Computer graphics is a very broad concept. At the mention of this term, someone will think of 3D masterpieces from Pixar and Dreamworks studios, others will think of digital photography, and still others will think that we are talking about design. computer games. But there are also sure to be a lot of those who will associate this phrase with vector graphics. Despite the extraordinary popularity of vector graphics, many users are completely unfamiliar with the feature of vector drawings. What lies behind the words "vector graphics" and why is it so in demand?
An ordinary raster drawing is an array of dots. This array can be rendered with maximum or approximate precision. In the first case, bitmap information is transmitted without loss, but takes up a lot of memory. In the second case, the graphic image can be transmitted with conditional accuracy. This suggests a direct analogy with the sound, which is compressed "without perceptible loss" in the MP3 format. For graphics, a similar format is JPG. With moderate and not very high degree compression, the original array of points is quite guessable. Algorithms for rendering raster graphics may differ, but their essence is the same - the picture has a rigid binding to the pixel matrix.
A completely different approach is used to render a vector image. Each vector drawing is created using geometric shapes and curves. The use of mathematics when describing a drawing gives a huge advantage: when scaling vector elements, the original image does not lose any quality. A raster drawing, on the other hand, behaves differently when resized - the lines of objects in the image become overgrown with a noticeable “comb” when enlarged. These artifacts are present on the image from the very beginning, since a raster drawing a priori cannot contain continuous elements - lines, geometric shapes, and so on. All this in a raster looks like a matrix of pixels, which is the more noticeable, the more the raster image is enlarged.
Not without flaws and vector formats. The need to use simple elements to build a picture often becomes a serious obstacle to the interpretation of a complex picture. For example, it is extremely difficult to convert an ordinary landscape photo into a vector format, since there are a lot of objects on it and their geometry is very complex.
In industrial printing, vector formats look equally good when printing images of any size - large and small. Raster images, when enlarged, not only turn into a mosaic, but may also contain compression artifacts. In addition, vector formats are convenient to use in programming, since they are easily described by mathematical expressions.
Professional designers use tools that have been proven over the years to create vector graphics, for example Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw. But for a hobbyist who needs to quickly create a T-shirt logo or technical illustration, there is no need to resort to such cumbersome and expensive applications. You can get by with free, and sometimes even online tools. With their help, you can convert a raster image into a vector image, sketch a simple design, generate a guilloche pattern, and so on.
⇡ "Google Drawings" is the easiest vector editor that is always at hand
The most famous, simple, and affordable online vector editor is Drawings on Google Drive. This web application is part of Google's online office and is more focused on collaboration and adding graphic elements to other types of office documents than vector graphics. However, there are still some basic tools for working with it.
With the Drawings web application, you can create various shapes, arrows, callouts, formula graphics, add straight lines, curves, polylines, arrows, and scribbles. Also available to add text elements, import bitmaps. Vector drawings can be imported, but not edited (view only).
⇡ Autotracer - free raster to vector converter
When it comes to complex vector drawings, sometimes it's easier not to create them from scratch, but to vectorize a bitmap, that is, convert it to a vector format. This process is also called tracing.
Almost any vector editor has the appropriate tools, but vectorization can be made even easier with online tools. You can find more than one web service that offers similar services. For example, the free Autotracer resource is very handy. It can be used to convert PNG files, BMP, JPEG and GIF to vector format and save to SVG, EPS, PDF, DXF format.
The service is completely free, but there is one limitation: size source file should not exceed one megabyte. Before the conversion, you can set some settings: determine the number of colors that will be left on the raster image before vectorization, as well as get rid of noise, specify in which cases the lines will be taken as curves. The process itself is very fast, so if the quality of the final drawing is not suitable, you can always experiment with the settings and try again.
⇡ Vector Paint is a vector editor in Chrome that can work without a browser
Vector Paint is a web application for Google Chrome, created in HTML5, but it can work without a browser. It belongs to a new generation of applications presented at the beginning of September this year. You can run such applications directly from the desktop - open browser, as well as Internet access, are not required to use them.
Vector Paint contains a fairly large collection of various preset shapes that can be used in projects: there are clocks, clouds, arrows, animals, notes, and much more. Forms can also be created manually using straight and broken lines, a tool for drawing arbitrary shapes, a rectangle, an ellipse. For each element, it is possible to choose a color, thickness and type of stroke, as well as a fill color, make it partially transparent, add one of the many effects (distortions, shadows, textures, pseudo-3D, etc.). There are also tools for managing elements in the project: they can be moved to the front or moved back. For a more accurate arrangement of elements, there are numerous alignment tools, you can also turn on the display of the ruler.
