Open source image editors to forget about Photoshop
They are free, they are updated often and behind them are non-profit programmers. Open source apps are promising. An example, image editors.
In this article I am not going to talk about free software versus proprietary software. We have already talked about it before.
Let’s just review the best image editors that have several things in common: they are free and its source code is available for anyone to improve, change and adapt to specific functions.
Adobe Photoshop is the benchmark in image editing, but there are many software examples desktop, mobile or online to fix photos, free or paid.
Today we are going to focus on examples available for Windows, Mac and Linux that you will be able to download freely.
They may not be 100% accurate to Photoshop, but they will surely allow you to do the vast majority of photo editing and retouching tasks which you are used to.
Contents
GIMP
If we talk about alternatives to Adobe Photoshop and free software, the first answer is usually GIMPacronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program.
This graphic editor, with more than 20 years behind it, is available for Windows, Mac and Linux, has an interface similar to Photoshop and a battery of tools for drawing and graphic editing.
Its functions include layers, brushes, filters and effects of image, the smart selection, the tool of clonedcolor modification, masks, etc.
In addition, it is compatible with vast majority of formats: JPG, GIF, PNG, PCX, TIFF, BMP, PIX, PDF, SVG, XCF… And, to improve it, we can install plugins and extensions with new features.
Krita
Although you are more focused on drawing and illustration, Krita is another of the image editors to take into account, less known than GIMP but packed with solutions to any challenge that comes our way.
Available for Windows, Mac and Linux, Krita is intended for artists and illustrators, with a color palette and brushes Very complete. As for its interface, it will remind us of Photoshop, with tools left and the settings and layers on the right.
Both to draw and to cut out images we have mirror tools, layers, item pickerlayer masks, color editing, templates, filtersetc.
Krita supports most image formats, including standard Photoshop PSDs.
inkscape
There are no two without three. inkscape is another great graphic tool, this time specializing in vectorial drawing.
If you are an illustrator or graphic or web designer, Inkscape will allow you to create from scratch all kinds of vector designs for logos, backgrounds, banners and all kinds of pieces for advertising, paper edition or web pages.
Element cloning, transformation and grouping, layers, color selection and editing, patterns, text support… Inkscape also offers support for most popular formatssuch as PNG, DXF, PDF and EPS.
Pinta
Don’t let his name confuse you. Pinta is a drawing tool, but its tool palette will help you edit photos if you don’t need excessively advanced features.
As in the previous apps, Pinta offers cloning, smart selection, layers, support for most formats, color selection and 35 settings and effects that are valid both for drawing and illustration and for Photo retouching.
Otherwise, Pinta is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux, and, if you miss any functiontry to see if it is already requested or request it yourself from this form.
PhoXo
If you are looking for an easy-to-use photo editor packed with decorative plugins, PhoXo it’s made for you.
Although it is only available for Windows, it is an open source project, free and freely downloadable.
PhoXo has 50 effects of image, batch image processingtext editing, patterns and clipart to decorate your photos, intelligent selection of elements, automatic improvements, etc.
Image | pixabay