Painting the Window

You’ve created your window. Now you want to show something inside it. In Windows terminology, this is called painting the window. To mix metaphors, a window is a blank canvas, waiting for you to fill it.

Sometimes your program will initiate painting to update the appearance of the window. At other times, the operating system will notify you that you must repaint a portion of the window. When this occurs, the operating system sends the window a WM_PAINT message. The portion of the window that must be painted is called the update region.

The first time a window is shown, the entire client area of the window must be painted. Therefore, you will always receive at least one WM_PAINT message when you show a window.

You are only responsible for painting the client area. The surrounding frame, including the title bar, is automatically painted by the operating system. After you finish painting the client area, you clear the update region, which tells the operating system that it does not need to send another WM_PAINT message until something changes.

Now suppose the user moves another window so that it obscures a portion of your window. When the obscured portion becomes visible again, that portion is added to the update region, and your window receives another WM_PAINT message.

The update region also changes if the user stretches the window. In the following diagram, the user stretches the window to the right. The newly exposed area on the right side of the window is added to the update region:

In our first example program, the painting routine is very simple. It just fills the entire client area with a solid color. Still, this example is enough to demonstrate some of the important concepts.

Start the painting operation by calling the BeginPaint function. This function fills in the PAINTSTRUCT structure with information on the repaint request. The current update region is given in the rcPaint member of PAINTSTRUCT. This update region is defined relative to the client area:

In your painting code, you have two basic options:

• Paint the entire client area, regardless of the size of the update region. Anything that falls outside of the update region is clipped. That is, the operating system ignores it.
• Optimize by painting just the portion of the window inside the update region.

If you always paint the entire client area, the code will be simpler. If you have complicated painting logic, however, it can be more efficient to skip the areas outside of the update region.

The following line of code fills the update region with a single color, using the system-defined window background color (COLOR_WINDOW). The actual color indicated by COLOR_WINDOW depends on the user’s current color scheme.

The details of FillRect are not important for this example, but the second parameter gives the coordinates of the rectangle to fill. In this case, we pass in the entire update region (the rcPaint member of PAINTSTRUCT). On the first WM_PAINT message, the entire client area needs to be painted, so rcPaint will contain the entire client area. On subsequent WM_PAINT messages, rcPaint might contain a smaller rectangle.

The FillRect function is part of the Graphics Device Interface (GDI), which has powered Windows graphics for a very long time. In WindowsВ 7, Microsoft introduced a new graphics engine, named Direct2D, which supports high-performance graphics operations, such as hardware acceleration. Direct2D is also available for WindowsВ Vista through the Platform Update for Windows Vista and for Windows ServerВ 2008 through the Platform Update for Windows Server 2008. (GDI is still fully supported.)

After you are done painting, call the EndPaint function. This function clears the update region, which signals to Windows that the window has completed painting itself.

Windows 10 Tip: A guide to the basic tools in Paint 3D

Paint 3D is a built-in creative application that comes free with Windows 10*. It is designed to be simple yet powerful by allowing you to create professional or fun creative projects by easily combining 2D and 3D tools. The best part is that you don’t need any design experience – Paint 3D can be used by anyone. Its approachable interface makes it easy to customize existing 3D models from our built-in 3D library or create 3D designs from scratch.

Getting started: Paint 3D’s basic navigation

• Brushes: Expand your artistic abilities with unique pens & brushes that mimic real materials without the mess. Try transparent watercolor that beautifully washes the canvas or oil painting so real that you can see the paint smudging. These artistic brushes work both on both the canvas and on 3D models with professional effects such as polished metal and matte to help personalize your designs.

• 2D Shapes: It is easy to draw perfect shapes with our collection of 2D shapes and the line and curve tool. Use the control circles to manipulate the curvature to your desired angle. You can also click Make 3D to turn the shape into a layer with additional rotation options.

Give it a go! Click here to view the circuit board model on Remix3D.com. Bring it into Paint 3D and use 2D shapes to add the correct symbols to the circuit diagram. Then use the line and curve tool to fill in the correct waveform patterns. Watch this video for tips on 2D Shapes.

• 3D Shapes: There are many ways to get started in creating in 3D. Use pre-made shapes to jump start building a new model or use the 3D doodle tool to instant turn your 2D sketches in 3D models. Simply trace a design from a photo or draw one free hand and watch as it instantly pop into a 3D model. The sharp edge 3D doodle creates sharp lines, perfect for drawing a star. The soft edge 3D doodle creates a soft curve, perfect for drawing a cloud.

