Drawing is one of the oldest occupations. People from different parts of the world were engaged in it even before history began to be recorded in written sources. A lot of time has passed since then. And now, instead of the walls of the cave, we have at our disposal modern smartphones, tablets and computers.
Adobe Illustrator Draw
Dotpict - it is intended exclusively for pixel graphics. The work screen is displayed as a grid, each square of which can be filled with a specific color. This way you can create small landscapes, images of people, animals, etc.
To draw small details - zoom in, and then zoom out again to view the whole picture. The application has a function to automatically save the results of work. Dotpict is a great app for pixel art lovers who want to create simple drawings without using complicated tools.
Medi Bang Paint
MediBang Paint works on Android OS, Mac OS X, Windows, iOS. It is possible to start and continue drawing anywhere on different devices. The results of the work are stored in the cloud service, they can be shared with other people.
There is also a decent amount of brushes and other tools for drawing, creating comics. It is even more amazing that such a high-quality application can be obtained completely free of charge.
RoughAnimator
RoughAnimator allows you to first create drawings and then turn them into animation. In other programs, you first need to draw something, then import the image into another program, and animate it there. RoughAnimator has brought it all together.
Draw frame by frame, turning them into little cartoons. There is a playback speed control function and a number of simple tools. Save your work as GIF animation, QuickTime video, or as a sequence of frames. The application costs 300 rubles.
So, you bought a graphics tablet. In addition to the fact that you still have to get used to it and "fill your hand", you need to immediately decide on a graphic editor that will reveal all the possibilities of your new device to the maximum. And if you think that you can only draw in Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, then you are greatly mistaken.
In addition to the world-famous and undoubtedly cool Adobe products, there are many graphic editors that offer the same functionality, but for less money, and sometimes even for free. In addition, some programs boast a unique interface with many interesting features that designers and illustrators will definitely appreciate.
We have compiled a list of programs where you can fully draw with a graphics tablet, imitating various artistic techniques, make sketches, create raster and vector images, and practice lettering and calligraphy.
Corel Painter X3
Painter X3 simulates traditional brushes, textures, dry and wet effects to incredible accuracy. Thanks to this, there is an almost complete immersion in a real artist's studio, where there is no computer and monitor, only an easel and canvas.
Painter Lite
The lighter and cheaper version of Painter offers all the necessary painting tools, but at a lower price. A great option for those who are just starting to draw and are not ready for significant spending.
Clip Paint Studio PRO
Although this program was developed specifically for drawing manga, Clip Paint Studio has gone quite far and can be used in industry-standard digital painting with the same success. The program has incredibly handy features, such as ready-made shapes that you can use as a nature for drawing poses.
Autodesk Sketchbook Pro 7
SketchBook Pro is a professional drawing application optimized specifically for tablet devices. Drawing in it is easy and pleasant, which will undoubtedly be appreciated by novice users.
ArtRage 4
A program with incredible tools and the most attractive interface. Drawing in it is easy and pleasant. Focused on creating realistic images.
Xara Photo and Graphic Designer 9
Photo editing, drawing, unusual effects - not all the possibilities of Xara Photo. Users will appreciate the compatibility of file formats and the low price of the product.
Affinity Designer
The program supports working with layers, import / export of different file formats, a convenient navigator and all the tools for working with vector graphics that you can think of. Affinity Designer is a kind of Adobe Illustrator killer. The only drawback of this program may be that it is only for MAC. But the price is more than pleasant.
inkscape
Free and handy vector illustrator, which is essentially a symbiosis of CorelDRAW and Adobe Illustrator. The remarkable support for pen pressure sensitivity, a big shortage in the vector illustration world, makes Inkscape a powerful tool for those who are serious about calligraphy.
By the way, Inkscape has an excellent resource in seven languages, including Russian, which is a rarity even for commercial graphics programs. On the Inkscape website, you can not only download the program, but also read articles, study lessons, participate in discussions, and much more. There is also an opportunity to become one of the developers and testers of the product and bring useful features to it.
artweaver
A raster graphics program that looks like a symbiosis of Painter and Photoshop. Compared to GIMP, it is slower in processing, but with a much larger set of brushes. Broad Wacom tablet support.
GIMP
Colorful and functional raster program for drawing, illustrating. In terms of interface appearance and capabilities, it is similar to Corel Painter. Broad Wacom tablet support.
MyPaint
A resource-friendly and easy-to-use open-source software for digital artists. Allows you to concentrate on creativity, not the program interface. Tablet support is well implemented.
