Immediately Relaxed By Their Attitude, The Young Woman Chuckled Too. Definitely, A Little Bit Of Company

Top 12 alternatives to Photoshop for digital painters and illustrators

Hello there!

Yes, we haven’t done this in a while… but our inbox and chat are swamped with questions on the subject, so this article was very much needed.

it’s a simple list of art apps, but we know you love those :D

Enough with the intro, here it is, a list of twelve art apps you may want to check out.

ArtRage is an art program for beginners and professionals. With its minimal interface, it’s easy to keep the essential tools at hand without stealing space from the canvas. Panels can be moved around and tools can be customised. We all know how important it is for digital artists to be able to modify brushes!

Pros: easy to use; friendly interface; essential tools from professional apps available; available for iOS, Android, Windows and Mac

Cons: it may get sluggish with big files and when using big brushes, but performances also depend on the running machine; limited selection of editing tools if compared to Photoshop - ArtRage is more of a painting program rather than an editing one.

Paid

ArtRage Lite is a different version at a cheaper price, mostly for beginners, but also for professionals if they need the essential.

Now free, Sketchbook is the famous app created by Autodesk for various platforms.

Pros: clean, friendly interface; easy to use; professional features

Cons: lack of official tutorials; doesn’t offer as many tools as other apps (it’s down to the essential); paid subscription in Adobe style for multiple licenses

Free and paid

Black Ink is a powerful little program few actually know, but there’s a reason: this isn’t your classing drawing app. What’s cool about it is the vast selection of special brushes, completely non-realistic, and definitely able to boost your creativity.

Pros: vast selection of customisable brushes; excellent performance

Cons: not very easy to use; non-intuitive interface

Paid

This is probably the most complete software for painting, drawing and animation. It was originally known as Manga Studio, but with its updates and addition of features, it became Clip Studio Paint. 

This doesn’t say much about the quality of the features themselves considering the affordable price (if you haven’t used the app yet, that is), but among graphic apps, this one is the top seller.

Pros: professional features for illustrators; layout tools for comic/manga artists; 3D reference models; customisable tools; various sales with special prices

Cons: the interface may not appear intuitive at first; the program may lag (again, performance also depends on the running machine)

Paid

GIMP is the famous open source image editor originally created for GNU/Linux and available for OS X and Windows. 

Best known as Photoshop’s main competition, this is a manipulation program for both beginners and professionals who love design.

It offers many professional features, making the program a powerful tool.

Pros: professional editing tools; supports different formats; supported by different platforms; active community

Cons: in spite of the simple design, many options are hidden and it takes time to discover all the features; slow startup

Free

Krita is an open source painting app created by artists for artists.

Pros: easy to use; intuitive interface; great brush workflow; brush stabilizer; customisable brushes; general good performance; very enthusiastic, although small, community

Cons: it may be slow or even crash depending on the running computer and the app’s version; very few editing tools compared to Photoshop

Free

MediBang Paint is a free and light app for drawing and painting, perfect for manga and comic creation.

Pros: vast selection of brushes; cloud sharing; friendly, minimal interface (non-desktop app); also available for iPad, iPhone and Android

Cons: requires an account to use all features; non-intuitive interface (desktop version)

Free

Mischief is a sketching app with essential tools, useful for brainstorming and ideation.

Pros: infinite drawing canvas; friendly interface; easy to use; cheap pro version

Cons: few updates; offers only the essential (but that’s the point); no editing/adjustment tools

Free and paid

Corel’s jewel, Painter is the most famous software that offers digital tools able to give a traditional feel to brushes and canvas.

Pros: different selection of media; many professional features; PS-friendly

Cons: certain brushes may work slow; not easy to use at first; the software may crash (this is the most common report); pricey

Paid

Paintstorm Studio is a professional software for digital painting. It’s focused on the use of brushes and blending, which makes the software a little gem in the digital painting field.

Pros: good brush workflow; brush stabilizer; “close gap” feature; customisable interface and tools; professional features; affordable price

Cons: non-intuitive interface (desktop version)

Paid

Procreate is the powerful drawing app for iOS. 

With the very sensitive Apple Pencil, Procreate is so easy to use that many artists chose the iPad over the most famous graphic tablets.