Click here to view the chair concept image on Remix3D.com. Bring it into Paint 3D and use both 3D doodle tools to trace around the image and pop it out into 3D. Watch this video for tips on the 3D Doodle tool.

• Stickers: This is a unique and easy way to add texture to your creations. Use this tool to experiment with materials such as wood or marble or upload your own photo to create a custom texture sticker. It will instantly wrap around 3D objects–no prior 3D knowledge needed! You can also adjust the opacity of the sticker.

• Text: Add words using our 2D & 3D text options. 2D will anchor the text to the canvas while 3D text will allow you to move it around the canvas and rotate to different directions.
• Effects: Create unique moods such as calming Mist or mysterious Night by changing the environment and lighting in your 3D scenes. You can even move the sun around a light wheel to change the direction of the lighting.

• Canvas: This digital canvas mimics a painter’s canvas. This tab allows you to resize and control the dimensions, including turning off the 2D canvas so you can freely design your 3D model.
• Magic Select: Easy to use tool that allows you to select the part of the image that you want to cut out and remove it from the background. The tool instantly and almost magically pops out your selection onto another layer and intelligently auto-fills the background to hide any gaps.

• 3D library**: Browse our huge catalog of thousands of free 3D models for you to edit. Choose from our pre-curated collections to get started quickly or search for your desired model in the search tool bar. With a tap, you can instantly import the 3D model into your project and begin recoloring and customizing right away.
• History Slider: You can undo and rewind all your actions, it’s like an unlimited undo button! The history slider records every change in the scene and allows you to scroll back through time. You can even create a video of your design process to share with friends by click on the start recording button.
• 3D View mode: This allows you to move around and see your content from any angle. There are also controls to help you zoom in and out of the canvas with the ability to enter a precise zoom amount.

Click here to view the shark scene on Remix3D.com.Bring in into Paint 3D and use 3D view mode to position the fins correctly. Then use the 3D doodle tool to add and position a dorsal fin.
Watch this video for tips on using 3D view mode.

• Mixed Reality: This takes your 3D model from Paint 3D and launches it into the Mixed Reality Viewer application so you can visualize the 3D model in a real world context. You can snap a photo or record a short video of the 3D object interacting with your world to share with friends.

Paint 3D makes it easy to unlock your creativity and bring your ideas to life. To check out these features for yourself, you can get started by opening the Paint 3D app. If you are new to Paint 3D, check out the entire Paint 3D guide series here or check out more Paint 3D tutorials here.

*To access all the latest Paint 3D features, you will need to update to the latest Windows 10 April 2018 Update. To learn how to get the Windows 10 April 2018 Update, check out this blog post.

**3D Library is available in select markets. Check out the online library here.

Best Drawing Software and Apps in 2021 (Free & Paid)

There are so many software and apps for drawing illustrations and manga digitally, and it’s easier than ever to get professional-level software as long as you have a device. This article compares nine drawing tools, both paid and free, to help you decide what’s best for you.

Choosing Drawing Software and Applications

Key criteria to consider when looking for drawing software:

What device you’re using

Why you’re drawing

● Software By Device

Different software and apps are available depending on the device you’ll use to draw.

For Desktop (Windows/macOS)

The following is a list of desktop drawing software. Some offer dedicated specialties such as comic creation.

The following is a list of drawing applications, some geared towards creating comics and manga and available on the iPad, Android tablets, or both. The iPad supports pen pressure when you draw when using an Apple Pencil or a BambooSketch.

The following is a list of drawing applications for iPhones or Android smartphones.

● Software by Purpose

First, think about your drawing goals, what you want to draw, and whether your art will stay digital or go to print. This will help you find the drawing tools and software that are right for you, which is especially important if you want to draw comics.

Drawing Professional Illustration, Comics, and Design

This article introduces the best tablets for beginners to digital art!

Drawing Software and Applications

From here, we will introduce the features of each drawing software/app as well as information about price, support, and trial versions. For first-time users, it’s wise to choose a drawing software or app with reliable support from the company that produces it. Furthermore, trial versions allow users to try something out before investing in them so you can make a more informed choice about which one suits you best.

