A list of five free 2D asset creation software for Game Development and two more unique tools.
Art creation for Games
Creating art for your games can sometimes be expensive and the costs can include the prices of subscription or cost of the software along with the accessories necessary like the graphics tablet. Here is a list of free software that can be used for professional Game Development workflows along with 2 unconventional Digital Painting software.
GIMP
GNU Image Manipulation Program, Commonly known as GIMP, is an open-source Image Editor for your Graphics needs. You also have options for 3rd party plugin integrations to customize and enhance your productivity. Whether if you have a need for photo manipulation or for creation of original artwork by digital painting GIMP covers all your needs.
GIMP is completely free and is available for Download at www.gimp.org.
Sketchbook
Sketchbook is a powerful raster graphics software geared towards expressive drawing and concept art. Developed first by Alias Systems Corporation and later acquired by Autodesk, Sketchbook was originally a Commercial software before evolving into a Subscription model. Now Sketchbook is shipped as a Freeware. It has all the tools you need for Digital Painting with features to customize brushes, use multiple layers, pressure sensitivity, PSD export, flipbook and animation creation and more. It is available for both PC and Mobile Devices.
You can get Sketchbook from www.sketchbook.com.
Medibang
Medibang is a great software to use both as a beginner and a professional. With it’s an inclination towards Manga comic art style for anime, it is also extremely forgiving to beginner artists. Its guides assist to draw efficiently without the use of a Graphics tablet which is a mandatory hardware required for drawing in most other software and hence just a mouse would suffice to be your only tool for drawing mind-blowing art pieces.
Find the latest release of Medibang at www.medibangpaint.com.
Krita
Krita is a robust open-source painting software which produces amazing results with its powerful brush engine and other features, including a very handy Wrap-around mode for creating tiling images for pattern creation, are Vector and Text, Brush Stabilizers and productivity features like Layer Management, OpenGL, PSD Support, Full Color Management, Python Scripting and more.
Get The latest version of Krita, 4.2.8, at www.krita.org.
Inkscape
Inkscape is a vector graphics software comparable to software like Adobe Illustrator, and Corel Draw. It has sophisticated drawing tools that can help you make icons, logos, diagrams, etc and uses W3C open standard and SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) as its native format.
Get the latest release of Inkscape at www.inkscape.org.
Two more unconventional art tools
Alchemy
Alchemy isn’t basically a digital drawing or painting software but it is certainly a very unique one. You can conceptualize very easily with it’s awesome and somewhat chaotic brush engine with variations in brush strokes also manipulated by something as strange as the microphone input volume of your device. You definitely need to get your hands on this amazing tool to know it’s full potential, it’s very difficult to explain its true power in words.
Find Alchemy at www.al.chemy.org.
Verve Painter
Ever wanted to paint digitally with fluid-like you would in real life? Verve painter has got you covered. With its unique fluid simulation brushes, it surely is a charm to use and is especially satisfying to see the fluid simulation in progress. It is an extremely small program with amazing features and is a must-try software.
Get Verve Painter at www.taron.de.
**VOiD1 Gaming is not sponsored by any of the above companies. This list is in no particular order and preference of the softwares are solely dependent on the user interest. All trademarks appearing in this list are registered trademarks of the respective companies.**
**Blog poster Image Credit - Photo by Anni Roenkae from Pexels.