SmoothDraw
And here is another noteworthy drawing program - ten thousand beginners and professional artists managed to download this wonderful development for free. You don't have to spend time learning menus and tools - just open a new file and show off your talents with clear visualized features.
Blending modes, layers, virtual canvas rotation, sub-pixel anti-aliasing are available to users. In addition to standard painting tools, the application contains special tools such as graffiti, water drops, stars, grass. Synchronization with tablets is also implemented.
Paint Tool SAI
Don't be intimidated by the clean SAI interface, as this is the de facto program standard for most Japanese anime artists. It also has a line correction function to create sharper contours.
Serif Draw Plus (starter edition)
Serif DrawPlus offers all the tools to work with raster and vector graphics. Here you can create interesting prints, make logos, edit photos or draw using a lot of custom effects, including 3D. Truly a godsend for novice illustrators and designers, moreover, completely free of charge!
All of the programs on the list will make great alternatives to Adobe products, even if you're not ready to admit it just yet. It's enough to give them a chance, and who knows, maybe in a couple of weeks you won't even remember about Photoshop! Moreover, for some products you don’t have to pay at all. Don't be afraid to try new things, push boundaries and improve!
Free drawing programs, like any software distributed under a freeware or shareware license, differ less and less from their large-scale commercial counterparts every year.
Thanks to an extensive community of developers and enthusiasts, new versions of well-known free graphic editors are regularly released, as well as new original projects are created.
At the same time, various drawing software is becoming more and more specialized, focusing on the use of children, creating cartoons, designing designs, and so on.
Therefore, if you do not want to pay an impressive amount for the ability to crop a picture and do not use pirated software in principle, then this review will help you choose the most suitable option for you.
GIMP
GIMP is a free alternative to the popular Photoshop editor from IT giant Adobe. This program is the default solution for creating and editing images on any Unix system, but there are also versions for Windows and Mac.
A feature is extremely low system requirements (from 128 MB of RAM and from 32 MB of video card memory), which makes it possible to install this software even on very old machines.
The program interface consists of separate toolbars that can be easily enabled/disabled and combined with each other. The working canvas is also a separate window.
Each tool can be called up by a combination of hotkeys, which can be changed to your liking.
Advice! You can download any version of the program on the official website. You can also find thereGIMPcompletely in Russian.
Although free software adherents call GIMP a free analogue of Photoshop, its capabilities are still significantly inferior to Adobe's product. But this only matters if you are using specific professional features.
For the vast majority of users, these differences will not be noticeable at all.
PaintNET
This program is a development of Microsoft Corporation, which means that it can be used free of charge by owners of the Windows operating system of any version.
It is an extended version of the paint editor, which for many users was the first acquaintance with the world of raster graphics.
When conventional Paint was no longer adequate for basic image editing, it was replaced by Paint NET, which gained several new features.
One of the key changes is the ability to work with layers, which is actively used to create photoshops, macros and other media content that are popular on social networks.
It is very difficult to use this program as a medium for full-fledged fine art, but this is not her fault.
It will be indispensable if you want to quickly crop images, change colors or add a few elements from other pictures.
You can download the program from the official website www.getpaint.net
LiveBrush Lite
The developers of LiveBrush Lite decided to return to the roots of real painting and provided users with only one tool - a brush. But at the same time, this tool is maximally customized, which opens up wide possibilities for its use.
At the first acquaintance with the program, this approach may seem extremely inconvenient, but after a few hours of practice, everyone will be able to feel the beauty of this creative solution.
It is worth noting that the "brush" in the context of this image editor is a universal tool that can create diverse effects: from smooth lines to fractal patterns.
Moreover, the process of creating your own graphic creations can become much more fun if you use the library of custom brushes published on the official website of the LiveBrush Lite developers.
Advice! The program is not free: you will have to pay for the full version, and if you decide to download it for freeLite version, then be prepared for the fact that it is intended for evaluation and use and has greatly reduced features.
PaintTool SAI
The development of Japanese programmers, which is designed to create sketches, sketches and full-fledged artistic paintings. She gained particular popularity in her homeland and abroad among authors working in the anime genre.
All the tools assembled in the program are as similar as possible to real prototypes: the pencil has a softness parameter, the watercolor is characteristically blurred, and the ballpoint pen leaves a clear, even line.
But for the convenience of artists, some features of traditional image editors were also implemented, first of all, this concerns working with layers.
The user can draw several pictures at the same time, and then combine them using cropping, copying, pasting and hiding. This software is best installed on special drawing devices that work with a stylus.
Tux Paint
As mentioned at the beginning of our article, many developers do not try to impress their users with the maximum set of features or their greatest efficiency.