● Photoshop CC (Windows/macOS)

A professional graphics software that’s popular with professional designers, photographers, and editors. Abundant in features, it is also useful for drawing illustrations. Photoshop CC requires some customization, so it is suitable for intermediate artists.

Photoshop CC is prominent in the design and photo processing industry, and many design schools use Photoshop to teach students. This versatile software can export multi-page data for use online, in print, and for videos.

You can draw in Photoshop, but it wasn’t created with illustration or comics in mind. It takes time and effort to customize the pen and brush tools, and features like pen pressure are turned off by default. However, if you are looking for a highly-customizable program, Photoshop CC will work well for you. An update in 2017 added a stabilization function to the pen and brush settings.

Since it was initially software for photo processing, it is quite good at adjusting colors. It also supports CMYK, the go-to format used for printed works. Since Paint Tool SAI does not support CMYK, the two software are often used together.

Photoshop CC is suited for intermediate users, so we recommend it if you know what you want to create and are happy to customize your software. Another similar software, Photoshop Elements, has limited functions but can draw digital illustrations without any problems and costs less than US$100.

Developer: Adobe Systems Co., Ltd.

Support: For some issues, the Adobe support team can be contacted via their official contact form or a chat feature. Although the official website has a community forum for asking and answering questions, these topics are mainly related to design and photo processing. There is not much information on illustration and comics.

There are also many books and online websites that introduce Adobe Photoshop, but again, there is little information specializing in illustration and comics.

Trial version:
Download the full-feature seven-day trial version from the Free Trial Download page.
Note: To use all the features, you must obtain an Adobe ID and register for the trial version.

How to purchase:
You can buy Photoshop CC from the official website and other digital software purchasing sites.

Price:
Creative Cloud Photography Plan: $9.99/month

• • Photoshop CC is a monthly subscription service.
  • When purchasing from the official website, Adobe accepts payments through credit card, PayPal, and wire transfer. You can pay with cash if you load it onto a prepaid debit card, available separately from many retailers.

● Clip Studio Paint (Windows/macOS/iPad/iPhone/Android)

Clip Studio Paint is a versatile software that supports a wide range of specialties, including illustration, comics, and animation. It comes with a plethora of digital art tools, so you can start drawing with it right out of the box. Clip Studio Paint is suited for those who want to create various kinds of works, including illustration. There is also a version available on the iPad/iPhone/Galaxy/Android/Chromebook.

Professional creators use Clip Studio Paint in the illustration, manga, and animation industries. Schools use Clip Studio Paint to teach comic, illustration, or animation courses. This software has an outstanding reputation for how it feels as you draw. Clip Studio Paint supports multi-page data export for digital, printed work, and movies. With features for arranging images and text, it’s suitable for simple design work as well.
Furthermore, it is useful for specialty comic production, such as for webtoons. It comes with webtoon canvas settings and the ability to split vertical works into multiple smaller works. Last but not least, artwork production can be recorded with its canvas timelapse feature and then shared to social media in video format.

It takes some time to learn how to use all of the software. However, some features such as the editable 3D drawing figures are great for beginners. You can change their pose and angles to help create base sketches.

In addition to pens and brushes, it also has many other digital art tools such as color and monochrome screen tones. You can download and add pens, brushes, tones, etc., from Clip Studio ASSETS, our official material service, and you can import Photoshop brushes (extension: .abr). Pens and brushes have a high degree of freedom, and once you get used to them, you can customize them to suit your style.

There are two versions, PRO and EX. Multi-page comics and full-fledged animations can be created with the higher grade EX version. Clip Studio Paint is a powerful software that allows you to create various genres of illustrations, comics, webtoons, and animation. The tablet and smartphone versions for iPads and Samsung Galaxy devices have the exact same features as the desktop version. When using it on multiple devices, you can use a cloud service to migrate your works and settings. Another advantage of this software is that you can create the same pens and brushes regardless of OS.

Developer: CELSYS, Inc.

Support:
You can contact support via the website’s official contact form. There is also a Frequently Asked Questions section, a wealth of detailed explanations, tutorials, and videos by professional creators. Not only that, but there is also a Q&A service, Clip Studio ASK, that allows users to ask and answer each other’s questions. Many users also use social media to exchange information.

You can also find books about this software. However, because it is continuously releasing new updates, the information may not match the latest software specifications.

