• Best Free Mac Drawing Software

Sep 07, 2019  Keep in mind that the software is capable to run on Mac OS X 10.7 or later. MediBang Paint. Mediabang Paint also one of the best free drawing software for Mac which in general focuses over the creation of manga and comic art. Artists who tend to create artworks for comics and manga have a great time working with this free drawing software.

About the author:This guest article was written by Emma Best from Laptopical - a guide to the latest laptop reviews and laptop related news. You can also follow her on Twitter.

I've been using my MacBook Pro since a while now and I must say: I really love it. The most common app(s) that designers use has to be Adobe Photoshop (Or the full suite). The app(s) are great, but there is a downside: The price tag. Photoshop CS4 costs $699, CS4 extended is $999 and the full Creative Suite starts at an stunning $1799. For many people this is just a little bit too much to 'play around with'.

Luckily, there are also many free applications out there that can do the same kind of job that Photoshop could do for you. This article rounds up the best 15 free Mac Programs for Graphic Designers. Some of these applications can even do stuff that can't be achieved using Photoshop, or are much more simple to use.

Keep your wallet in your pocket, since all these programs will cost you nothing.

GIMP

The most popular of all free photo editing software, GIMP stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program, and is highly-supported and frequently updated. Comparative to Photoshop, users can perform basic tasks such as photo retouching, color correction, and image size, or more complicated tasks like image composition and creation. GIMP has a scripting interface for advance users, as well as plugins, extensions, and filters.

Seashore

If you want GIMP, but don't have X11, then Seashore is the appropriate software for you. Based on GIMP, it has nearly all the settings and functions of the more advanced program without the higher requirements.

Inkspace

An excellent alternative to Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw, Inkscape is a free vector graphics program supporting standard SVG format, as well as XML and CSS standards. This program can do everything you'll need in a vector graphics program - tracing, path operations, direct XML editing, etc. Import and export formats include all the common image types, including JPEG, PNG, and TIFF.

Front End Digital Media Workshop

Don't waste time manually resizing individual photos for your various projects. Front End Digital Media is a batch conversion app for images (as well as video and audio), and allows you to mass resize, resample, split, join, and up/down sample JPEG, PNG, TIFF, BMP, PSD, and PICT image files.

Image Tricks

The biggest appeal for the Image Tricks app is the ability to apply dozens of different filters to over 20 different image formats. The finished photos can then be exported as either TIFF, JPEG, or PNG.

Comipro Plus

If you create cartoons of any type, Comipro Plus is an excellent app. Designed in Japanese but usable to English speakers, this program helps create modern-looking comics, including editing and adding word bubbles.

Google SketchUp

Different from a normal vector graphics program, Google's SketchUp allows you to not only create a design, but view it in 3D. It is easier to use than more complicated 3D software, such as AutoCAD, and is free.

Colorate

Spoofing software for windows. An internet connection (internet service provider fees may apply). Before you begin.Make sure you have:.

Colorate is used to change and manipulate the colors in a photo. The Library generates a color swatch based on the photo, then allow you to add a new color pallete, either blending the current one, creating a custom one, or randomizing a completely new pallete.

Goldberg

This program is best used for those times when you're viewing your photos, and notice that a color is slightly off, or a side needs cropped a bit more. Instead of firing up a full photo editing application, you can simply make minor adjustments, including color correction, blurs, noise, and embossing.

NIH Image

If you need to animate one of your photos or designs, this program is for you. It's compatible with a wide array of programs, and in addition to animating images, it can also perform minor tweaks to contrast, sharpening, smoothing, filters, and more. It also analyzes particles, angles, and paths.

Scratch

This program is so simple, it can be used also immediately with no prior instruction. It is used for creating small games, interactive art, and animated stories, and is primarily marketed to children. Despite it's juvenile market, it is an excellent tool for putting together quick interactive banners and images without the learning curve.

DAZ Studio

If you're in need of realistic 3D models, DAZ Studio is an easy-to-learn 3D program for creating 3D objects, including people, animals, and objects (buildings, cars, etc). DAZ Studio is easier to use than other 3D animation tools, and is perfect for creating surrealistic and 3D art.

Bryce

Built to run with the aforementioned DAZ Studio software, Bryce is used to create real-looking landscapes using photos of real landscapes. Take a picture of your yard, a forest, some mountains, or other landscapes, import it into Bryce, and then add all the elements needed to turn it into a new world.

ArchiCAD

If you need a 3D design tool with more power and features than Google SketchUp, ArchiCAD is the right program to you. Similar to AutoCAD in both function and name, this program allows users to design their sketches and ideas into a realistic 3D render.