Instead, they are looking for their own philosophy and market niche in which they will be pioneers.
The drawing program Tux Paint is aimed primarily at children aged 3 to 12, in order to develop a love of painting in them with the help of modern information technologies.
Therefore, the interface of this program is significantly different from other representatives of the software of this class.
All tools are extremely simple, and there is no need to understand the manuals to configure them, the controls are large and immediately speak of their purpose.
Penguin Tux (a symbol of the Linux community) helps to make the first steps, which will introduce young creators to the basic features of the program, which will allow you to draw the first picture within a few minutes after the first launch of Tux Paint.
This software is an example of an excellent embodiment of an original idea in an area in which it would seem almost impossible to fight the hegemony of corporate giants.
Tux Paint has been successfully used in many European educational institutions for children of preschool and primary school age.
You can download the program for free from the official website www.tuxpaint.org
ArtWaver
ArtWaver is another imaging solution developed under an OpenSource license. Like GIMP, it was created as a kind of counterweight to Photoshop, and its appearance and tools are similar to older versions of the program from Adobe.
But this image editor does not simply copy its more successful competitors, but has its own unique approach to the issue of processing and creating various pictures.
In particular, a lot of attention is paid to brushes: by default, the program has a large selection of different types of brushes that can be carefully customized to suit your needs.
This makes it possible to use ArtWeaver not only for editing finished images, but also for full-fledged digital painting.
Also, this software has a very well-developed system for working with layers, probably the best among free graphic editors, which is very important for working with images at home on a computer.
The developers have also created their own AWD editor format, but the user can also export their work to any popular format such as JPG, PSD, PNG, etc.
ArtWaver is a well-balanced software that can become an effective tool for both amateurs and semi-professionals in the field of processing or creating digital images.
The application is focused on installation on graphic tablets, and not for full-fledged editing of ready-made pictures.
Despite the fact that many of the basic functions of modern editors are available in it, it only shows its full potential in the process of drawing from scratch.
In addition to a large number of tools that have real prototypes, such as brushes, pencils, felt-tip pens, pens, etc., SmoothDraw also offers original functions: a full-fledged imitation of a spray can for graffiti, creating visual effects of a cart, starry sky, grass, etc.
Kindly provided a graphics tablet for the article
background
It was in the evening, there was nothing to do, and suddenly I remembered my old, already half-forgotten hobby - drawing. I never studied this occupation anywhere, I just loved to draw from an early age: first with felt-tip pens on wallpaper, for which I received nuts from my parents; then with a pen and pencil on the margins of notebooks, which the school teachers were not happy about. Unfortunately, I did not become a skilled artist, but I did learn to draw more or less pretty sketches and caricatures.
That very evening, after moving my pencil a little over the landscape sheet, I thought that it would be cool not to scan paper drawings every time, but to create them directly on a PC. No sooner said than done: having tried five Windows programs for artists, I finally found the only one in which you can draw good sketches even with a mouse. And after a couple of days, I had the opportunity to draw with the help of a graphics tablet and a pen, using much more functional software for this. There are a lot of impressions, but first things first.
Mouse drawing
There are two problems when drawing with a mouse: it turns out to draw a straight line on the tenth attempt, from which the second problem follows - the hand gets terribly tired. Therefore, most free art programs (Artweaver Free, MyPaint, Inkscape) are not the best for drawing with a mouse.
And eliminates the "curvature of the hands" a free application called LiveBrush Lite, which automatically converts the drawn "broken line" into a beautiful stroke. The official website of the program www.livebrush.com was not working at the time of this writing (perhaps development has been suspended), but the installer can be easily found in software directories, for example, on the website www.softpedia.com.
LiveBrush Lite requires a set of Adobe AIR libraries. Each stroke is stored in the program as a separate layer, so complex drawings “eat up” half a gigabyte and more RAM.
By default, LiveBrush Lite uses a canvas that mimics paper slightly yellowed from time to time, and a working tool that is a cross between a thin brush and an ink pen. Both look extremely realistic, even the pungent smell of carcass, familiar from drawing classes, is recalled.
As mentioned above, LiveBrush Lite converts crooked strokes made by the mouse into smooth strokes. True, this operation takes some time: after drawing a couple of twisted lines, sometimes you have to wait before the picture appears on the virtual canvas. It takes a little practice, as drawings with the mouse begin to turn out quite decent.
Graphics tablet
Using the mouse has limited me, in fact, to one single drawing program. Therefore, I soon wanted to try drawing with a pen on a graphics tablet. For testing, I got an inexpensive Wacom Intuos Pen & Touch S model, a review of which was previously published on our website.
