What is the name of the program for drawing projects. The best drawing programs for PC

Computer drawing programs

I wonder if anyone now remembers that computers were originally created solely to speed up calculations? They were called accordingly - electronic computers - computers. The element base was gradually improved, the speed of information processing increased, and the number of functions expanded. Today, a variety of programs have been created that allow you to do things unimaginable just a few years ago. One such area is drawing.

Types of drawing programs on a computer

Modern graphic editors allow you to draw not only primitive pictures, but also make it possible to create very professional canvases. There are special drawing programs designed for professionals or editors that are a little simpler, but with no less extensive capabilities.

The main difference between professional programs is that they are installed on special graphics tablets (digitizers), which allow you to take into account even such details as the effort that the artist applied when drawing a particular line. Working with such programs is only possible using a special tool - a stylus or a pen - try, draw with a mouse, like with a brush - it’s simply unrealistic, that’s not what this manipulator was created for.

In addition to being divided by purpose, all drawing programs can be divided into free and paid. And, in this case, free does not mean bad. It is clear that many professional programs are paid - this is a working tool. But some simpler drawing programs are fully available only in commercial versions.

Professional drawing programs on your computer

Corel Painter

  • Program website: www.corel.com
  • Price: $429

This program was developed taking into account all the requirements of artists and designers. It amazes with its range of brushes and the possibilities for customizing them. The basic version has thirty brushes, twenty different ways of arranging hairs, the ability to create your own or change an existing one. There is also a set of special texture brushes: asphalt, metal, foliage, etc.

In addition to the extensive selection of “production tools,” the palette is well-developed - all paints, regardless of type, look the same as they would on paper. Everything is worked out so precisely that it is possible to take into account the thickness of the bristles in the brush, the direction of the stroke, and the thickness of the paint, and it is in Corel Painter that such a parameter as pressure on the brush is taken into account.

The Corel Painter drawing program has detailed instructions that contain a clear step-by-step description of almost every type of work. But this does not mean at all that everyone can use it - there are a lot of special terms and concepts, and the price will make you think about whether it is worth using for amateur exercises.

Livebrush

  • Program website: www.livebrush.com
  • Price: free

This is one of the professional drawing programs that is distributed free of charge. Livebrush has a carefully designed interface, user-friendly menus and a fairly wide range of brushes with which you can draw all sorts of patterns: from graphics to oriental ornaments, from floral arrangements to Gothic patterns. It is possible to work in two modes: raster and vector (switching occurs using special buttons at the top of the toolbar). In vector graphics mode, any drawn line can be easily corrected, and tablet owners will like the fact that the program takes into account the pressure and angle of the brush.

The program is implemented on the basis of Adobe AIR, but it works quite quickly and stably even with not very “cool” hardware. It is also convenient that the forum has a large database of ready-made drawings and templates that can be freely downloaded and used as the basis for your own work.

Inkscape

  • Program website: www.inkscape.org
  • Price: free

Another free professional drawing program for your computer. Inkscape works with vector graphics. It is distinguished by a carefully designed, intuitive interface with a full set of tools. The settings system is somewhat complicated, but despite this, the program is quite popular due to the widespread SVG format, in which drawings are saved and the ability to import other formats.

This editor allows you to easily create vector images, as well as work with existing ones, transforming and changing them.

Creature House Expression 3

  • Program website: www.microsoft.com
  • Price: free

A fairly convenient program, which is also distributed free of charge for owners of the Microsoft package. The menu in the editor is somewhat unusual: it is organized in the form of sliding and sliding panels. The advantages of this program include the ability to change and customize the toolbar for yourself: the existing menu can be divided and the pieces can be installed in the order that is convenient for you. Another plus is the ability to use plugins from Adobe Photoshop. Disadvantages: a not very extensive starting set of brushes (which can be solved by installing Photoshop plugins) and rather stringent requirements for computer performance and resources.

Artweaver

  • Program website: www.artweaver.de
  • Price: free

This graphical application is much lighter in weight and has fewer resource requirements. The selection of brushes is not the widest - only fifteen, but there are twenty settings for each of them, and the number of possible strokes exceeds a hundred. The Artweaver program is designed in such a way that it independently determines the contours of the object being drawn and does not allow the brush to go beyond it.