By default, work is carried out on one layer, but if necessary, you can add the ability to work with multiple layers. This feature is implemented as an add-on. To install it, you do not need to download anything, just select the plugin in the menu of the same name. Working with layers includes the possibility of merging selected layers, hiding some of them, transferring selected elements to a separate layer.
Vector Paint also provides other add-ons that can be easily added to the application. These are advanced features for working with text (additional fonts, setting intervals, individual elements of inscriptions), adding markers, using images to create repeating patterns on forms. From the Plugins menu are also included Extra options strokes and fills.
Finished projects are saved in SVG format, and can also be exported to PNG and JPEG.
⇡ SVG-Edit - online vector editor
SVG-Edit is a JavaScript-based vector editor that can run on any browser. It can be used as an online service (in this case, a demo address is used for access), as well as a web application (in this case, you need to download the archive with SVG-Edit files, unzip it and run the application file in any browser).
SVG-Edit fully works with SVG files, making it possible to both save projects in this format and open such files and make changes to them. In addition, the SVG file can be imported into the project as a separate element.
Polylines, rectangles, squares, ellipses, circles, polygons, contours, text can be used to create vector graphics elements in SVG-Edit. It is possible to fill elements with color, as well as use gradients, including radial ones. It supports working with layers, showing a grid and displaying elements in the form of a wireframe. There are tools for changing the arrangement of elements (above, below), for quick cloning of selected vector shapes, for grouping them. Many commands are available from context menu(as in regular desktop editors). A lot of attention has been paid to the tools for aligning on the canvas: you can align elements in relation to the selected objects, to the largest or smallest object.
The program has a large library of ready-made shapes (the same one used in Vector Paint), but, in addition, access to a huge free library of vector graphics elements IAN Image Library is implemented. Registration is required to work with it, but then you can view collections of vector graphics samples directly from the editor and immediately add them to the current or new project.
⇡ Chittram - simple online editor
Chittram is another vector editor that can work as a web application. Unlike SVG-Edit, it is implemented as a full-fledged online service with the ability to save projects on the server. To view and edit previously created projects, use Account Google.
Chittram's capabilities are more modest than those of SVG-Edit, but this editor will certainly seem more friendly to novice users. The application has the ability to use a bitmap image as a background, but you cannot select a picture from your hard drive - you can only specify a link to the file. There is no import of local vector images either, but you can add files from the web service user gallery to the project and edit them. The site implements a search in the gallery by keywords, as well as labels.
To create your own projects, you can use standard set tools: straight lines, curves, bezier curves, polygons, circles, ovals, rectangles and squares. Text creation is also available. For each element, it is possible to set the stroke size, fill color, color and direction of the gradient, transparency percentage. For more accurate drawing, you can use the grid, for which the size of the cell is adjusted. You can also control the size of the canvas and its orientation.
If your project uses multiple forms, it is convenient to display a panel that lists all the elements. It is used to rename and quickly select objects. The same panel is used to work with layers.
⇡ Inkscape is a complete alternative to commercial packages
The vector editor Inkscape has a lot of advantages. Firstly, it is cross-platform (it can run in Windows environment, Linux, Mac). Second, it supports big number popular vector formats, including SVG, SVGZ, EMF, DXF, EPS, PostScript, WMF and others.
The editor also has tools for creating graphics that are standard for any vector editor: shapes, curves, text, fill, full support layers. Inkscape gives you the ability to perform various actions with paths, stroke, and also apply Boolean operations (combine, intersect elements, exclude one from the other, and so on). The user has a large library of filters and a special editor with which you can create your own effects. The program supports graphic tablets, so you can manually draw in it by controlling the tilt and pressure of the pen.
It is worth paying attention to the built-in tools for vectorization of raster images. To ensure that photo tracing takes into account important objects in the foreground, the SIOX (Simple Interactive Object Extraction) algorithm is activated to help identify such objects automatically.
⇡ ZebraTRACE - free guilloche creation
Any banknotes, as well as documents of national importance (diplomas, certificates, certificates, and so on) are easy to recognize at a glance. This "recognizability" of the design of the document is given by subtle repeating patterns that run throughout the main drawing. Such lines are called guilloche.