With the transition from the mouse to the tablet, the drawings in the aforementioned LiveBrush Lite program, unfortunately, did not improve - the “auto-alignment” of strokes negatively affected fine details. Fortunately, on the official Wacom website, I accidentally stumbled upon the mention of two applications for artists: Autodesk Sketchbook Express and ArtRage. Without hesitation, I downloaded and installed both of these programs (in the case of Artrage Studio, a trial version).
With the first program - Autodesk Sketchbook Express - I, frankly, did not make friends, even though it correctly handled different degrees of pen pressure. The lines still came out crooked, there was a delay (maybe a preliminary adjustment is required). I already thought that the problem was in my inexperience and the experiment failed, but still launched the second application - ArtRage...
I swiped my pen over the tablet and a line instantly appeared on the ArtRage canvas, exactly the same as I would get on paper. Joyful notes played in my heart. I drew a few more times with the pen - new “correct” lines appeared on the PC screen. And rushed! I stopped only after a couple of minutes, when the first finished sketch flaunted in the ArtRage window.
And while drawing the second sketch in ArtRage, I got used to another function of the pen - the eraser on its opposite end (I still couldn’t draw the same horns on the knight’s helmet). In a word, for a long time I have not received so many positive emotions from getting to know the gadget and software.
In the dry matter
As practice has shown, drawing on a PC is fun and interesting, and in some aspects easier than on paper. For example, to remove an unsuccessful stroke, just press the key combination Ctrl + Z. If you do not want to buy a graphics tablet, you can trust a regular mouse and the LiveBrush Lite application.
Paired with a tablet, it is better to use the ArtRage program or other professional solutions. The question of choosing a tablet brand is certainly not worth it, since Wacom is the undisputed leader in the industry. But remember that miracles do not happen: if you cannot draw even with a pencil on paper, then neither computer programs nor a graphics tablet with a pen will make Leonardo da Vinci or Michelangelo out of you.
Computer graphics has recently gained a very wide popularity. Even if you are not going to make money on it, many people just want to learn how to draw on a computer. It's one thing to draw on paper, and quite another to draw on a computer. This process has a number of undeniable advantages, but do not forget about the difficulties.
Most artists use special graphic tablets connected to a computer for this purpose. Drawing on such a device is very simple, almost the same as on a piece of paper. Many beginners and just amateurs are scared away by the high cost, so they want to learn how to draw with a mouse.
How to do it right? What is needed for this? What features can be encountered? You will receive answers to these questions by reading the prepared material.
Why, at all, draw on a computer? After all, you can safely do with a piece of paper, and then scan the drawing. But computer graphics has a number of undeniable advantages:
- Availability of working tools. All you need is a computer and a special program - a graphics editor. Here you do not need to take into account the features of paints or pencils, buy them, make sure that they do not end at the wrong time.
- The ability to quickly correct any shortcomings. If you notice some kind of defect on a paper drawing, it is often almost impossible to fix it, so you have to draw everything from the very beginning. In a digital drawing, everything is fixed with just a few mouse clicks.
- Non-susceptibility to external factors. The digital drawing will not fade in the sun, it will not be spoiled by a child or a pet.
How to prepare for drawing with a mouse
Before you start drawing with a mouse on a computer, you should prepare a little. To do this, you will need to purchase a reliable mouse, a high-quality mousepad and install a graphics editor. Let's look at each of the points in more detail.
- Mouse. It should ideally be large and massive, with very precise cursor positioning. It should react to your every movement instantly. Since drawing is a long process, the mouse should sit comfortably in your hand and not create inconvenience. Naturally, you should not count on the fact that a quality accessory will be cheap. If you want to achieve high results, be prepared to spend more.
- Mat. Many manufacturers have a series of professional mats for graphic designers. The slip coefficient is carefully calculated in them, and the material is used such that over time it does not rub off and looks like new for a long time.
- Graphics editor. There are professional and entry-level graphic editors. In addition, there are programs for vector and raster graphics. Some are completely free, while others cost a significant amount. Some are pre-installed with the operating system, while most need to be downloaded and installed. The most famous editors are Microsoft Paint, Adobe Photoshop, Gimp, Paint Tool SAI.
Fundamentals of the basics
As already mentioned, drawing with the mouse has a number of features. Let's highlight some of them.