The menu is organized in the form of sliding slats and panels, quite convenient and functional (after you get used to it). In addition to drawing, there is the ability to edit and change finished images. It is possible to apply various filters, some of which are included in the kit, some can be downloaded from the official program support website.

Drawing programs on a public computer

This category of programs differs from the previous ones in a smaller number of functions and, accordingly, a simpler menu. But this is not a minus, but a plus for those who are just learning how to draw on a computer. And for more advanced artists, editing and retouching functions are not always needed; in addition, there are programs in which the functions of image correction and editing are the main ones.

MyPaint

  • Program website: intilinux.com
  • Price: free

MyPaint is an excellent example of software development specifically for drawing. It has a wide range of brushes, extensive settings and a convenient menu in the form of pop-up windows that can be moved to a place convenient for you. There are already quite a lot of brushes in the starter version, but you can download additional ones or create your own. MyPaint has one distinctive feature - its canvas has practically no boundaries (you can move around it using arrows). A drawing made in this program is almost no different from one drawn on canvas or a sheet of paper. In addition, drawings are saved in several of the most popular formats (PNG, JPG, OpenRaster), which makes it possible to use them in graphic editors for further processing. Another advantage of MyPaint is that it is free to distribute. In general, it’s a good program for artists just starting to learn how to draw on a computer.

ArtRage

  • Program website: www.artrage.com
  • ArtRate 4 price: $49.90

ArtRage features a non-standard panel design. Instead of the usual numerical settings of parameters, we have a kind of circular regulators that allow you to smoothly change the values. It is possible to change parameters such as pressure, canvas humidity, pencil and brush softness, and many other parameters.

The developers of this application were able to take into account even such points as the type of materials used. For example, on a canvas the paints are mixed with each other (as in real life) and the chalk is smeared. Happy owners of the paid version will be able to enjoy the effect of metallic paints and a variety of settings (not all of them are available in the freely distributed version). There are quite extensive possibilities for working with layers, the ability to import a drawing into Photoshop for more detailed elaboration of the layers. There is also an adjustment for background transparency - you can upload a photo and make an artistic image based on it. The ability to automatically select colors (as in the background) has been implemented, which greatly simplifies the process of creating drawings.

TwistedBrush Pro Studio

  • Program website: www.pixarra.com
  • TwistedBrush Pro Studio 19 Price: $99

This program is distinguished by the album principle of storing pictures: all files are “filed” into an album, which is easily and quickly leafed through. There is no need to create many separate files - all images are stored in an album. But the main advantage of TwistedBrush is the number of brushes. In addition to the fact that there are really a lot of them (counting in the thousands), there are also many possibilities for customizing them. For convenience, brushes are divided into sets: watercolor, crayons, gouache, etc. There is a wide selection of drawing bases available, so you can find the right tools for any purpose. The interface is organized in an unusual way, but it’s easy to get used to – it’s quite convenient for artists.

The program allows you to create high quality drawings.

Paint

You can't ignore the Paint program. This program is one of the components of the Windows 7 package, which makes it possible to apply images on top of an existing one. Like all Microsoft developments, the program has a familiar interface that can be mastered in a fairly short time.

Running the program in Windows 7 is very simple: Start > All Programs > Accessories > Paint.

It is believed that it is impossible to create anything worthy with the help of Paint, but there are craftsmen who, with the help of Paint, are able to draw even the Mona Lisa (Giaconda)!

If your experience in using such programs is limited, try working in Paint, then you can move on to using another drawing program on your computer, gradually increasing the complexity.

These are just some of the programs; in fact, there are ten times more of them. It is impossible to say which of them is the best: different requirements and possibilities, different goals and objectives make such a formulation of the question incorrect. How to determine what to use? Only by trial. This is how you will determine for yourself the best option that is most suitable for completing your tasks.

Convenient and easy-to-use programs for drawing on a graphics tablet have become widespread.

This is due to the fact that more and more artists are starting to work digitally, abandoning classical materials to create illustrations or paintings.

However, both the convenience of work and the quality of its implementation largely depend on what software the author uses to work on the tablet.

Peculiarities

Most tablet-based artists currently use Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator. This is high-quality, functional software, however, it is not the only one. It is worth choosing a program based on functionality and ease of working with it.

