In my last two posts I had mentioned a few different graphic design software’s. Each program excels in different areas of graphic design. In this post I will discuss a few of the budget friendly software that are available. These programs will be rated by my personal preference but I’d still recommend trying each one to see which one best suits you.
Programs listed by personal preference
Pixlr (Photo Editor)
If you have some photos that you would like to touch up but don’t want to spend $119.88/yr for a subscription for Adobe Photoshop then I’d recommend using Pixlr. Pixlr is a free online photo editor that allows you to edit any photo. They provide different filters, effects and adjustments such as saturation or contrast. Another great feature is they have a large library of stock images for you to practice on if you don’t already have your own.
The pros for this program is it’s free to use, it does not require any installation, provides a large selection of editing tools, and has a collection of stock images already built into the program for use. The cons for the programs is its web based so it requires an internet connection, it can only open image files, has a small collection of templates, and the drawing tools have limited capabilities. Overall if you need a quick touch up on your family photos, Pixlr is a great choice.
Inkscape (Vector Graphics Editor)
My next recommendation is for anyone interested in creating logos or other types of vector graphics. The major advantage of a vector graphic compared to raster image is it can be resized without having to compromise with image quality. Rather than spending $239.88/yr for a subscription for Adobe Illustrator, I’d recommend Inkscape. Inkscape is a free vector graphics editor had shares a lot of the same tools as Illustrator. It took me a bit to learn what each tool was because a few shared the same symbols as Illustrator but had different properties to their use. Once I got past the confusion I was able to recreate the same logos I had made in Illustrator.
The pros for this program is it’s free to use, doesn’t require an internet connection to use once downloaded, and it allows importing several different file formats such as Adobe Illustrator (ai). The cons for the program is it doesn’t allow customizing the workspace, the tools take time to get used to, and it doesn’t provide all color options at the same time. Overall if you need to either practice with vector graphics or need to create a logo without breaking the bank, Inkscape is your go to program.
GIMP (Photo Editor, Raster Graphics Editor)
So far these programs have only been able to perform one type of editing. With my final recommendation you can kill two birds with one stone. My last recommendation is GIMP, which stand for GNU Image Manipulation Program. Gimp has the capabilities of both editing photos, as well as either editing or developing raster images. Meaning if you want to edit your photos but want a program that doesn’t require an internet connection that GIMP is your tool. If you want to create digital art but don’t want to spend money on digital art programs, then GIMP is your tool as well. Although there was a bit of a learning curve, GIMP is my go to program when I need to create a rasterized image.
The pros for this program is it’s free to use, allows for both editing photos and creating raster images, it has a decent selection of brushes, and it can open several different file formats such as Adobe Photoshop (psd). The cons for the program is the tools have a learning curve, some brushes seem unnecessary, and you have to know the names of the fonts you want to use. Overall whether you need to edit photos or want to create digital art, I’d highly recommend trying GIMP.
TBWTLITT 
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