- It is best to choose the Brush tool to create a drawing. Perhaps someone will say that this is not the best choice, but it is with its help that it is easiest to achieve the desired results. By the way, most editors have the option to adjust the hardness and degree of pressure, as well as transparency. For example, this function can be used without problems in Photoshop and Paint Tool SAI. Thanks to this, it is much more convenient to draw with a mouse than with the same pencil, which produces much harder lines.
- Since, unlike a tablet, there is no way to adjust the pressure of the drawing tool, to soften the edges and outlines of the picture, it is better to use an eraser set to a low opacity level. This will reduce the sharpness of the lines. Most graphics tablets are supported by both Photoshop and AIS.
- Do not try to draw contours with one long line. Use many small clicks to apply short strokes. Also, keep in mind that you will often have to switch between tools and their settings, as well as menu items. In order not to waste time, try to bring this skill to automatism. And if you really need to draw a long straight line, use a special tool, it will greatly facilitate your fate.
- If you have already tried to create drawings on a computer in AIS or another editor, then you probably noticed that drawing lines is very difficult. They are constantly bent, made uneven, and if necessary, to paint on something - it is not at all easy to get to the right place. In such a case, feel free to use the zoom tool. The larger you zoom in, the more accurately you can fit the edges of the pattern. Switch between normal view and magnification to perfect the image.
- Where to start learning? It is clear that complex pictures in AIS will not work for you the first time, you need to fill your hand. First of all, try to draw simple drawings for which the use of ordinary geometric shapes will suffice. For example, draw a Christmas tree or a snowman. Having coped with the symmetrical arrangement of elements and contours, proceed to fill with color. It is better not to use the fill tool for this, but to paint over with a brush manually. Then you can make the final touches, also add shadows and all sorts of little things. There are many tutorials on YouTube for beginners.
- You will experience much less difficulties if you first sketch out your drawing at least roughly on a regular sheet of paper. In addition, the experience of ordinary drawing will also come in handy.
In order not to go beyond the boundaries of the picture when painting, select the area in which you want to change the color, and then start painting. - If nothing happens manually at all, there is an alternative, and quite convenient. Draw the contours on paper, then scan the picture or take a high-quality photo and open the finished file in the graphic editor AIS or Photoshop. Then move the lines, change their thickness and add colors. By the way, in many editors, such as Photoshop or Paint Tool SAI, you can make good drawings this way, since all changes are applied in the form of layers that can then be easily deleted.
How to draw in different graphic editors
photoshop
- To create a drawing in Photoshop, download and install the program if it is not already on your computer. We encourage you to purchase a licensed copy, but if the high cost puts you off, look online for hacked versions. Just keep in mind that if the repack is of poor quality, the program will malfunction, and some functions may be missing.
- After running the program, create a new file. This can be done either through the menu File - New, or by pressing the key combination Ctrl + N. In a pop-up window, you will be asked to select the size and resolution of the image. The higher it is, the longer and more difficult it will be to create a drawing in Photoshop.
- Look at the work area: on the right side you will see several toolbars where you can select a color, background, and also work with layers. On the left side you will see a menu for selecting working tools. In the upper part, under the program menu, you can use some options of the selected tool.
- On the right side of the screen, click the "Create Layer" button, on the left side select the brush or pencil tool, and at the top select the type and thickness of the line.
- Create a picture in Photoshop, then save it to a folder on your computer's hard drive.
Paint Tool SAI
- Download and install Paint Tool SAI. The program is paid, so either buy it or download the hacked version if you can't pay.
- Launch Paint Tool SAI and create a new drawing. This function is no different from other image editors, so you can either press File - New or press Ctrl + N on your keyboard.
- Paint Tool SAI will ask for the desired image size and file format. Depending on your desires and needs, select the necessary options.
- Create a new layer in the Paint Tool SAI toolbar on the left side of the screen, then select the desired drawing tool and start the process.
- Save the image to a directory on your hard drive.
Paint
Working with this editor is the easiest, however, it has a minimal set of functions. The program has an undeniable advantage - you do not have to worry about finding and installing a working version, since the editor is standard and is built into the system by default. How to draw in Paint?
- Find the program in the Start menu on a Windows computer.
- When the working window opens, you will see a small white rectangle, and special markers on the side and in the corner.
- Drag these handles to resize the image. The actual size will be displayed at the bottom of the screen.
- Select the desired drawing tool, such as a brush or pencil, from the top menu bar on the Home tab.
- Save the file after you've finished making changes.
Conclusion
Drawing with a mouse on a computer can be quite difficult at first, but with practice, you will get carried away with this process and be able to create real masterpieces in Photoshop or AIS. Let us know in the comments what program you are using.