Pros: friendly interface; makes it easy to organise files; excellent brush workflow; customisable brushes; video recording; affordable price

Cons: hidden features; only available for iPad

Paid

SAI is a simple app for artists who want to focus on painting and drawing. 

It’s well known for its good pressure support and its essential tools for manga artists, but SAI can be used by any kind of artist who wants to paint.

Pros: easy to use; friendly interface; light software; customisable brushes; tons of (non-official) tutorials

Cons: limited selection of tools, even basic ones; limited canvas sizes and uses; it might crash from intensive work, especially with big canvases and brushes; supports only RGB colour mode; lack of support

Paid

We hope you’ll find this list useful. 

If you think there are other apps that should have made this list, don’t hesitate to let us know!

Thank you and peace out,

G&M

Buy us a coffee ❤

Other articles:

10 inspiring and helpful YouTube channels for digital artists

6 inspiring Art Podcasts for digital artists

7 amazing Photoshop extensions and tools for digital artists

when you find some dumb dance reference gifs and a bad procrastination habit 

go forth my children, what can you sync these guys up to…I might regret this curiosity 

I bleed just to know I’m not alone

Blue eyes looked up at him when he tried to explain his gesture and the young woman smiled.

“It's more than alright. Thank you my dear.”

She nuzzled the doctor's neck, making herself comfortable against his body. This man had a heart of gold and his charming nature was making her melt. The hand caressing her back was lulling her to peace, a feeling of security enveloping her tormented mind.

“To be honest, I didn't expected this night to turn out like this.”

Julian's presence was soothing and it encouraged Lysandre to pour her heart out like all drunkards do.

“You asked what brought me here tonight… Well, Asra did. He left me behind once again and I lost it. He's important to me you know? I couldn't put a precise word on our relationship since everything is confused but we're really close and he's being very affectionate. I've always been proud to be by his side but now, I wonder how pathetic I must be for him to let me rot alone in the shop… It happens so often…”

A bitter laugh escaped her lips and she suddenly seemed incredibly fragile, huddled against Julian's tall body. This was one of the rare occasions where the woman was showing the need to feel protected. Such weakness had never been allowed in her younger years of life.

“But then, why does he keep me around if I'm being a disappointment? I don't understand. It doesn't make sense…”

She sighed, shaking her head lightly.

“ In a way, I'm very grateful for your sudden appearance in the shop. Our encounters always bring me back to life ... Being in this damned house only makes me feel empty. And tonight… Tonight has been amazing. You were so incredible I nearly forgot HIM...”

Lysandre sneaked her arms around the doctor and squeezed lightly. The alcohol was starting to lose its effect and her education was coming back to her mind, forbidding her to be any more sincere towards the fugitive.

“I'm being ridiculous. Please, forgive my inappropriate behavior Doctor Devorak. You're keeping me warm ans I take advantage of the situation… How rude of me to take such liberties.”

Her arms retreated from his waist and she brought them against her chest awkwardly.

Several long seconds that felt like hours passed by while he was admiring her more or less discreetly before he unconsciously turned his head to face her like it was no big secret anymore that he was shooting her glances. Her words completely went over his head, because in that moment, the only thing on his mind was her and her alone. What guards, what safety? The entire world was at his feet for the time being and the confidence he had towards the fact that no such incident was to impact that night negatively was easily spotted in his grin. With his usual dramatic flare, he gestured by flailing his hands in the air as he spoke loud enough for anyone else who was outside to hear.

“So, let them come! They can try to catch us, but I swear I’m invincible!”, much alike a drunkard, he let his arms fall to his sides quickly after, as if he was too tired to keep them up in the air anymore and he lowered his voice for the next utterance; he didn’t exactly want to tempt fate, no matter how confident he might have felt.

“You’re an amazing dancer, I bet you’re also fabulous at running. I am quite nimble myself, a creature of habit, you see…escaped the law for 3 years…what’s 3 years more, right?”, he chuckled for a brief moment, his laughter interrupted by her sudden shiver. Reflexively, he reached over his shoulder to grab his coat, but instead only grasped at the cold air of the night - he had forgotten his coat inside the bar.

“Ah, curses…”, he muttered to himself when he realized he did not have anything to comfort Lysandre with but his own cold body, which he knew would not suffice, but he was willing to try it out anyway. His arm wrapped around her upper back and pulled her closer to him, enough for Julian to be able to hug her to his chest, pink cheeks growing hotter by the second. Only then he realized how crude he was being by not even asking permission first, but it was too late to part from her now, it would have just been even more awkward to push her away just to pull her back in, in case she accepted his embrace. 

