Photoshop and other professional image creation programs are often expensive and complicated. Fortunately, there are many alternatives that cost nothing and are easy to use, making them great for beginners, hobbyists, or anyone who just wants to draw and paint without the hassle. Here are some of our favorites.
Vectorpea: Like a real Windows program
You don’t need expensive computer programs to draw, paint, and illustrate. There are great tools on the web such as Vectorpea.
Foundry
Vectorpea competes with programs like Adobe Illustrator, but it’s free and doesn’t require installation. You run Vectorpea directly in your browser, but the site itself looks and feels like a regular Windows application.
When you’re done, you can save the file to your own hard drive–or to Vectorpea’s cloud service to access it anywhere. However, to use the cloud service, you’ll need to register an account. There are two options to choose from: Free and Premium. The latter includes a larger cloud space and gives you access to the company’s AI service. You don’t have to deal with ads, either.
JS Paint: A tried-and-true classic
Foundry
JS Paint, for example, is a web version of the old classic MS Paint, the drawing program included in Windows. Here, however, it retains its original appearance.
Google Drawings: Illustrate with Google
Foundry
One of the lesser-known programs in Google’s web-based office suite is Google Drawings. Unlike JS Paint, for example, the focus is not on freehand painting, but instead on making different kinds of illustrations.
Autodraw: AI does the work
Foundry
Autodraw is for those who are bad at drawing. This program uses artificial intelligence to identify what it thinks you intended to draw. If you draw an ugly face and press Autodraw, it will turn it into a more attractive one.
Magma Draw Together: Art with your friends
The great thing about Magma Draw Together is that it lets you draw in a collaborative fashion. Simply create a blank “sheet of paper” and invite one or more friends–everyone can draw on it together. The service was previously called Aggie.
Sumo Paint: With or without software
Foundry
Sumo Paint is a more advanced tool for those who want to draw and paint directly in the browser. It’s also available as a regular computer program. However, the latter requires a paid subscription.
Google Canvas: A canvas for any device
Google Canvas works on mobile phones, tablets, PCs, and Chromebooks.
Foundry
Canvas is a simple service for those who want to draw and paint. You don’t need to install any special software, just open it in your browser and log in with your Google account. Everything you draw is automatically saved and displayed on all devices, and the result can be downloaded as a file on your hard drive.