The capabilities of your tablet will depend on which program you choose. Therefore, you need to choose software taking into account the technical data of the device. In addition, there are universal programs suitable for any tablet.

<Рис. 1 Планшет>

Paint

This application is suitable for artists who are just starting to master working on a graphics tablet. It has general functionality, a simple and familiar menu, and therefore you will not need to spend additional time getting used to it (although a novice author will still have to get used to the tablet).

Having a certain level of skill and getting good at it, with the help of such software you can create quite high-quality works. The advantages of such an application include:

  1. Its presence by default in standard builds of all versions of Windows (although it is recommended to work with those included in the builds of XP, 7, 8, 8.1, 10);
  2. Extremely simple interface and menu - almost every user knows how to work with Paint;
  3. Quite wide (for a basic program) functionality.

Among the functional features of the program, we can highlight drawing with a pencil with lines of various thicknesses and densities, drawing with a brush at different transparency and stroke widths, filling the selected area with one color, and working in several layers. You can also act with the finished image - select and copy zones, cut out areas, enlarge, stretch and flip selected zones. Saves pictures in several formats.

You should start getting acquainted with the functionality of a drawing tablet with this software. Moreover, it can be basic for those who do not draw professionally, as well as for those who periodically make minor edits in graphic files.

<Рис. 2 Работа в Пейнт>

Gimp

This software for creating drawings has wide functionality and significant power. You can download it from the official website www.gimp.org. Works with all types of graphics tablets, and also with some other input devices.

The disadvantages of such software include the following:

  1. Quite a significant load on both the hardware of the computer and tablet;
  2. The interface is quite complex, it takes time to get used to it.

<Рис. 3 Работа в Gimp>

However, it is still considered that the application is intended for beginners. It has quite a wide functionality:

  • Working with photos - brightness, color correction, adjusting levels, contrast, etc.;
  • Photo editing - removing unnecessary elements, cropping, and other standard Photoshop functions;
  • Suitable for web designers as it allows you to create and edit website layouts;
  • Drawing pictures – equipped with the functions “brush”, “pencil”, “filling an area with color”, etc., and in several types;
  • It has an individual format for saving pictures.xcf, which can save data with a picture, text insert, layers, textures, etc.;
  • Simple integration with the clipboard – pictures and photos can be opened in the program by simply copying them;
  • Opens files intended for editing from other well-known graphics programs, for example, .psd;
  • The developer's open code allows you to create and install your own plugins, add-ons and extensions for this software;
  • Allows you to quickly archive files.

This software is very versatile. It is suitable for both beginners and non-professionals, as well as professional illustrators.

MyPaint

The program is intended primarily for artists working in classical genres. It is not so much designed for drawing simple illustrations, but for creating works of art, paintings in the classical style. For this reason, it has quite broad and complex functionality, and a not very simple menu.

Most artists take some time to get used to it. However, it is believed that the interface of this program is simpler than most similar ones with similar functionality. You can download the application at .

<Рис. 4 Работа в MyPaint>

The main advantages of this application are:

  • Unlimited canvas sizes;
  • The ability to customize the contents of the menu bar, include assignable buttons, etc., resulting in the function of quickly switching between commands and easy access to frequently used functions;
  • A very wide selection of brush types with the ability to fine-tune each;
  • Function for importing strokes and brushes, generating, customizing and editing them;
  • Works with many types of devices and supports them well;
  • Unlike most similar programs, it works in a variety of operating systems - Linux, Mac OS, Windows, Ubuntu.

Drawing in this software should be fast after the user gets used to its interface. However, non-professional artists, as well as illustrators and comic book creators, can make do with other, simpler applications (both in terms of interface and functionality).

Graffiti Studio

The program is designed for creating graffiti; its main functionality is designed for this style of drawing. Can be successfully used by those who create comics, as well as illustrators working in a similar style. The program has a very simple and intuitive interface.

An interesting distinguishing feature is its relative realism. The whole process of work is reminiscent of applying graffiti “live”. And as a canvas, you can choose surfaces familiar to a street artist - walls, asphalt, cars, buses, etc.

<Рис. 5 Работа в Graffiti Studio>

The features of this application include:

  • Use of more than 100 color shades of paints, such as could be used in real painting;
  • Creating drips and stains, applying to “dry paint”;
  • Changing the specifics of application, depending on what surface you have chosen (as in reality);
  • Changing the distance from the artist to the canvas (the distance from which virtual spray paint is applied to a vertical surface);
  • The use of markers and other means that are actively used in real graffiti.

