In our selection, we decided to compare applications for painting landscapes, digital paintings, portraits, comics and various decorations on PC with tools for beginners and professionals. A lot of effects, brushes, colors on the palette and the finest settings of virtual canvases will help you create real masterpieces.
Consider the most best programs for drawing on a computer to choose the most worthy and multifunctional, with which you can reveal your creative abilities, process photos in high quality or complete a design project.
Programs |
Russian language |
License |
Rating |
Plugins
|
Possibilities |
|
| Yes | Free | Medium | 10 | Yes | Pro | |
| Yes | Free | Medium | 8 | Yes | Pro | |
| Yes | Free | Medium | 7 | Yes | Pro | |
| No | Free | Low | 10 | Yes | amateur | |
| Yes | Free | Medium | 7 | Yes | Pro | |
| Yes | Free | High | 7 | No | Pro | |
| Yes | Free | Low | 10 | Yes | amateur | |
| Yes | Trial | High | 8 | Yes | Pro | |
| Yes | Free | High | 10 | No | amateur | |
| Yes | Free | Medium | 9 | Yes | Pro | |
| Yes | Free | Low | 10 | No | amateur | |
| Yes | Trial | High | 8 | Yes | Pro | |
| Yes | Trial | Low | 6 | No | amateur | |
| Yes | Free | Medium | 6 | No | amateur |
well-known graphics editor with useful features for both beginners and professionals. Supports popular formats, processes GIF animation, works with layers, draws, retouches, corrects colors, removes defects, changes the size and format, saves ongoing operations and opens several pictures at the same time. The user can also rotate, scale and apply filters to the image.
Microsoft graphic editor with a large set useful features And clear interface. The software corrects and processes photographs, imports files from scanners and cameras, performs layer-by-layer processing and applies effects. In this practical application, the user can remove red eyes, rotate the image with a 3D effect, adjust textures, add plugins for additional functionality, change the size of the picture, create freehand pictures with fill settings, add text or use an eraser.
The software creates and edits vector technical illustrations, sets analytical curves, has a set of high-quality tools and a multilingual interface. In the application, the user can create a diagram, logo, poster, graph or presentation business card. With the help of PSTricks macros, it is possible to create graphs, import / export various graphic formats, open and save documents in "gzip". At the output, the user will receive graphics for high-quality printing. Inkscape has versions for 64-bit OS and is supported by Windows and Linux.
A virtual canvas painting utility using professional tools and sub-pixel technology to create a high quality painting. Allows you to create paintings from scratch, while having useful options for working with finished material. The user can choose different kinds pencils, pens, pens, brushes, colors on the palette and effects, synchronize material to a graphics tablet, process multiple layers, move canvases and save the project in a convenient format.
The application creates professional digital paintings, works with layers, processes imported photographs and pictures. The editor has impressive functionality, fine tuning color balances and curves, creates patterns and manages masks. The user has access to drawing, professional editing and processing. Various effects are available, managing gradients and balances, creating web graphics, working with layers and large expansion images.
Creates graphics and processes graphic elements, supports layers, has tools for rotations, fills, movements, interesting special effects and filters. Allows you to resize graphics, add text to them, delete an area, scale, apply a texture and work with noise. Artweaver is distributed free of charge, but at the same time it is on a par with paid editors in terms of functionality. Supports various formats, has gradients, filters and fills. Menu in English.
The application creates digital paintings using high-quality and interesting tools with the limitless possibilities of a virtual canvas. The functions are accessible and understandable for both beginners and professionals in this field. In the utility, you can create a large picture, use diverse custom brushes, manage layers, scale, erase, shift colors, blur, etc. Support for the ORA format is convenient for working with the project in other editors or for joint work with artists.
This free program creates digital drawings on a PC, supports its own sai and standard formats, has a large selection of interesting tools and filters. On a digital canvas, the user can use many layers, adjust the softness of the pencil, the shape of the brush, the transparency of colors, the texture of canvases and other tools (water, pen, marker, eraser, curves, lines, selections, etc.). For realistic illustration, you can add sunlight, shadows, folds, parallel work is implemented in various documents and setting hotkeys.
