Freeware Art Programs: Artweaver and GIMP

Ramrider · 12-20-2007, 06:50 AM

I just thought I'd throw in links for a couple of pieces of image editing software. Some people don't have the funds for the likes of [Adobe] Photoshop, so lower-budget software is always a bonus . . . and what better price is there than free?

So I present Artweaver and the GIMP.

Artweaver is a freeware program created by one Boris Eyrich. The creator updates frequently with new features and fixes, and the website is equipped with a forum so you can get extra tips from other users, as well as provide your own feedback and suggestions. Several users often share their own home-made brushes and filters that you can install for your own use, too. [It's well] worth downloading a copy to try out.

GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is mostly designed for image editing, but is also a decent painting program in its own right. I can't tell you too much about this one; I don't often use it since personally I don't get on too well with the user interface, but I know many people swear by it. You'll never know 'less you give it a go . . . .

(To help Ramrider further expound on a general description of GIMP, this is quoted here from Wikipedia.org:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wikipedia.org - Article: "GIMP"

It is primarily employed as an image retouching and editing tool. and is freely available in versions tailored for most popular operating systems, including but not limited to Microsoft Corporation's Windows platform, Apple Computer's Macintosh, and Linux.

In addition to detailed image retouching and free-form drawing, GIMP can accomplish essential image editing tasks such as resizing, editing, and cropping photos, photomontages combining multiple images, and converting between different image formats. GIMP can also be used to create basic animated images in the GIF format. With its encyclopedic abilities, GIMP is widely considered to be the main free-software functional replacement for Adobe Photoshop; it embodies to a similar degree both universality and user interface complexity.

The original product vision for GIMP, now fully realized, was that of an entirely free high-end graphics application for the editing and creation of original images, icons, graphical elements of web pages and art for the user interface elements of free software. Because of its open extensible structure, GIMP is sometimes also employed by researchers as a framework for prototyping of cutting-edge image-processing algorithms.

source: GIMP - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ~Sq7)