Although this style is not as popular now as it was a few years ago, it has not completely disappeared. Largely thanks to the emergence of such programs.

Artweaver

The program is a complete analogue of Photoshop. But, unlike it, it is sold completely free of charge. You can download it from the official website.

It has functionality completely similar to Photoshop. And besides, a similar interface and appearance. It is quite capable of replacing this graphic editor.

However, it also has some additional functions that will be convenient for artists. Its main advantage is that authors who are accustomed to working in Photoshop will not have to relearn. In addition, this application uses less computer resources and is less heavy.

The application allows you to create paintings using media that imitate oil, pencil, watercolor, and chalk. At the same time, various tools are presented here - brushes, markers, pencils, pens, pens and more (of various types, moreover).

Like Photoshop, it has full functionality for changing photos - color correction, adjusting brightness and contrast, levels, cropping, cutting out areas, compression, rotation, reflections, stylization, etc. Like its more famous analogue, it supports working in layers.

<Рис. 6 Работа в Artweaver>

SmoothDraw

You can download the program and a manual for working with it from the official website. It is suitable for working with any type of tablet. It has quite a wide functionality with a relatively simple interface.

Allows you not only to create new images, but also to process, change and edit old ones, including those created in other programs. But mainly the application is aimed specifically at artists who create a picture on a blank canvas. Suitable for both illustrators and web designers and artists working in a classical style.

Allows you to simulate work with various tools - brush, pencil, pen, pens, colored pencils, felt-tip pens, etc. Interacts well with tablets; there are no crashes or bugs when performing basic functions. Since the software has a simple interface, it will make the creative process relatively simple and fast.

<Рис. 7 Работа в SmoothDraw>

PixBuilder Studio

The most accurate description for this program would be a lightweight version of Photoshop. It combines most of the most used functions of this program, but removes unnecessary or rarely used features in order to simplify the interface and reduce the load on the hardware and software of the computer. You can download the program from the link.

Has the following functionality:

  • Editing the image according to parameters: brightness, contrast, color correction, color enhancement, etc.;
  • Cutting and transforming photos, stretching, compressing, reflecting, rotating, both the entire image and a selected area;
  • Generating complex shapes, objects, etc.;
  • Blur and sharpen functions, image stylization options.

However, in general, the application is more designed for editing existing images than for creating new ones. For this reason, it is not suitable for professional artists. Rather, it is suitable for those who edit photos and pictures, but sometimes make their own edits and additions to them.

<Рис. 8 Работа в PixBuilder Studio>

Inkscape

It differs significantly from other programs on the list primarily in that it allows you to create vector graphic images. In essence, it is a more advanced and functional version of CoralDraw, which is familiar to most users. You can download it from the official website, but you must indicate your operating system, since there are builds of this program for all operating systems (which is another significant advantage).

What are the advantages of this application? First of all, in the very principle of vector graphics, that is, drawing with directed segments. Such segments, unlike point fragments (in which all other programs described above work), are easy to edit at any stage.

At the same time, when editing the shapes and sizes of segments in this way, there is no loss of picture quality. You can even enlarge the entire image several times, while maintaining its quality.

For this reason, the program is popular among web designers and designers, logo designers, etc., because they often need to edit the image size. In addition, the application is actively used in printing, creating banners and booklets.

<Рис. 9 Работа в Inkscape>

Livebrush

Simple and interesting software, intended rather for creative search and inspiration than for creating a classic work. In addition, it has quite a wide range of image editing functionality. You can download the software from the link.

There is only one tool here - a brush. But it is presented in many different types, both in width and density, type, etc. In addition, many types of brushes can be downloaded, edited, created, etc.

In addition to traditional brushes - lines, there are also complex geometric shapes, which are also considered brushes in this application. The program is suitable for creating abstract illustrations and some design works.