A colorful graphic application for children with interesting effects, presets, tips from Tux the penguin and musical accompaniment while working. This graphic editor for young artists has an accessible and understandable menu displaying all the functions, settings and color palette. The child has access to stamps of cartoon characters, animals, plants, ready-made objects in the form of flowers, bricks and other objects, drawing shapes and lines, as well as creating a slide show of his creations.
A multifunctional cross-platform utility for creating, processing and editing raster art paintings. It has a large selection of filters, brushes, masks, the ability to work with layers and color perspectives. The program looks like an imitation of a canvas with tools, so an amateur, photographer or artist can easily edit a photo or bitmap, create an artistic picture or process material in layers. Krita has a version for 64-bit OS, supports working with RAW format photos and can be controlled by hotkeys.
The application allows you to capture the PC screen for subsequent screen editing. In the editor, the user can change the size of the screenshot, draw text or add a picture by hand, adjust the saturation, brightness, blur, shades, and other parameters. In addition, the software can capture scrollable material, so you can screenshot a web page and other large documents. A screenshot can be saved in any graphic format, uploaded to social networks or sent to a friend.
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 the different devices. The results of the work are saved in cloud service, they can be exchanged 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.
There have always been, but only recently we can observe a rapid trend in the emergence of online image processing services. If you have never used such services, then you will probably be surprised by the amount of features, options and speed they offer.
Even though most of these applications are developed in Flash, they still load and run very quickly. We also present several online editor ov photos, developed with javascript, which work just as well as those based on Flash.
pixlr is an online photo and image editor developed in Flash. The interface is arranged as in many graphic editors. In general, the application may seem complicated if you have never dealt with image editors before, but if you have worked in Photoshop, GIMP, Paint.net, Paint Shop Pro, etc., then you will quickly understand all the features. Pixlr can even open PSD files.
Sketchpad is a simple yet powerful online drawing application. Flash support is not needed here, as the application was developed in javascript and HTML5. Sketchpad is considered best app for those who just want to draw, but do not have the ability or desire to install specialized software on their computer.
QueekyPaint is a unique drawing tool for creating animated images online. Like Fauxto was the most powerful of the instruments of this type until it suddenly disappeared. QueekyPaint is very unique interface, which allows you to quickly familiarize yourself with the application. Here you can use all the basic functions of Photoshop.
Splashup equipped with a very interesting interface. The application is almost an alternative to Photoshop, but only it is developed in Flash. You can also manage layers and use all the popular effects, just like in Photoshop. If you are a Photoshop fan, then you will love this app for sure!
On-line Photoshop version . Although this version is less functional than a standalone application, you can still implement almost everything that is required.
From simple retouching to complex effects, everything can be done in Phoenix. In addition to effects, the application also has a beautiful interface.
07. Raven Vector Editor
You can use the editor Raven Vector Editor to create scalable vector drawings, both for logos and for T-shirt sketches. Of course, this application cannot be compared with Illustrator, but still it is a worthy alternative.
Sumo Paint is a complete imaging and painting application (just take a look at the examples posted on their website).
Myoats It really is something everyone should try. Here you can develop both simple and complex symmetrical designs, shapes and textures. The design is created in a circle. If you are looking for a texturing tool, then we recommend Myoats.
Basic drawing and editing tools
If you are looking for a simple “drawing tool” or photo and image editors without any specific features, then we have a selection for you (This selection is also suitable for children!)
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Many people like to draw a little, spending their free time on it. However, not everyone has the desire to mess around with real paints, brushes and canvases. Instead, they use drawing programs. They can create both simple drawings and real masterpieces. At the same time, due to the very essence of the 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 bitmaps. In addition to processing photos, you can also draw in Gimp. For this, there are special brushes, texture sets and a convenient color palette.
You can work with Gimp using a mouse, touch, and even a graphics tablet. Due to the fact that the program interface is translated into Russian, it can be used immediately after installation, without studying the manuals.
Many note that Gimp is more convenient and easy to learn, its interface is not overloaded with unnecessary and unnecessary features. 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 programs, and among the free ones, it's the best.
Created by a group of students, it is very comfortable and functional. Its interface is similar to the standard Windows editor Paint, it has been translated into a number of languages, including Russian, and this makes it easier to switch from one program to another. Paint.Net is very fast, does not require powerful processor and graphics card.