Guilloches can be drawn by hand in a vector editor, but without special additions and skills in creating such patterns, this process can be delayed. Free utility ZebraTRACE helps with these challenges.
This program traces images and combines them with a guilloche pattern. ZebraTRACE uses parametric guilloche generation. Each type of pattern that can be created with the app is defined by a mathematical formula. So if there is a desire and free time for experiments, the user can get unique drawings.
Creating new guilloches is very easy. Try making minor changes to the pattern generation formula, such as changing the coefficient value from 2 to 3, and the pattern will change. For those who do not want to get creative with ZebraTRACE, the program includes a dozen and a half presets with formulas that allow you to get the most common guilloches.
⇡ Conclusion
Free vector graphics tools aren't as common as you'd like, but they do exist. It is also good that with the development of the HTML5 standard and other web technologies, it has become possible use browser as a vector graphics editor - previously one could only dream of this. For simple projects, such tools save a lot of time, and if you use Inkscape, you can generally refuse to purchase a vector editor for design needs.
A vector graphics program is a software product that works in the relevant field of computer knowledge. As you know, there are two types of graphics - raster and vector. The latter is famous for the fact that it does not lose memory when scaling. This is explained by the fact that it does not work with points, but with vectors - coordinate equations. Raster and vector graphics programs work with different types images and the result is also different.
Modern computer graphics
This technology in many areas is becoming preferable to raster. The highest quality in any size you want is a dream come true. Working with vector graphics, of course, requires more detail if you need an image. large format. But the result is amazing.
However, target file(illustration, not the source code in the program) still turns out to be raster, since vector devices have not yet been learned to read, only through applications in which they are actually created.
CorelDraw is one of the most famous representatives of vector graphics.
The vector graphics program CorelDraw is a very vivid example for clarity. It has a sufficient number of tools for any size without loss of quality. It is often contrasted with the Photoshop program - the famous representative
The CorelDraw vector graphics program is used primarily to create logos, emblems, trademark ideas are realized with its help, it is also a permanent colleague of book and magazine layout.
The main advantages of this program is the ability to change the size and shape of the image.
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics program used primarily by professional and amateur artists. Unlike CorelDraw, which usually creates all sorts of logos that need to be scaled, Illustrator draws full-scale detailed pictures. It employs many specialists in computer graphics, because this product from Adobe provides many opportunities for implementing ideas both in the field of design (including the web), and video editing, and much more.
3D and real-time special effects, a large number of drawing tools - all this is done by Adobe Illustrator powerful program vector graphics. It is not for nothing that for so long it has not lost its popularity, but only gained it - due to its relevance.
Free analogues
The two previous programs under consideration only confirm the rule that you have to pay for quality. Both Corel and Illustrator are officially worth a lot of money. Of course, it is not so difficult to find pirated versions, repacks and portable versions for free on the Internet, but not a licensed original.
So, it's time to remember that the most common does not mean the only ones.
inkscape
Inkscape is a complete professional vector graphics tool. Not only the program is available, but also its source- all these are signs of Linux-programs, Windows-versions of which have recently conquered the market. They are of high quality and easy to use.
Inkscape fully meets the expectations of design masters, offering them a choice of various drawing tools, powerful tracing, and excellent work with colors. Among other things, the program supports the most common
When talking about free analogues vector products, Inkscape is remembered first. And not in vain. It can be safely put in one row with Illustrator, and in terms of cost and load on the system, it will even bypass it by a couple of points.
Creature House Expression
This software tool is also not for amateurs. They are used by professionals for their work.
Creature House Expression is divided into two periods in its history.
For the first time he declared himself as an innovative software product. The fact is that one of the disadvantages of vector graphics is the difficulty of obtaining a "live" image. A raster (in which, for example, photographs are edited) copes with this much better. It was Creature House Expression who tried (and quite successfully, I must say) to fix this. The set of brushes in this product turned out to be so amazing that in the end it turned out that you could draw with a vector as if it were not vector graphics at all. The images came out very realistic.
In 2003, Microsoft bought the company behind Expression, standardized it, gave it its name. But also the original and, importantly, free version this software tool can still be downloaded from the official website of its current manufacturer-owner.
Microsoft Expression Design
Microsoft Expression Design - this is the new name of the one discussed in the previous paragraph software product. And yes, this version is also completely free. True, only for students, and in order to receive it, you must send a special request confirming this status. The answer comes pretty quickly.
