Two big bits of software news for artists to share today as two major bits of FOSS software have big new versions up with Inkscape and Krita. Both examples of how great FOSS software can be, regardless of your use for designing game art or anything else.
After what feels like forever, vector graphics editor Inkscape finally hit the big 1.0 release yesterday! Such a huge release too moving over to GTK+3 for the interface bringing HiDPI improvements, better performance especially when editing node-heavy objects, a reorganized tool box with a more logical order to it, the canvas is more flexible for freestyle drawing, the UI is more customizable than ever, new PNG export options and the list goes on. You can see their official release video below:
Direct Link
We also have the painting app Krita, which has just seen the first 4.3.0 Beta version released coming around year after the 4.2 release. See the release notes here. This fresh update brings in some fun new filters, the performance of layer styles has been improved, window handling got more advanced as you can now detatch the canvas so it can have it's own window, you can save snapshots of the image at certain states to restore it, multiple new modes for the Gradient Tool and so on.
Additionally Krita's coloured brush tip image became more advanced, allowing you to set opacity and lightness separately, they say it enables you to "generate really impressive effects during the brushstroke".
Two awesome bits of FOSS software for creating various types of artwork and two huge releases. See more about each on their official site:
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Last edited by Eike on 5 May 2020 at 11:50 am UTC
Quoting: EikeI really like modesty, but making a 1.0 after what feels after a decade of usefulness seems to be too much for me. (I can't remember what other famous example there was. Was it Gimp? One not so famous would be KDiff3, which I'm using forUnlike age, a version is just a number. ;)a decadeat least 17 years :O and which never got a 1.0 by its original maintainer.)
Fun anectode. I was Linux only user since ages when I graduated. Soon later I got my first job in a software firm. Which was ofc using windows machines. The embarrassment and ackwardness on my first day when my new boss and previous interviewer asked me to open a pdf on my new brand new Windows 7 machine and I was clueless on how to open the file manager, being the last windows I used at home win95. He looked at me like: "WTF I screw up in the interview?". XD
Krita, on the other hand, is new to me. I began using it when I bought an (admittedly cheap) graphics tablet a couple years ago. I'm still not at all adept with it, but find it indispensable for certain kinds of work. Along with Gimp and My Paint, it's one third of my FOSS graphics triumvirate.
Last edited by Nanobang on 6 May 2020 at 1:02 pm UTC
Quoting: tuubiQuoting: EikeI really like modesty, but making a 1.0 after what feels after a decade of usefulness seems to be too much for me. (I can't remember what other famous example there was. Was it Gimp? One not so famous would be KDiff3, which I'm using forUnlike age, a version is just a number. ;)a decadeat least 17 years :O and which never got a 1.0 by its original maintainer.)
:(
;)
Cheeseness May 5, 2020
Since I've been digging up old artwork to share in celebration of the 1.0 launch, here's a quick look at one those for anybody who's interested.
I'm sure that Inkscape's been used for plenty of GOL artwork since, but that's a story for other artists to share ^_^
Last edited by Cheeseness on 5 May 2020 at 12:41 pm UTC
Quoting: CheesenessExciting times! I used Inkscape for some (now retired) graphics that Liam asked me to do for the site almost a decade ago. I can't recall now, but I think they were based on existing art that someone else had done that there weren't source files for.Hah wow, what a classic piece!
Since I've been digging up old artwork to share in celebration of the 1.0 launch, here's a quick look at one those for anybody who's interested.
I'm sure that Inkscape's been used for plenty of GOL artwork since, but that's a story for other artists to share ^_^
And Krita is just a perfect match for our Cintiq.
Quoting: GuestQuoting: EikeI really like modesty, but making a 1.0 after what feels after a decade of usefulness seems to be too much for me.
My two favourite examples:
I looked up GIMP, but that had it's 1.0 in 1998. It might have been WINE what I remembered so vaguely.
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