Users choose it because of its simplicity, wide enough functionality and of course, free license. This program does not compare with expensive analogues, it is difficult to use it in professional activities, but for home use Paint.Net is a good option.
Interestingly, right after installation, it can open very specific file formats such as DDS, which are used to create games. This made it popular among novice developers. Moreover, for the needs of texturing and drawing, its functionality is enough. 
Pixia- a unique program for drawing on a computer. It was not created for simple graphics editing. Her original task is to create anime. To do this, the catalog of tools has all the necessary brushes, selected palettes.
Despite the fact that the program is officially translated only into Japanese, its users have created a number of localizations, including Russian. This, together with a simple and intuitive interface, lowers the threshold for entering the program. Anyone with even the rudimentary artistic talent can try their hand at drawing cartoons and comics using Pixia.
Of particular interest is that the program supports many graphic formats, including closed .psd and native .pxa. This feature allows you to use layouts made in Photoshop. 
inkscape- a wonderful vector graphics editor that supports Russian, 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 distributed for a fee Adobe Illustrator. At the same time, their functionality is approximately the same.
Inkscape, unlike others free apps, is competitive. Using it, you can create works of any level of complexity, save them in any vector and raster formats.
It is worth noting that drawing in Inkscape is very different from the classic one. All images consist of a number of template elements - straight lines, curved lines, circles and other geometric shapes. This approach to drawing makes it possible to ensure that even a fragment magnified a thousand times will not blur, turning into a set of huge pixels. 
This is a simple "drawing tool" 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 field, except perhaps to create some unusual, stylized graphics. However, for entertainment, this flash-program will do just fine. 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". By drawing a line on it, you will see that it consists of small animated figures. This opens up real scope for creativity. The program can be both in Russian and in a number of foreign languages. 
artweaver- Very universal program. In it, you can do almost everything related to graphics. 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 in order to achieve the most accurate effect.
A good program is not only a Russified interface, which is very similar to Adobe Photoshop, but also a wide range of additional features. For example, Artweaver can reproduce user actions automatically (to create training videos), work on an image as a team using cloud storage. 
Paid programs (Demo version)
The most popular program in Russian, which is designed exclusively for drawing. It is impossible to process existing graphics in it, but it has everything you need to create it. Those who buy the program get access to a huge selection of brushes, customizable by a number of parameters, a palette consisting not only of colors, but also different types colors.
This creative studio is suitable for those who prefer “virtual oil” drawings, because the display effects are amazing - they are incredibly high quality. Having made a stroke, you can appreciate on it small strips 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 real, not digital painting without spending huge amounts on Consumables. By connecting the program to a graphics tablet, you will get a great canvas, with great functionality and a lot of settings. 
In today's world, computers are increasingly penetrating our lives. Many areas are already simply unthinkable without the use of a PC: complex mathematical calculations, design, modeling, Internet communications, etc. Finally, it came to drawing!
Now not only artists, but also simple amateurs can easily try to draw some kind of "masterpiece" using special programs. That's about these special programs for drawing on a computer and I would like to talk in this article.
*I note that only free programs will be considered.
It is with Paint that I would like to start a review of drawing programs, because. it is included in the OS Windows XP, 7, 8, Vista, etc., which means you don’t need to download anything to start drawing!
To open it, go to the menu " start/programs/standard", and then click the "Paint" icon.
The program itself is extremely simple and even a complete novice who has recently turned on a PC can understand it.
Of the main functions: resizing images, cutting out a certain part of the image, the ability to draw with a pencil, brush, fill an area with a selected color, etc.
For those who are not professionally engaged in images, for those who sometimes need to correct something in pictures, the program's capabilities are more than enough. That is why I recommend starting your acquaintance with drawing on a PC with it!
2. Gimp is a powerful graph. editor
Gimp is a powerful graphics editor that can work with graphics tablets* (see below) and many other input devices.
Main functions:
Improve photos, make them brighter, enhance color reproduction;
Easily and quickly remove unnecessary elements from photos;
Cutting website layouts;
Painting pictures with graphics tablets;
Own file format ".xcf", which is able to store texts, textures, layers, etc.;
Convenient ability to work with the clipboard - you can instantly insert a picture into the program and start editing it;
Gimp will allow you to archive images almost "on the fly";
Ability to open ".psd" format files;
Creating your own plugins (if you have programming skills, of course).