Microsoft Expression Design has moved away from its origins and, as already mentioned, is now more suitable for the "standards" of vector. But it still has a lot of features, and the whole toolkit completely satisfies the average illustrator or web designer.
Aviary Raven
The absence of the need not only for payment, but also for installation distinguishes this program. Yes, that's right, Aviary Raven is online. And this would have lowered her status in the eyes of many, if not for one thing - she is far from primitive.
Pre-registration allows you to save your masterpieces on your account and then export them. And to create these masterpieces, Aviary Raven provides many features, tools and options. Yes, it is not complete, but very close to it. At least, if for some reason there is no time / opportunity to install the program, Aviary Raven will quickly come to the rescue. And the account will allow you to access your work from any PC, no matter how far the user is from his workplace!
3D vector graphics
Two-dimensional graphics - graphics, roughly speaking, "flat", it works (as the name implies) with only two dimensions. It is followed by three-dimensional graphics, with the help of which three-dimensional objects are created.
If they say about two-dimensional graphics that they are drawn, then three-dimensional objects are modeled. Such an image on a plane includes the construction of a geometric model of projection onto it.
3D graphics works with both raster and vector illustrations.
Corel Motion Studio 3D
Corel MotionStudio 3D - the simplest program 3D graphics. It does, however, clearly demonstrate the possibilities of this species. First of all, as already mentioned in the previous paragraph, you can import both raster and vector files into it, as well as create something of your own in it, from scratch. Corel MotionStudio 3D has many different effects and presets, but many consider it frivolous. At the same time, if you need to make an animated picture quickly, without understanding unnecessary subtleties and nuances, this is what you need.
Graphic editor are computer tools for receiving and processing graphic images: drawings, pictures, drawings, diagrams, graphs, etc., which are obtained on the monitor screen and can be printed.Please note that in modern graphic editors, as a rule, it is possible to work with both raster and vector objects. For example, use Bezier curves in raster editors, text symbols. However, the predominant focus on working with graphics of a certain type remains.
Editors for working with vector graphics:
Adobe Illustrator allows you to create vector images of any level of complexity, using standard drawing tools and color management capabilities in this area. Intuitive interface and easy access to all the functions of the application provide a professional level of control over the entire process of creating graphics.
Corel Draw- one of the most powerful packages designed to create vector graphics. With the help of CorelDraw tools, you can create illustrations of varying complexity, booklets, logos, etc. The program has tools for editing curves created with the mouse.
macromedia freehand- a unique multi-page environment for creating complex illustrations and layouts for publication in print. Unlike Adobe Illustrator, the program supports working with multipage documents, which allows it to be used for layout. Starting with the eleventh version of the editor, SWF movies can be inserted into a document.
inkscape is a free vector editor. It has flexible drawing tools, a powerful text tool, and allows you to use Bezier and Cornu curves.
Editors for working with raster graphics
ADOBE PHOTOSHOP is the undisputed leader among professional graphic editors due to its widest possibilities, high efficiency and speed. This editor has all the necessary tools for creating, correcting, editing and preparing images for printing.
The main purpose of the program is to create photo-realistic images, work with color images, retouching, color correction, collage, etc. Adobe Photoshop has all the tools for working with bitmaps with the ability to work with multi-layered images.
PAINT- a simple raster graphics editor from Microsoft, which is part of the operating system Windows systems. Intuitive and innovative user interface. AT new version Paint.NET has made layering available, as well as infinite undo, special effects, and a wide variety of other useful tools.
COREL PHOTO-PAINT designed for processing raster photographic images. With it, you can perform vocational training images for publication, both in print media and on the Internet, also in PDF format. It has tools for creating non-standard program interfaces, Web-graphics, creating images based on montage, collage, drawing with brushes and ready-made objects.
Not as popular as Adobe Photoshop, but comparable in terms of technical capabilities. GIMP- freely distributed graphic raster editor that supports more than thirty image formats, contains tools for working with layers, masks, filters and blending modes. The arsenal of the program has a huge range of tools for color correction and processing of any photos and images. The functionality of the graphic editor can be supplemented with numerous plug-ins and extensions written specifically for GIMP. Usually they are created not by eminent companies, but by ordinary programmers, but despite this, some plug-ins have no analogues even in eminent programs for drawing and photo editing.
