Software Try-outs & Downloads (ALL FREE)

The following list are just some of the graphic art softwares I tested over the course of 2 years. 

These are NOT reviews, simply my listing what was tried and what was eventually chosen to best suit MY personal needs. I pretty much liked most of these!

Here's what I did use in the past: QuarkXpress, Microsoft Publisher, Macromedia suite (before bought out by Adobe), later, Adobe Photoshop and a little Illustrator.

The official link to FireAlpaca 

https://firealpaca.com/download/

The official link to GIMP

https://www.gimp.org/downloads/

The official link to Inkscape

https://inkscape.org/release/inkscape-1.2.2/

The official link to Krita

https://krita.org/en/download/krita-desktop/

 

The official link to MediBang 

https://medibangpaint.com/en/app-download/

The official link to JUMP Paint, made by the creators of MediBang software and app and based on Shonen Jump Magazine license

https://medibangpaint.com/en/jumppaint/

The official link to Paint.NET 

https://www.getpaint.net/download.html 

Gravit Designer is associates with Google but since I couldn't get a proper link (forums, chat rooms, and mirror sites) from an official site, I'm just going to leave this here.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/gravit-designer/pdagghjnpkeagmlbilmjmclfhjeaapaa#:~:text=Gravit%20Designer%20is%20a%20full,a%20couple%20of%20new%20features

As I said earlier in my post, this wasn't a review post, just what I experimented with and I only picked what was 'easier and more intuitive FOR ME' to use. All these interfaces and user experiences were fun and enlightening to use, so feel free to try them out on your own!

This Artist-Writer Rants About Photo References

Now that I'm making my way around Paint and FireAlpaca, went through my folder for more completed comic episodes to scan, I'm back to looking for more background settings and can I tell ya: Pinterest p1sses me off! 

It's a wonderful platform to use when creating vision boards and aesthetic collages, but when it comes to backgrounds, I need an idea where in the world a place is. 

For instance, Peter is from Old Money Black Wealth. These families also fled the South during the period between 1919-1960s, early 70s in what we now know as the Great Black Migration.

Since I'm recreating a world based in the real world, I need wealthy housing in the Northeast, and not in the Southeast, though, according to my story, the different branches live in different states. However, SUMMER TO WINTER takes place in the Northeastern states, so I need luxury houses in NY, PA, NJ, and perhaps MA. And then I can take a little from this photo and a little from that photo of mansions to piece together homes for Peter Dunlop's family members. 

This is why I'm preferring using real estate listings as references. I see where the houses are located! I also get to know the architectural styles so my OCs can speak about their residences as though they are real people actually living there!