<Рис. 10 Работа в Livebrush>

Paid programs

Many developers also implement paid programs for working with graphics tablets. In terms of functionality, they are not always superior to free ones, so it’s worth weighing the pros and cons before purchasing. The most popular commercial programs are:

  • Corel Painter X3 works with traditional materials - brushes, pencils, etc. Simulates dry and wet coatings and effects. The works turn out to be realistic, and the drawing process is familiar;
  • Painter Lite is a cheaper version of the previous program, with narrower functionality. Equipped with only the necessary drawing tools, it is suitable for beginners or for those who are not yet ready for significant expenses;
  • Clip Paint Studio Pro was developed for creating anime and manga. However, you can create comics and illustrations of any type in it. Its developers have made so many changes to the program that it can now be used for digital painting. It is convenient to have standard manga poses and figures that can be used as models for classical drawing;

    <Рис. 11 Работа в Corel Painter X3>

    Another good paid program is Affinity Designer. But it has a significant drawback - it is designed only to work with MAC.

    Computer drawing programs

    In this video, I took six programs that you can use to draw on a computer with a tablet and explained which program is best suited for whom and also revealed the criteria for choosing a graphic editor for everyone personally.

Nowadays, a computer has already become an indispensable attribute of modern human life, and the functioning of the vast majority of industries is simply impossible to imagine without automated technologies. After all, the PC provides us with a huge number of different possibilities. In particular, it allows us to paint, and no worse than the best artists on canvas. To do this, initially you just need to figure out how to draw on a computer and what programs are used for this.

How and who can draw?

Absolutely any PC user can draw, and for this you do not need to have any talent or many years of experience and education. Of course, the creation of masterpieces remains with the masters of their craft and gifted people, but at the same time, any ordinary user can also try his hand at this art, making something that could be liked by many.

At the same time, in order to start doing this business, you first need to figure out how to draw on a computer. Thanks to the availability of specialized utilities, any user has the opportunity to draw anything, and for this there is a wide selection of specialized software that is absolutely free.

Paint

When considering drawing utilities, we should first consider the program of the Windows operating system itself, which allows us to draw on the computer - Paint. In other words, to use this drawing utility, you will not need to install anything additional, just go to the “Standard” section, then open the program and start drawing in a way convenient for you.

What are the benefits of Paint?

The main feature of this program is that it is extremely easy to learn, so even a beginner in the field of personal computers can understand it. The main functions of this program are the ability to draw with a brush or pencil, as well as filling the surface with a certain color and various editing of the picture, including cutting out fragments, resizing and much more. All this allows the program to be used even by those who are interested in how to draw cartoons on a computer. The functionality of this program, in principle, is sufficient to completely correct some minor errors in the drawing you made.

It is for this reason that if you are just starting to understand how to draw on a computer, you should start with Paint.

Gimp

Gimp is a fairly popular graphics editor today, and also more powerful than the previous one, which, among other things, can also be used on portable graphics tablets and many other specialized devices.

Using this utility, you can significantly improve the color rendition of the image, increase the brightness in the pictures, and also easily cut out fragments from photographs that you think are unnecessary. It is worth noting the fact that, using this editor, you will not only figure out how to draw on a computer, but you will also be able to even cut website layouts, if necessary. The program allows you to save files in its own format, which has the .xcf tag. It provides full preservation of texts, textures, layers and other elements.

The utility provides users with quite a wide range of functionality, in particular, this applies to the clipboard, due to which any picture can be instantly inserted into the program in a short period of time. If you have at least a little understanding of the basics of programming, then Gimp provides you with ample opportunities to create your own plugins. In addition, Gimp also has the ability to archive created images.

MyPaint

This graphic editor is intended only for beginner artists. For this purpose, an extremely simple and user-friendly interface has been developed, allowing even beginners to easily draw on a computer. The program offers a huge set of brushes, thanks to which you can realize your full potential by painting with this utility in the same way as on a real canvas. If we talk about the characteristic advantages of this editor, it is worth highlighting the following:

  • It supports tablets, which means you can not only draw on a computer, but also use this program on mobile gadgets, drawing in any place convenient for you.
  • It is possible to configure quick commands, which allows advanced users to work with this utility much more quickly and conveniently.
  • A huge variety of drawing tools. It is also possible to create or import additional tools, which is especially nice for those who are thinking about how to learn to draw on a computer.
  • The canvas has no boundaries, which allows you to fully realize some of your ideas. The only thing worth noting is that you still need to stay within certain limits if you want other users to be able to view the entire image on their monitors.
  • The utility supports absolutely all operating systems common today.