GIMP supports filters, brushes, gradients, and palettes. Brushes can be vector, raster and animated. There is support for Photoshop brushes.
Everyone uses image editors in their own way. Some process photographs, others draw, others make promotional materials. Each task needs a different interface.
GIMP supports graphics tablets and other input devices, allows you to reconfigure the interface for the specific needs of any creator. For example, you can easily reassign any hotkeys without even going into the settings menu.
GIMP is a program built for millions. To process photos, it has created numerous tools, filters with a user-friendly interface and informative panels. Artists will enjoy working with brushes that can respond to pressure, direction, and speed across the canvas.
As you know, little things create the overall picture, there are plenty of small "conveniences" here. For example, the first time you launch GIMP, it will detect the language of your operating system and will communicate with you in your native language.
It just so happens that GIMP is free software. This means that a team of professionals is engaged in its development; enthusiasts who work on a voluntary basis.
GIMP, unlike Photoshop, is a completely free graphic editor, and thanks to the GNU GPL license under which it is created, it can be copied and distributed without any restrictions. It can be used both in educational institutions and in any commercial organizations.
Key terms
Computer graphics- This is a field of computer science that deals with the creation, storage and processing of various images (drawings, drawings, animation) on a computer.
Raster graphics- a way of representing images as a collection of individual dots (pixels) of different colors or shades.
Vector graphics- a way of representing objects and images, based on the mathematical description of elementary geometric objects, usually called primitives, such as: points, lines, splines, Bezier curves, circles and circles, polygons.
Pixel- the smallest element of the image, a point.
Image Resolution- the degree of image detail, the number of pixels (dots) allocated per unit area.
Physical image size- height and width of the image in pixels (for display on the screen) or in units of length (millimeters, centimeters, inches) - for printing on paper.
color model- description of color shades by mixing several primary colors.
File format- the structure of the file, which determines how it is stored and displayed on the screen or when printed. The file format is usually specified in its name, as a part separated by a dot (usually this part is called the file name extension).
A list of key terms is provided at the end of each module. They are designed so that the student can check their understanding and define each term.
Teachers use a list of terms in oral questioning.
All key terms are also defined in a glossary at the end of the course where they are defined, and in an index to help locate where they are described.
Brief summary
Computer graphics is a field of computer science that deals with the creation, storage and processing of various images (drawings, drawings, animations) on a computer.
Computer graphics are divided into vector and raster.
A bitmap is a way of representing an image as a collection of individual dots (pixels) of different colors or shades.
In vector graphics, all images are described as mathematical objects - contours, i.e. the image is divided into a number of graphic primitives - a point, a straight line, a broken line, an arc, a polygon.
Both of these methods of encoding graphic information have their own characteristics and disadvantages.
The degree of detail of the image, the number of pixels (dots) allocated per unit area is called resolution.
The physical size of an image can be measured both in pixels and in units of length (millimeters, centimeters, inches). It is set when the image is created and is stored with the file.
Color models describe color shades by mixing several primary colors. Any color can be decomposed into shades of primary colors and denoted by a set of numbers - color coordinates.
RGB color model (Red (red), Green (green), Blue (blue)).
To describe a specific shade, you need to describe in brackets the amount (intensity) of each of the primary colors: first red, then green, then blue. For example, (240, 160, 25) is orange.
CMYK color model (Cyan (cyan), Magenta (magenta), Yellow (yellow), Black (black)).
The model is used to obtain a printing print. HSB color model
Model HSB (H - Hue ( hue ), S - Saturation ( saturation ), B - Brightness ( brightness ))
The concept of vector images says absolutely nothing to the vast majority of ordinary PC users. Designers, in turn, are increasingly inclined to use this type of graphics for their projects.
Previously, in order to work with SVG images, you would definitely have to install one of the specialized desktop solutions like Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape on your computer. Now, these tools are available online, without the need to download.
By doing a Google search, you will be able to see huge amount all kinds vector online editors. But the vast majority of such solutions offer rather meager opportunities and most often do not allow working with serious projects. We will consider best services to create and edit SVG images directly in the browser.
Of course, online tools cannot completely replace the corresponding desktop applications, but for most users, the proposed set of functions will be more than enough.
Method 1: Vector
A well-thought-out vector editor from the creators of the well-known Pixlr service. This tool will be useful for both beginners and advanced users working with SVG.