Trial version:

• For Windows and macOS, you can use all the features (*1) for 30 days after downloading from the free trial version page on the official site. If you apply for a monthly usage plan, you can use it for up to 3 months free of charge (*2).
• Clip Studio Paint for Galaxy is now available in the Galaxy Store worldwide.
• Clip Studio Paint for Android/Chromebook is available for download from the Play Store.
• The iPad version can be used for free for up to three months (*2) if you download it from the App Store and apply for a monthly usage plan.
• The iPhone version is free to use for one hour every day after downloading it from the App Store. It can be used for an unlimited amount of time with an in-app purchase.

Note 1: In order to use all the features, you must obtain a Clip Studio account and register for the trial version.
Note 2: This is only for the first time you apply for a monthly use plan. You also need to apply via the app.

Please refer to the help section on the official website for more information.

How to purchase:

Clip Studio Paint can be purchased and downloaded from the official website via Paypal, credit cards, bank/wire transfer, WebMoney, and check.
In addition to the official website, you can purchase the packaged version at online stores and events.
Both iPad and iPhone versions can be downloaded from the AppStore.

Price:
Windows/macOS
One-time payment (download version)

• PRO: US$49.99 (tax included)
• EX: US$219.00 (tax included)

Windows/macOS/iPad/iPhone/Galaxy Monthly usage plans

A flexible monthly usage plan for a single preferred device (Windows/macOS/iPad/iPhone/Galaxy). You need to apply from the app.

• Clip Studio Paint PRO: US$4.49 (tax included)/month (Annual: US$24.99)
• Clip Studio Paint EX: US$8.99 (tax included)/month (Annual: US$71.99)

There are also other great deals available for multiple devices. For more information, please refer to the official website.

Smartphone plan

• Clip Studio Paint PRO: US$0.99 (tax included)/month (Annual: US$6.49)
• Clip Studio Paint EX: US$2.49 (tax included)/month (Annual: US$16.99)

Note: When using pen pressure detection or Galaxy Dex mode, please use a Clip Studio Paint plan other than the smartphone plan. Visit the following site for more details about Plans.

● Corel Painter 2021 (Windows/macOS)

Corel Painter 2021 is a multi-functional graphics software suitable for creative works. You can draw comfortably with its 900+ versatile brushes and high customizability. It’s suitable for painting realistic style works.

Corel Painter is a long-selling software that is a standard for drawing and painting. The long and smooth stroke of its unique brush engine allows you to draw intuitively with realistic painting strokes as if you were painting on paper. Although expensive, its preset brushes and intricate customization make it suitable for a range of painting styles. However, the focus on realistic brushstrokes makes it less ideal for creating cartoon or comic styles.

To improve the speed of launch and operation, we recommend that you check the specs of your computer before installing and use a computer with specs that exceed the software’s minimum specifications.

Corel Painter 2021’s independent color selector allows you to select a color while checking it against other colors. It also has a Color Harmonies function that lists colors that match the selected color. So even if you aren’t confident in picking colors, these features help inexperienced artists choose colors more easily.

It’s annual subscription is available for both Mac and Windows, and includes free brush packs and updates as soon as they are available. A low-priced version of Painter Essentials 8 is also available. Although it has fewer brushes, the freedom of customization and the independent color selector is comparable to the full-featured version.

Corel also has an android-compatible app called Painter Mobile that comes in both free and paid versions. The paid version comes with more functions.

Developer: Corel Corporation

Support:
You can contact user support from the website’s official contact form. Detailed manuals and user galleries are also available on their dedicated tutorial website, and several books have been published that teach you how to use this software.

How to purchase:
Download the desktop version (Windows/macOS) from the official website.

Price:

• Annual subscription: US$199
• One-time payment: US$424 (Free 30-day trial available)

● Krita (Windows/macOS)

Krita is an open-source, free graphics software. This new digital illustration tool is complete with basic drawing functions and brushes.

This software is available for free. Unlike other software, Krita supports Linux. You can also use many brushes and import additional user-created resources, a feature unique to open-source software.

In addition to the ability to create an infinite number of layers, it has vector layers that you can use to transform figures and text without losing image quality. Krita also has a symmetry drawing tool that allows you to draw objects with intricate patterns.

Even though it is free software, it has an animation creation function, which supports frame-by-frame animation and simultaneous playback of animation and imported audio.

