decorate with Slavic or oriental ornaments, some symmetrical grids or Gothic patterns. The already huge selection of brushes can be expanded with your own settings, or you can download an even larger assortment both from the developer’s official resource and from other amateur resources.

The software has proven itself to work well with graphics tablets and fully supports all stylus protocols. Moreover, the program monitors not only the pressure applied to the pen, but also its tilt, which for many artists is a critical point when choosing such utilities.

PaintTool SAI

This utility, along with Manga Studio, has become popular among fans of Japanese comics. In addition, many users called it a program for creating art on Minecraft due to its specific and convenient tools for this task. The utility is also perfect for those who like to draw landscapes and portraits in the style of hyperrealism or pop art.

The user has access to a wide range of tools: ballpoint pens, ink, dozens of brushes, pencils of different softnesses, pastels, watercolors, etc. Moreover, each individual tool can be customized to suit your specific needs. There is also the possibility of parallel work with several canvases and support for multi-layer objects. This software is used by both professional artists and novice amateurs, and as mentioned above, it is an almost ideal program for creating art for Minecraft.

Affinity Designer

This is a good software for creating art with a classic design and a familiar set of tools. Here you will find a large assortment of brushes, gradients and other auxiliary modes. Among other similar utilities, this program stands out because it copes well with vector objects and can easily process raster images. Many people use this software not so much for drawing from scratch, but for retouching photos and further processing them into a work of art.

One of the obvious disadvantages of the program is the lack of support for third-party plugins. All that is available to the user is a small list of add-ons on the developer’s official resource. The latter, by the way, promised to correct this defect in the very near future. But even without additional plugins, the utility is capable of a lot and will delight you with intuitive functionality with good artistic capabilities.

Summarizing

Drawing is a specific matter. Some people like to sculpt landscapes, some prefer to paint faces, and for others, don’t feed them bread - let them turn all of reality into Japanese manga. Despite the similarity of all the above products and functionality, each utility has some distinctive features.

Before you start creating the next masterpiece that your friends will admire, be sure to take into account the focus and set of tools of a particular art program. It’s better to spend a couple of hours studying the manual of the software you like than to then port your work to another utility with loss of data due to the lack of some kind of brush.