Despite the abundance of functions, it will be quite difficult to get lost in the Vectr interface. For beginners, detailed lessons and voluminous instructions for each of the components of the service are provided. Among the editor's tools, there is everything for creating an SVG image: shapes, icons, frames, shadows, brushes, support for working with layers, etc. You can draw an image from scratch or upload your own.
The export capabilities also include one of the most distinctive features of Vectr - support for direct links to the SVG project in the editor. Many resources do not allow you to upload vector images directly to yourself, but nevertheless allow them to be displayed remotely. In this case, Vectr can be used as a real SVG hosting, which other services do not allow.
It should be noted that the editor does not always process complex graphics correctly. For this reason, some projects may open in Vectr with errors or visual artifacts.
Method 2: Sketchpad
A simple and user-friendly web editor for creating SVG images based on the HTML5 platform. Given the set of available tools, it can be argued that the service is designed exclusively for drawing. With Sketchpad, you can create beautiful, well-designed pictures, but nothing more.
The tool has a wide range of customizable brushes of various shapes and types, a set of shapes, fonts and overlay stickers. The editor allows you to fully manipulate layers - control their placement and blending modes. Well, as a bonus, the application is fully translated into Russian, so you should not have any difficulties with its development.
Method 3: Method Draw
This web application is designed for basic operations with vector files. Outwardly, the tool resembles the desktop Adobe Illustrator, but in terms of functionality, everything is much simpler here. However, Method Draw also has some features.
In addition to working with SVG images, the editor allows you to import raster images and create vector images based on them. This can be done on the basis of manual tracing of contours with a pen. The app contains everything necessary tools for the layout of vector drawings. There is an expanded library of shapes, a full-color palette and support for keyboard shortcuts.
Method Draw is definitely not suitable for creating serious vector projects - the reason for this is the lack of appropriate functions. But due to the absence extra elements and a well-organized workspace, the service can be great for quick editing or fine-tuning simple SVG images.
Method 4: Gravit Designer
Free web vector graphics editor for advanced users. Many designers put Gravit on a par with full-fledged desktop solutions, like Adobe Illustrator. The fact is that this tool is cross-platform, that is, it is fully available on all computer operating systems, as well as as a web application.
Gravit Designer is under active development and regularly receives new features that are already enough to lay out complex projects.
The editor offers you all sorts of tools for drawing paths, shapes, paths, text overlays, fills, and various customizable effects. There is an extensive library of shapes, thematic pictures and icons. Each element in Gravit space has a list of properties available for editing.
All this variety is "packed" in a stylish and intuitive clear interface, so that any tool is available in just a couple of clicks.
Given that the service is designed for full-fledged work with vector graphics, it can be safely recommended even to professional designers. With Gravit, you can edit SVG images regardless of the platform you're on. So far, this statement is applicable only for desktop OS, but soon this editor will appear on mobile devices.
Method 5: Janvas
A popular tool for creating vector graphics among web developers. The service contains a number of drawing tools with highly customizable properties. main feature Janvas - the ability to create interactive SVG images animated with using CSS. And in conjunction with JavaScript, the service allows you to build entire web applications.
In skillful hands, this editor is a really powerful tool, while a beginner, due to the abundance of all kinds of functions, most likely simply will not understand what's what.
Yes, the tool is unfortunately not free. But this is a professional solution, which is not useful to everyone.
Method 6: DrawSVG
The most convenient online service that allows webmasters to create high-quality SVG elements for their sites as easily as possible. The editor contains an impressive library of shapes, icons, fills, gradients and fonts.
With DrawSVG, you can construct vector objects of any kind and properties, change their parameters and render them as separate pictures. It is possible to embed third-party multimedia files in SVG: video and audio from a computer or network sources.
This editor, unlike most others, does not look like a browser port of a desktop application. On the left are the main drawing tools, and on top are the controls. The main space is occupied by a canvas for working with graphics.
Raster editors (such as Photoshop and GIMP) use bitmaps to create images.
Modern graphic editor images are used as programs for drawing from scratch, and as photo editing programs. Raster editors allow you to edit photos and images on your computer screen, as well as export graphics to various formats, such as PNG or JPG.
GIMP - free graphics editor, which supports more than thirty image formats, can work with layers, masks, filters and blending modes. The arsenal of the program has a huge range of tools for color correction and processing of any photos and images.