JAlbum

Every graphic designer requires an efficient way to keep all their photos and images organized. JAlbum is the ultimate photo organizer, as it not only allows you to organize your photos and folders using simple drag-and-drop functionality, but it also creates thumbnails and HTML pages of your photos for easy online publishing. The HTML pages to publish can be made to either export a gallery or a slide show. In addition, there's support for IPTC and EXIF data, lossless editing, image filters, style sheets, and an integrated FTP client.

Bonus: Pixelmator

I've added Pixelmator myself to this list, as Emma didn't include this app to her top 15 list. I really love to use Pixelmator myself and I don't think it should be missing from this amazing list.

Pixelmator, the beautifully designed, easy-to-use, fast and powerful image editor for Mac OS X has everything you need to create, edit and enhance your images.

Best Free Mac Drawing Software

Bonus: Blender

Just like Pixelmator, I've added Blender myself to this list, as Emma didn't include this app to her top 15 list. Blender is a great open source app for 3d content.

Blender is the free open source 3D content creation suite, available for all major operating systems under the GNU General Public License.

Are there more Mac Apps that you, as a graphic designer, love to use that is missing from the list above? Please share!

This guest article was provided to you by Emma Best from Laptopical.

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Graphic designers are constantly looking out for free new tools to convert their devices into an art studio. Many think that for a Mac user the choices are limited. But no, drawing on a Mac does not have to dig a deep hole in your pockets. In fact, here we are sharing with quite a few free drawing software for mac that offers similar, if not the same, features as the ones in Adobe Suite.

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These free drawing software for mac will allow you to create professional-grade sketches, vectors, and concept art. The cherry on the top is that the money you save on a free drawing app mac subscription can go towards other gear.

Here is a list best free drawing apps for Mac:

1. Autodesk Sketchbook:

Many professional artists feel that Autodesk Sketchbook is one of the best free drawing app for mac. The reason is that it is loaded with a number of enviable features, tools and an exceptional user interface (UI). All these and many other things put this app on the list of top 5. It is loaded with 140+ brushes, various blending models and an unlimited number of layers that we can easily group. Not only this, but the software also supports perspective stroke and guides, rulers, as well as predictive stroke. You will love the UI and once you start sketching the UI dissolves in the background and what is left behind is the full-screen canvas. But do not worry about how you will be able to get the other tools if the full screen turns canvas. As it’s super easy to get to the tools, switch brusher and others once again.

2. Krita:

Krita is a free drawing app for mac and also an open-source painting program that is made affordable by artists who want the art tools to be easily available for all. It is helpful for concept art, texture and matte painters, illustration and comics too. It is a professional drawing app, that is a great choice for the starters to master the art of digital sketching. Plus, the official website offers a bunch of free learning resources.

The tools and features available on it are the fully customizable UI, along with various brush engines, stabilizers, pop-up color pallets, and advanced resources management. It is more for comics and concept art designers rather than illustrators. The free drawing app for mac is available on Linux, Mac OS, and Windows.

3. Medibang Paint:

Medibang is a simple but powerful tool that works great for novices and veteran illustrators alike. The free software for mac is more geared towards comic book artists as it has a bunch of different tools to create intricate graphics. The app features more than 50 brushes and over 800 backgrounds and tones. MediBang Paint also offers 20 different fonts. along with cross-platform integration via the cloud. As per which you can start your sketch on a Mac and pick up where you left off on your iPad or iPhone.

4. Inkscape:

Inkscape the free software for Mac is replete with drawing software, that is tailored to meet the needs of designers, illustrators, and web designers. It can easily give a run for money to Adobe Illustrator. The UI layout is similar to one of the older iterations of Adobe Illustrator. Inkscape offers plenty of features to create professional vectors. You can not only design, edit nodes, use path conversion but the software also supports multi-line text and a bunch of file formats you might need. The color selector at the bottom of the page is a handy highlight of this app.

5. Firealpaca:

Firealpaca can easily be used on an older Mac, the free software runs on macOS X 10.7 and later. Though it does not offer much like the others in the list, it will lend you enough brushes, color and layer options, and settings to create some amazing vectors. It also has a 3D perspective tool that lets you snap different objects to the grid As it is designed to work like a charm on older hardware, you can work on your olde version till you buy a new Mac.

There are certainly many simple free drawing apps for Mac out there but the availability of tools, simplicity, flexibility, and interfaces on these are truly amazing. Autodesk offers some enviable ones that will lead you towards the path of fame and fortune. Though on the older version it might be a bit slow.

You should think which is the most important for you to be a pro and utilize it as soon as possible.

Also Read: Vivo Apex 2019: Vivo Might Use Energous Wireless Charging Technology

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