Thanks to this, the program is now actively used by those people who prefer to draw on a computer.

Graffiti Studio

Fans of the graffiti style will definitely appreciate a utility such as Graffiti Studio. The simplicity and realism of this utility make you fall in love with it literally at first sight. Users are offered the opportunity to choose from a number of different canvases, which can be used as buses, carriages, walls, as well as other surfaces popular among fans of this art.

It is worth noting that the main panel of this program offers a fairly wide palette of colors. In addition, it is possible to use a variety of effects, including smudges, markers, maintaining a certain distance to the surface, as well as many other elements.

SmoothDraw

Using this graphic editor, the user can draw anything on the computer, since the program offers the widest functionality regarding the creation and subsequent editing of various images. It is worth noting that this utility is initially aimed specifically at drawing from a blank sheet of paper, and not at editing ready-made images.

The functionality of this utility offers a huge number of a wide variety of design and artistic tools, including all kinds of pencils, brushes, pens, pens, and many others. A distinctive feature of the program is its extremely clear and user-friendly interface, as well as the ability to work with tablets.

Artweaver

In terms of capabilities, as well as the functionality provided, this editor can easily compete with the vaunted Adobe Photoshop, which today is recognized as a leader in its field, but is paid, and for this reason it is not considered in our case. This utility offers an imitation of drawing with oil, paint, pencil, brush, chalk and any other tools, while providing the ability to work with various layers.

Speaking from an editing point of view, here the utility allows you to compress or convert files to other formats.

PixBuilder Studio

“Mini-Photoshop” - this is what this utility is often called by many users who are interested in how to draw on a computer. The program provides a fairly large number of popular and most in-demand functions and features that paid Photoshop offers today.

In particular, it is worth noting that this program provides a brightness and contrast editor, and also offers a fairly large number of tools that allow you to transform the image. Using PixBuilder, you can create a wide variety of complex images and objects, and special attention should be paid to the fact that the program has a very, very interesting feature of blurring the image, which further expands the boundaries for creativity. In particular, these effects will be important for those who are interested in how to draw anime on the computer.

In terms of image editing, the program offers the ability to resize, as well as rotate or rotate the image. All this is done by PixBuilder Studio - one of the most successful image editing programs among all existing today. Regardless of whether you are looking for how to draw a pony on a computer or how to make a full-fledged landscape, the program will provide you with the necessary functionality.

Inkscape

Inkscape is a specialized vector image editor that is a completely free version of the Corel Draw program. This utility is intended for drawing with vectors or directed segments, which is its distinctive feature. If we talk about the advantages of drawing in this format, it is worth highlighting that vector drawings do not lose quality at all if the user decides to change the resolution.

However, most often such a utility is popular, of course, not among those who are looking for how to draw a pony on a computer, but more in the field of printing.

LiveBrush

LiveBrush is quite popular today due to the fact that it is one of the most understandable and simple among all the utilities that exist today. The main distinguishing feature of the program is a fairly large number of possibilities for editing pictures, and also the fact that in this case we draw using a computer exclusively with a brush.

Of course, it may initially seem that using a single tool may somewhat reduce the user's capabilities, but in reality you can do things with this program that you have not done with any other utility. Here you have a huge variety of brushes to choose from, as well as additional settings for them. If necessary, you can download the brush yourself from the Internet or even make one. It is worth noting that in this case, the concept of “brush” refers to a tool with which you can not just draw standard lines, but even think about how to draw cartoons on a computer. It is for this reason that those people who prefer to work with graphic portraits will definitely appreciate the capabilities of the described program.

Many people like to draw a little in their free time. However, not everyone has the desire to tinker with real paints, brushes and canvases. Instead, they use drawing programs. You can use them to create both simple drawings and real masterpieces. At the same time, thanks to the very essence of a digital image, the convenience of such drawing is much higher.

Free drawing programs

GIMP- a completely free program that can replace Adobe Photoshop. It has all the necessary functionality to create any raster images. In addition to photo editing, you can also draw in Gimp. There are special brushes, texture sets and a convenient color palette for this.

You can work with Gimp using a mouse, sensor, or even a graphics tablet. Due to the fact that the program interface is translated into Russian, you can use it immediately after installation, without studying manuals.