Thanks to the user-friendly interface and nice features, learning to work in Gimp is very easy.
Possibilities of raster graphic editors
Brush dynamics. You can set the degree of jitter for any brush, the brushes can react to the degree of pressure, the speed of movement and change their color, size, hardness and opacity in any order.
Native file format XCF supports absolutely all the features of a graphics editor. It can store text, channels, paths, and image layers themselves.
Convenient work with the clipboard. The contents of the clipboard can immediately be turned either into a new image, or can be used as a brush or texture for filling.
GIMP can drag and drop just about anything you see on the screen. You can even drag and drop a color from the toolbar onto the image, and as a result, the entire image or a selected part of it will be filled with the selected color.GIMP can archive images on the fly. You just need to add to the file name gz or bz2, and the image will be compressed. In the future, will be able to open such an image as normal.
Photoshop brush support gives great drawing possibilities to designers and artists.
Selection editing. After creating a rectangular or elliptical selection, its dimensions and parameters can be edited. You can resize the selection or, for example, round the edges of the selection.
Canvas movement. In the canvas, the image can be moved outside the window, which helps to draw on the edges of the images. The image can be moved until the center of the image is in any corner of the canvas. This helps a lot when painting around the edges of a drawing.
Intuitive Tool free allocation. With one tool, you can create both a polygonal selection and a freehand selection. All selection connection points can be edited before applying the selection.
Parameter "Let loose". Perhaps not a complete cancellation of the previous action, but its partial weakening by changing the blending mode and opacity.
Alignment tool. Layers can be aligned according to certain parameters that you need. An alignment rule can be a guide, an active layer, or a selection path.Foreground selection. A very fast and handy tool that matches the colors that are in the foreground, and then creates a selection of only the foreground. At any time, the foreground boundaries can be redefined with a brush.
Localization. GIMP has been translated into many languages. It will automatically determine the language of the operating system during installation, and immediately begin to communicate with you in your native language.
Editing photos is a pleasure. There are many plugins for styling and improving the quality of photos. GIMP contains a large number of intuitive tools for convenient operation with color and photo composition.
Image map. A plug-in has been added to the GIMP standard build that can create HTM markup and the image map itself.
Intelligent bleaching. When desaturating an image, you can select one of the suggested desaturation options.
PSD file format support provides good integration with programs that do not support the GIMP file format.
Outlines tool. The tool is used to create pseudo-vector curves. Implemented, perhaps, much more convenient than in most paid vector editors.
When cropping an image, you can immediately select regulations to help frame the image well. For example, "Rule of the Third", "Golden Ratio", "Lines in the Center".
Easily create your own plugins. Any programmer can create an extension in one of the three common programming languages that can extend the editor's capabilities. Therefore, a large number of such plugins have been created.
The actual size of the layer. When you activate one of the layers, you can see its edges, even if it is outside the working canvas. Optionally, this feature can be disabled.
Changeable keyboard shortcuts. In GIMP, you can remap most of the hotkeys. When the dynamic change function is enabled, hot keys can be changed simply by hovering over a menu item and pressing the desired key combination.
Vector
Vector graphic file formats.A widely used vector graphics file format isWMFA that is used to store a collection of Microsoft Clip Gallery graphics. Some image processing programs use original formats that are recognized only by the creating program itself (for example, the vector editor OpenOffice Draw saves files in its own formatSXD, and the computer drawing system Compass - in the formatFRM).
Features of vector graphics editors
Vector graphics editors allow you to draw not only flat, but also three-dimensional objects: a cube, a ball, a cylinder, and others. When drawing 3D bodies, you can set various modes the illumination of the object, the material from which it is made, the quality of the surface and other parameters.
Vector graphics editors are computer drawing systems. In classical drawing with a pencil, ruler and compass, drawing elements (line segments, circles and rectangles) are constructed with the accuracy provided by drawing tools. The use of computer drafting systems allows you to create drawings with much greater accuracy. In addition, computer drawing systems make it possible to measure distances, angles, perimeters, and areas of drawn objects (Fig. 1).
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| Rice. 1. Computer drawing system Compass |
Vector graphics editors are also computer-aided design systems, which are used in production, as they provide the possibility of implementing an end-to-end technology for the design and manufacture of parts. On the basis of computer drawings, control programs for machine tools with numerical program management, as a result, high-precision parts from metal, plastic, wood and other materials can be manufactured according to computer drawings.