The drawback is that you will need to get used to brushstroke lag if you want to draw with it. This lag exists regardless of device, so if you are looking for high-performing brushstrokes, we recommend Clip Studio Paint.
Krita is available for purchase from Steam or the Microsoft Store.

Beta versions for ChromeOS and Android are also under development and can be downloaded from the official website.

Developer: Krita Foundation

Support:
You can contact support from the website’s official contact form. Krita also has tutorials and a Frequently Asked Questions page. Furthermore, you can download additional resources and browse their user gallery.

How to purchase:
Download the desktop version (Windows/macOS/Linux) from the official website for free.
Purchase the desktop version (Windows/macOS/Linux) from Steam and the Microsoft Store.

Price: Free, US$9.99 (Steam), US$9.79 (Microsoft Store)

● Paint Tool SAI (Windows)

Paint Tool SAI is a software with a simple interface and a smooth brush engine. However, it lacks functions such as text input, gradients, and figure drawing, so we recommend it for artists who want to create illustrations rather than comics.

Artists love this software due to its excellent stabilization and the overall feel as you draw. However, it only has a handful of methods for adjusting colors, and it does not support CMYK output. You’ll need to switch to another software to carry out these steps. Still, it is one of the leading drawing software for beginner illustrators.

Paint Tool SAI lacks strong user support and requires basic knowledge of Windows to use. SYSTEMAX is developing Paint Tool SAI Ver.2 with text input and ruler features. A beta version is currently available on the official website, and users who own Paint Tool SAI can use it free of charge. Some artists use the beta version to draw manga.

Developer: SYSTEMAX, Inc.

Support:
The official website has a Frequently Asked Questions page but no official community.
The software comes with a simple manual.
Paint Tool SAI has existed for over a decade, so plenty of books are available to explain how to use the software to draw illustrations, as well as numerous tutorials online.

Trial version:
Download the trial version from the official website.
You can use the trial version for free for 31 days after installation.

How to purchase:
Purchase from the official website.
The website accepts payment via Paypal and credit card.

Price: ‎ JPY 5500

● ibisPaint (iPad/iPhone/Android)

A fast-growing free app that lets you draw illustrations and manga on your smartphone or tablet. We recommend ibisPaint for artists who want to draw on their smartphone or tablet.

ibisPaint is a free illustration and manga drawing app. The UI design is optimized for smartphones and tablets. In addition to more than 2500 textures and screentones, it also has a full range of manga production features such as a frame border function. However, canvas size and dpi are limited. A B5 or A5 canvas cannot have 600 dpi resolution, a requirement for printing black-and-white comics.

The free version displays ads and limits the number of brushes. Watching an ad will unlock these functions for a limited amount of time. Purchasing the paid version removes ads and brush restrictions. If you become a premium member of their monthly membership system, you can use the member-only filters as well.

You can also record your drawing process as a timelapse video and post it to their official website and Twitter.

ibisPaint is compatible with Clip Studio Paint, so you can upload ibisPaint artwork to the Clip Studio cloud, then continue working on the same layers in Clip Studio Paint.

Developer: ibis mobile inc.

Support:
Check the official website for Frequently Asked Questions and tutorials. It has a lot of useful content, perfect for digital art beginners. You can also contact support from the website’s official contact form.
In addition to an Official YouTube channel, other users’ tutorial videos are also available on their official website gallery.

How to purchase:
Free version (ibisPaint X)
Download the app from the following links. To become a prime member, you need to purchase it within the app. You can also buy the paid version for Android in the app (Remove Ads Add-on).

• Download the iOS (iPad/iPhone) version from the AppStore.
• Download the Android version from Google Play.

Paid version (ibisPaint)
Purchase the paid version of (ibisPaint) from the AppStore.

Price:

• Free (with ads and limited functions)
• Paid (ad-free version): US$7.99
• Prime Membership: US$2.99/month

● Procreate (iPad)

A classic and well-known iPad paint app that won the Apple Design Award. Its wide canvas with touch operation ensures a comfortable drawing experience. The simple UI makes it easy to find features.

Procreate has many digital features, such as brush customization, perspective rulers, clipping masks, text tools, and animation. Not only is it rich in features, but it also has a clean interface that’s easy for beginners to understand. When you start the app, it displays an impressive video on how to use it and a high-quality example image file.