“Y…you looked cold, so I-…I hope it’s alright.”, he spoke quietly, exponentially more tame than before, a hand gripping at her arm while the other was warmly stroking her back. His poor heart was almost thumping out of his chest, his breathing had become irregular, as if he was trying to hold it or to slow it down, in a way that would not hinder her while her head was resting in the crook of his neck. What a fragile form in comparison to his own, and yet…he was not afraid to squeeze her in his arms, in order to make her body feel warmer and to shield it from the weather. The closer their hearts were to each other, the better Julian realized that their giddy heartbeats were in sync, which lifted some weight off his shoulders - perhaps he wasn’t being a creep after all.

Modern AU. Inspired by this tweet.

Just a little wip of our beloved Doctor and my apprentice.  (I’m stuggling with my old tablet though x_x ) Ad Astra Per Aspera: To the stars through difficulties.

@sedireadieu Lysandre felt sorry for him as she watched him fight against his drunken state. However, his question sent her back to the starting point and the young woman had to force herself not to frown. Not Asra again... He was away and she didn’t need to remember it. She tried to play it off with a tense smile and a bit of sarcasm, hoping she would be convincing enough.

“You would like that wouldn’t you... No. To be honest, I’m here to have a little fun. What can I say, while the cat's away the mice will play...” She took a breath, leaning a bit on the table, her eyes searching his.

“And you dear Doctor? Are you here to have some fun?” She already knew the real answer. Why was he here? To torture himself... Reflect upon his presumed crimes and drown his sorrows in Salty bitters were his favourite activities. The young woman was fully aware that bringing this up wasn’t the best move but she needed to distract him for a bit. Even when being utterly wasted, he remained very observant. It was indeed impressive but also too dangerous for her current mood. Julian wasn’t a bad person, she was absolutely sure about it and she didn’t want to bring him down with her own silly vexations.

@lysandresamaeldhaucourt​

Her first reflex was to shoot this nuisance a furious stare but, as her eyes set on him, recognition hit her. So when he wasn’t breaking in her shop, he was getting drunk… What an amazing schedule. A sigh escaped her lips as she eyed him disaprovingly.

“Julian… Are you really drunk enough to be unable to recognise me? I was going to tell you I was fine but now I’m offended…”

As much as she wanted to scold him for interrupting her brooding session, her lips curved in a small smile. With a vague movement of her hand, she gestured to a vacant chair near her own.

“You should sit before embarrassing yourself further.”

There was no aggressivity in her tone, only amusement. After all, seeing this supposed murderer tripping over himself wasn’t the most scary of things. Plus, even drunk, he was quite handsome… Not that she would admit it though. Blue eyes checked her drink and she groaned, realizing her glass was nearly empty. Tonight, she definitely needed more to let go of her bitterness towards Asra, to forget her duties towards the countess. Tonight, she wanted to have some fun no matter what.

To put it briefly: yes, yes he was that drunk. He had to narrow his eye to even be able to tell who it was, and surely enough, after his eye had adjusted to the familiar face it was as if the light had finally turned on in his currently vacant brain.

An embarrassed blush crept upon his pale complexion as he fell into the chair vis-a-vis her own, trying to brush the incident off with a smile - although, if one were to look at the way he was swaying, they could tell he was more than a bit tipsy.

“Well, if it isn’t my favourite lady!”, he exclaimed and reached to tap her on the shoulder in a friendly manner, although that was all the more giving him motion sickness so he stopped soon after, going back to resting his head in his hands as he was when he was sitting down at his own table.

“Oh, what d’you know…your glass is empty, I don’t have a glass…A fated encounter.”, a cheesy grin appeared on his lips as he wiggled his eyebrows at her. “A couple more over here, if you are so kind!”, he called out for the bartender to bring them another round. Although observing her through a drunken haze, he could still notice that she wasn’t feeling entirely like herself. “Somethin’ bad happen? You’re usually not one to come here. Oho, am I perhaps rubbing off on you?”

when someone kills you in a video game but you have health potions

😢

Heartbreaking habitat devastation in Australia.

@sedireadieu @countlxcio 0:)

he’s coming back for you