3. MyPaint - artistic drawing
MyPaint is a graphics editor aimed at beginner artists. The program has a simple interface, coupled with unlimited canvas sizes. There is also an excellent set of brushes, thanks to which, using this program, you can draw pictures on your computer, just like on a canvas!
Main functions:
Possibility of quick commands using assigned buttons;
A huge selection of brushes, their settings, the ability to create and import them;
Excellent support for the tablet, by the way, the program, in general, was developed for it;
Limitless canvas size - thus nothing limits your creativity;
Ability to work in Windows, Linux and Mac OS.
4. Graffiti Studio - for graffiti fans
This program will appeal to all graffiti lovers (in principle, you can guess the direction of the program from the name).
The program captivates with its simplicity, realism - the pictures come out from under the pen almost like the best hits on the walls of professionals.
In the program, you can choose canvases, for example, wagons, walls, buses, on which to work your creative miracles in the future.
The panel provides a choice of a huge number of colors - more than 100 pieces! It is possible to make smudges, change the distance to the surface, use markers, etc. In general, a whole arsenal of graffiti artist!
5. Artweaver - replacement for Adobe Photoshop
A free graphics editor that claims to be Adobe Photoshop itself. This program simulates drawing with oil, paint, pencil, chalk, brush, etc.
It is possible to work with layers, convert images to various formats, compress, etc. Judging by the screenshot below, you can't even tell it from Adobe Photoshop!
SmoothDraw is an excellent graphics editor with a lot of options for processing and creating images. Basically, the program is focused on creating pictures from scratch, from a white and clean canvas.
You will have a large number of design and artistic tools in your arsenal: brushes, pencils, pens, pens, etc.
The work with tablets is also not bad, coupled with the user-friendly interface of the program - it can be safely recommended to most users.
7. PixBuilder Studio - mini photoshop
This program on the network, many users have already dubbed mini photoshop. It has most of the popular features and paid features. Adobe software Photoshop: brightness and contrast editor, there are tools for cutting out, transforming images, you can create complex shapes and objects.
A good implementation of several types of image blur, sharpening effects, etc.
It's probably not worth talking about such features as changing the size of the picture, rotations, reversals, etc., probably. In general, PixBuilder Studio is great program for drawing and editing on the computer.
8. Inkscape - analogue of Corel Draw (vector graphics)
This is a free vector image editor, similar to Corel Draw. This vector drawing program - ie. directed segments. Unlike bitmaps, vector images can be easily resized without losing quality! Typically, such a program is used in printing.
It is worth mentioning Flash here - it is also used there Vector graphics, allowing you to significantly reduce the size of the video!
By the way, it is worth adding that the program has support for the Russian language!
9. Livebrush - painting with a brush
Very simple program for drawing with good image editing capabilities. One of the main features of this editor is that you will draw here brush! There are no other tools!
On the one hand, this limits, but on the other hand, the program allows you to implement a lot of things that in no other - you will not do this!
A huge number of brushes, settings for them, strokes, etc. Moreover, you can create brushes yourself and download from the Internet.
By the way, a "brush" in livebrush means not "just a simple" line, but also models of complex geometric shapes... In general, it is recommended for acquaintance with all fans of working with graphics.
10. Graphic tablets
A graphics tablet is a special device for drawing on a computer. Connects to a computer via standard USB. With the help of a pen, you can drive on an electronic sheet, and on the computer screen you immediately see your picture online. Great!
Who needs a tablet for what?
The tablet can be useful not only for professional designers, but also for ordinary schoolchildren and children. With it, you can edit photos and images, draw graffiti in in social networks, easily and quickly add manuscripts to graphic documents. In addition, when using a pen (tablet pen), the hand and wrist do not get tired during prolonged work, such as when using a mouse.
For professionals, this is the ability to edit photos: creating masks, retouching, editing and editing complex image contours (hair, eyes, etc.).
In general, you get used to the tablet very quickly, and if you often work with graphics, the device becomes simply indispensable! Recommended to all graphic lovers.
This concludes the review of the programs. Good luck and beautiful drawings!
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