There is a Procreate app for the iPhone with fewer features called Procreate Pocket.

Neither application has a trial version available and, therefore, unfortunately, no way to test them out before purchasing.

Developer: Savage Interactive Pty Ltd

Support:
Procreate’s official website has a mail contact form and a user community.
There are plenty of user tutorials available online too.

Trial version: No trial available.

How to purchase: Purchase from the AppStore.

Price: US$9.99

●Adobe Fresco (iPad/Windows)

Adobe Fresco is a painting software released by Adobe in 2019.

Like Procreate, Adobe Fresco is also designed for use with pen and touch-operated devices. Its main feature is its ability to mimic aspects of traditional painting, such as color mixing and bleeding. It uses live brushes that bleed and mix colors as real art supplies would. You can also adjust the amount of water and how the paint mixes for each brush. Mixing yellow and blue mix in Fresco makes green, an aspect that is not often reproduced in other digital painting software. You can also use both raster and vector brushes on the same canvas. In this way, Adobe Fresco is similar to Clip Studio Paint in that it combines both the feel of watercolor and oil painting with the benefits of working with vectors.

Adobe Fresco is highly recommended for those who already use Adobe products. It specializes in drawing and rounds out Adobe’s other specialized area software (photo processing, design, animation, etc.), resulting in a full, robust digital art workflow. Furthermore, it uses Photoshop brushes as well as Adobe’s cloud service.

Developer: Adobe Systems, Inc.

Support and manuals:
As with Photoshop, you can make inquiries using chat and email via the inquiry form on the official website.
Official website tutorials focus on watercolor and oil painting.

Trial version:

Instead of a trial version limited to 30-days, the app is available as a free scaled-down version in a freemium model.

How to purchase:
Adobe Fresco can be purchased on its own from the Abode official website, Adobe creative cloud, or the App Store (iPad version).
The Windows version can be downloaded from the official Adobe website.
In addition to its own separate plan, it also comes in a plan with Photoshop or the Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps plan.

Price: Free for Adobe Creative Cloud subscribers or $9.99 a month for non-subscribers.

● MediBang Paint (Windows/macOS/iPad/iPhone/Android)

MediBang Paint is free software with many features for drawing manga. If you register as a user and log in, you can unlock more features. It’s a good way to try out many kinds of features for free.

This app is a free simple drawing tool. Although you cannot customize it as much as paid ones, it has essential functions for drawing manga, such as frame borders and screentones. It’s made by the same company that makes the apps Jump PAINT and MangaName. These are apps for creating comics rather than illustrations.

It comes with various cloud functions, including access to over 1000 screentones and 20 fonts. You can save your work on the cloud to continue working on it on other devices. To use these functions, you must register as a user and log in. Note that you cannot transfer settings such as those on pens and brushes between different operating systems, such as a computer and an iPad.

If you are looking to draw black-and-white comics, MediBang Paint or Clip Studio Paint, the de-facto industry standard, are both good go-to options.

Developer: MediBang Inc.

Support:
You can contact the developer from the email form on the official website. Additionally, their website offers tutorials, materials, and an FAQ on basic app usage and announcements. You can search for OS-specific queries, but results can sometimes still come back with mixed OS results.
Tutorials and speed paints are also published to their user service, ARTstreet. If these aren’t enough, you can also purchase books that introduce how to use the app.

How to purchase:

• Download the desktop version (Windows/macOS) from the official website.
• Download the iPad version from the AppStore.
• Download the iPhone version from the AppStore.
• Download the Android version from Google Play.

Price: Free (with ads)

● Paintstorm Studio (Windows/macOS/iPad)

Paintstorm Studio is a low cost, advanced painting software available for Windows, macOS, and iPad. It has a wide variety of brushes and many customizable features. If you draw digitally, you should check this software out.

The iPad version of Paintstorm Studio has almost all of the same functions as the desktop version. However, you cannot share files between devices.

There are many default brush settings, allowing you to draw natural objects and backgrounds using CG-like effects. Many of the default brushes have a traditional feel, suitable for impasto painting. However, you can customize brushes to suit detail work and other drawing styles such as manga and anime-style illustrations.

Paintstorm Studio also has a Mixer palette that allows you to mix colors. It’s quite a unique drawing tool, and having some previous knowledge of CG will help when working with this app. Paintstorm Studio is available in both English and Japanese.

