There are numerous drawing programs for Linux that will help you improve your work or create something interesting from scratch. Perhaps, the apps for Linux are not popular but they offer powerful features that may become invaluable tools for any digital artist. In this guide, we have included 8 free and best graphic design software for Linux. Some of the tools mentioned below are web-based, so you can use them on any OS.
Table of Contents
1. Figma
Figma is a cross-platform online service for interface designers and developers. Interfaces are developed directly in the online application.
With Figma you can create:
Interactive prototypes of websites and mobile apps
Interface elements, such as icons, buttons, menus, windows, feedback forms
Vector illustrations
This browser-based UI and UX design application allows several designers to work on one project, supports versions and provides many other opportunities. It greatly simplifies the working process for a designer or developer.
Figma is a free software for graphic design available online. However, there is also a desktop version. To work in it, you need to log in and have a permanent Internet connection. Files are saved locally and imported to the browser version, if necessary.
2. Inkscape
Inkscape is a free software for web design similar to Illustrator and CorelDraw. The program supports many standard elements, like selection, scaling, paint bucket, airbrush and various standard shapes. This Linux graphics software supports SVG, JPEG, PNG, TIFF and other popular file formats.
Being a free program with open-source code, Inkscape is a powerful tool enabling you to perform almost any functions available in equivalent paid apps.
Its open-source code enables you to change the code lines manually and improve the app. It is one of the best Linux drawing software for beginners and amateurs but it is not suitable for experienced users. Some tools still require improvement.
3. Vectr
Vectr is yet another free Linux graphics software enabling to create and change vector drawings. You can use it directly in the browser or as a desktop application. With this tool, you can create simple images (logos, emblems, icons) as well as complex vector illustrations.
Another notable advantage is that Vectr comes with a collaborative work feature. You just have to send your colleagues a link to your project, and they will follow it and join the discussion. It is possible both in the online and desktop versions.
All functions in the app are simple and intuitive, so you will master the program without prior training.
4. Gravit Designer
Gravit designer is a full-featured graphics software that has an online version and desktop apps for all popular platforms.
The program has a full set of tools necessary to work with vector graphics. It supports curves, layers, geometric shapes, various selection and transformation tools, texts and many other functions to manipulate objects.
Gravit can be also used to edit raster graphics. There are such functions as cropping, masks, blending, resizing and adding filters that are very useful while developing interfaces, web-page layouts and polygraphic products. You may save your works in PNG, JPG or SVG formats.
5. Krita
Krita is a free drawing app suitable both for professional and amateurish artists. It offers a full set of brushes to perform various tasks and a range of filters, from extra ones to the drawing assistant for setting up perspective.
It provides many brush types that may be used depending on your personal preferences. They are designed to perform unique and specific functions and used to satisfy particular needs.
The last software version boasts the improved support of a graphic tablet, OpenGL scaling and ‘endless’ canvas. The program also supports RAW files but RAW-editing tools are pretty limited.
6. Photopea
Photopea is an online editor designed to work with raster and vector graphics. It is developed to perform simple tasks, like resizing of images, as well as complex ones, such as the creation of web-pages, illustrations and image editing.
The platform will successfully work not only on professional computers for graphic design but also on any device, like an ordinary computer, laptop, tablet or phone. Working with this Linux drawing software, you may disconnect from the Internet and continue editing in the off-line mode.
Thanks to its wide functionality, you can drag and sequence layers. What is more, the tool offers a text editing feature in the imported Photoshop files that allows making changes using classic shortcuts.
7. SVG-Edit
Being first released in the mid-2000s, SVG-edit is considered to be a pioneer in the world of browser-based vector editors. It doesn’t have server-side functionality. This graphics editor works only in the browser, so to save your work, you have to add your own functionality to the application.
Anyway, this tool should be commended since it started as a limited vector paint program and really improved its functionality over the time.
In this application, you can be able to draw standard shapes (lines, rectangle, circles, polygons, freehand curves, etc.), use paths, layers and gradients, view and edit SVG source, export to PNG, JPEG, BMP, WEBP and more.
8. GIMP
GIMP, short for GNU Image Manipulation Program, is a free, cross-platform and open source program to work with raster and vector graphics.
Initially, GIMP was designed as a convenient tool for graphics and logos, simple photo correction, coloring, combination of images using layers, retouching and converting images into various formats. The team behind GIMP worked hard to provide compatibility with almost all formats, including PSD. Today, its functions have been significantly improved and it is considered as an open source alternative to Photoshop.
Related read:
- How To Create A Montage From Images In Linux
- Converseen – A Simple Graphical Batch Image Converter And Resizer
- How To Create Animated GIF In Linux
Featured image by Francesco Ungaro from Pexels.
4 comments
I do not see Boxy-svg…
Good suggestion. I will look into it.
Inkscape is terribly slow for documents of even moderate size and complexity. Their in-memory format is the actual SVG/XML and rendering is terrible.
Photopea’s most significant selling point is that it’s so easy to use anywhere. It works very well with PSD files, with support for layer editing and saving a file as a PSD file. … Instead, Photopea is an excellent companion for photo editors who need to make edits on a machine that isn’t their normal setup.