Many people note that Gimp is more convenient and easier to learn; its interface is not overloaded with unnecessary and unnecessary functions. If you do not have enough of its capabilities, you can install additional plugins. They will help open some special formats, speed up image processing, or add new tools.

Gimp is one of the most popular graphics processing programs, and among the free ones, it is the best program.

It was created by a group of students, it is very convenient and functional. Its interface is similar to the standard Windows Paint editor, it is translated into a number of languages, including Russian, and this makes it easier to switch from one program to another. Paint.Net works very quickly and does not require a powerful processor or graphics card.

Users choose it because of its simplicity, fairly broad functionality and, of course, a free license. This program is not comparable to expensive analogues, it is difficult to use in professional activities, but for home use Paint.Net is a good option.

What's interesting is that right after installation it can open very specific file formats, such as DDS, which are used to create games. This has made it popular among novice developers. Moreover, its functionality is sufficient for the needs of texturing and drawing.

Pixia- a unique program for drawing on a computer. It was not created for simple graphics editing. Her initial task is to create anime. For this purpose, the catalog of tools contains all the necessary brushes and selected palettes.

Despite the fact that the program has been officially translated only into Japanese, its users have created a number of localizations, including Russian. This, combined with a simple and intuitive interface, reduces the barrier to entry into the program. Anyone who has at least the beginnings of artistic talent can try their hand at drawing cartoons and comics using Pixia.

What’s especially interesting is that the program supports many graphics formats, including proprietary .psd and proprietary .pxa. This feature allows you to use layouts made in Photoshop.

Inkscape- an excellent vector graphics editor that supports the Russian language, which you can download for free. You can use it to create diagrams and drawings, web graphics and real works of art. The closest analogue of this program is Adobe Illustrator, which is distributed for a fee. At the same time, their functionality is approximately the same.

Inkscape, unlike other free applications, is competitive. Using it, you can create works of any level of complexity, save them in any vector and raster formats.

It's worth noting that drawing in Inkscape is very different from classic drawing. All images consist of a number of template elements - straight, curved lines, circles and other geometric shapes. This approach to drawing makes it possible to ensure that even a fragment enlarged a thousand times will not blur, turning into a set of huge pixels.

This is a simple drawing app that works directly from the browser. It allows you to create simple, but quite beautiful drawings. To do this, it has a palette, a set of different brushes and a number of settings, such as transparency, line thickness, and so on.

It is almost impossible to use Yandex.Paints in the professional sphere, except perhaps to create some unusual, stylized graphics. However, for entertainment this flash program is perfect. You can spend several hours in it creating a fun drawing.

Due to the fact that this program supports animation, it has “blinking” brushes. The most popular of them is the “heart brush”. If you draw a line to it, you will see that it consists of small animated figures. This opens up real scope for creativity. The program can be in Russian or in a number of foreign languages.

Artweaver- a very versatile program. You can do almost everything related to graphics in it. Convenient tools for cropping, filling images, working with layers and gradients will help you process existing images, and advanced brushes will be a real discovery for those who love to draw.

In addition to standard pencils and digital brushes, the program contains a set of artistic ones. They display not only the color, but also the texture of the paint. Working with such a tool, you can adjust the amount of virtual paint and its humidity to achieve the most accurate effect.

The program is good not only because of its Russified interface, which is very similar to Adobe Photoshop, but also because of its wide range of additional functions. For example, Artweaver can reproduce user actions automatically (to create training videos), and work on an image as a team using cloud storage.

Paid programs (Demo version)

The most popular program in Russian, which is intended exclusively for drawing. It is impossible to process existing graphics, but it has everything you need to create it. Those who purchase the program get access to a huge selection of brushes, customizable according to a number of parameters, a palette consisting not only of colors, but also of different types of paints.

This creative studio is suitable for those who prefer “virtual oil” drawings, because the display effects are amazing - they are made of incredibly high quality. Having made a stroke, you will be able to appreciate the small stripes on it from the bristles of the brush. This allows painters to create not simple drawings, but entire masterpieces.

ArtRage is a great choice for those who want to learn how to draw in real life rather than digitally without spending huge sums on supplies. By connecting the program to a graphics tablet, you will get a magnificent canvas, with enormous functionality and a ton of settings.

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 because of 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.