Developer: Sergei Komarov

Support:
Paintstorm Studio’s website has a contact form and a user community.

Trial version:

• Download the desktop version (Windows/macOS) from the official website. You can launch the trial version up to 30 times within a limited amount of time.
• For the iPad, there is a feature-limited version, Paintstorm Studio Lite.

How to purchase:

• You can repurchase the desktop version (Windows/macOS) from the official website via Paypal and credit card.
• The iPad version can be downloaded from the AppStore.

Price:

• Desktop version (Windows/macOS): US$19.00
• iPad version: US$12.99

● GIMP2 (Windows/macOS)

GIMP is a long-established open-source, free software with an abundant amount of functions for image processing and the ability to add user-created plug-ins. Due to this high amount of software customizability, GIMP requires some computer skills to use.

The functions available for image processing are almost the same as similar paid software options making it a good choice for adjusting color illustrations. However, since GIMP was initially developed for photo manipulation, it’s not recommended for print or movies.

If you have the technical skills needed to manage its customization abilities, GIMP can be an asset to illustration production.

Developer: The GIMP Team

Support:
Check the official website for Frequently Asked Questions and tutorials.
Many websites share links to guides and paperback books on GIMP, making information on software usage accessible.

How to download:
Download GIMP from its official website.

Price: Free

Article by Art Rocket

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Similar articles

• 

Keyboard Shortcut Guide for Artists

Pen Settings for Anime Art in Any Style

Tips for Beginners: Getting Started in Digital Art

Extracting Scanned Line Art for Digital Coloring

Ultimate Guide to Blending Modes

Liven Up Your Line Art With Smooth, Attractive Lines

Tips For Dry Brush Painting

Designing a Dragon-Themed Character

Painting Texture: How to Render Metallic Surfaces for Illust…

My Digital Coloring Process Plus Tips on Useful Features

Top Articles in Category

• 

Best Drawing Software and Apps in 2021 (Free & Paid)

Tips for Beginners: Getting Started in Digital Art

Liven Up Your Line Art With Smooth, Attractive Lines

Pen Settings for Anime Art in Any Style

Must-Know Tips to Improve Your Tablet Drawing Experience

Learn from Anatomy to Improve Your Poses

Top 11 Drawing Tablets of 2021!

Simple Anime-style Coloring Techniques

Keyboard Shortcut Guide for Artists

Tips for Digital Coloring and Shading

My Digital Coloring Process Plus Tips on Useful Features

Ultimate Guide to Blending Modes

How to draw super detailed anime aesthetic art

How to Draw Dogs

Digital Coloring Book for Beginners – Digital Coloring…

Drawing the Sky in Various Weathers and Times

How to Draw a Rose

Lighting your Painting

Painting Texture: How to Render Metallic Surfaces for Illust…

Printing Your Art

Tips For Dry Brush Painting

A Beginner’s Guide to Perspective

Five Tips for Getting Noticed Online

Finding and Correcting Drawing Mistakes

Guide to Drawing Ears

Recommended Articles

• 

Best Drawing Software and Apps in 2021 (Free & Paid)

Sculpting Forms, Using Value, and Brush Introductions

Easy Tips for Drawing Eyes

Easy Steps to Creating Chibi Characters

Learn to Draw Croquis Sketches

Ultimate Guide to Blending Modes

Five Tips for Getting Noticed Online

Things You Need to Know to Become a Game Illustrator

How to Make Appealing Original Characters

ArtStation Marketplace Success Story: Le Vuong

Becoming a Concept Artist for a Hollywood Film

Simply Well Drawn: Part 1

Featured Pro Portfolio: Phil Saunders

Bring Energy and Life to Your Poses!

3 Reasons to Use Digital Art Software

Exclusive Interview: Lois Van Baarle (Loish)

Keyboard Shortcut Guide for Artists

Finding and Correcting Drawing Mistakes

Featured Pro Portfolio: Miroslav Petrov

Extracting Scanned Line Art for Digital Coloring

• 

Learn the basics of digital art, from the tools you need to the steps of creating digital artwork.

Read art tutorials and interviews with concepts artists for films, games, and animation.

Learn techniques for creating expressive and fun character art with these tutorials.

Whether you’re creating manga, comics, or webtoons, here you’ll find the best techniques to create your story!