Lately I’ve been really into vector graphics and using vector graphics software to create illustrations. The thing about vector graphics is that it allows you to use one design to create text and logos for multiple applications without losing quality. Vector graphics are used for printing, web and video design. The last thing you want is to re-create your logo every time for each process.
Designing logos, illustrations, drawings and artwork has never been easier thanks to the invention of vector graphics software. Companies such as Adobe are great for designing graphics, but they come with a hefty price tag. Fortunately there is an alternative raft of free vector graphics software for you to use at no cost, giving you an affordable graphic design toolkit. Here are a few great examples of free vector graphics software for windows 7.
LibreOffice Draw
Draw is a powerful vector graphics editor. It lets you create your picture galleries and can be used to create any sketch from small vector graphics to complex graphic designs. It is a powerful diagramming tool used to create brochures, flowcharts posters, and other technical drawings. LibreOffice Draw lets you easily manipulate your vector sketches and use the objects in 3D as well. It is designed to support Mac, Linux, and Windows.
Fatpaint
Fatpaint is an online graphic design software used for creating some amazing logos, presentations, banners, cards, websites, etc. Fatpaint can be used as a graphics editing software for both raster images like JPG, or PNG as well as vector images. Fatpaint has some limited features as compared to Inkspace, and It is suitable for designing small vector graphics, logos, etc. If you want more features for your complex design project, Inkspace is the best choice else Fatpaint is undoubtedly is one of the easy to use online tools for creating and editing small graphic designs.
Lunacy
Platform: Windows
Download link: icons8.com/lunacy
At first, Lunacy was developed as a Sketch viewer for Windows, because the problem of opening .sketch files was always a nightmare for people who didn’t own Mac. But it’s quickly becoming a powerful tool on its own. With Lunacy, you can not only open .sketch files, but also perform multiple editing functions: organize pages and artboards, draw, join & align objects, and use typography.
Add to that export in PNG and SVG, support of CSS & XAML code and you’ll get a powerful vector editing tool without having to employ a bunch of crutches to make .sketch files work on Windows. A portable version comes as a bonus.
Pros:
- First fully-featured .sketch editor for Windows
- Constant updates
- Portable version
- Active development & support
Cons:
- Minor performance bugs
- Advanced features are yet to come
Inkscape
Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux
Download link: inkscape.org
Inkscape is often called the GIMP of vector apps. It’s an open-source program with plenty of features that make you wonder why people aren’t selling it. And yet, it’s completely free. The app was released in 2003, and since then has become one of the most popular vector graphics software programs in the world. It’s available in 90 languages and across many platforms, including OS X and Linux.
The node workflow in Inkscape is similar to that of Adobe Illustrator and allows adding new nodes, as well as moving and editing them.
Helpful features like node aligning and symmetry are also available to use. Bezier curves and pencil tools work smoothly with graphic tablets, allowing users to create hand-drawn vector images of any complexity.
Inkscape also has image bitmap tracing, which is for converting rasterized images into vector paths. However, the feature is not as advanced as the one in Adobe Illustrator, and you may need some extra manipulations to make it work, or you’ll have to trace it manually.
Inkscape supports all popular formats, including SVG, EPS, JPG, PNG, PostScript and others.
The list of features the app has is beyond listing, and chances are it can do pretty much everything paid programs like Adobe Illustrator can do.
Full video tutorial here by Logos By Nick
At the very least Inkscape is nearly as good as Adobe Illustrator. Both programs share a very similar workflow and if you’re used to one of them, it makes it easier to make the switch. For logo designs and creating vector graphics, there won’t be much difference in whichever one of you use, apart from having an extra buck to spend on something else.
Tutorials: Inkscape’s website offers a wide variety of tutorials from beginner to advanced here. We also recommend Logos by Nick’s Youtube channel – it offers many excellent tips and workflows from a practicing designer.
Pros:
- Many features, solid AI alternative
- Works smoothly with tablets
- Multiple platforms (Linux included)
- Extensions
Cons:
- Rare performance issues with big files
- Some features are not intuitive – tutorials are needed
Vectr
Platform: Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Chrome OS, Web
Download link: vectr.com
Unlike Inkscape, Vectr is fresh blood in the yard. Which is good, because it means the development is shifted by industry demands, and not by the curse of bloatware.
This free vector art program was released just two years ago, but the pace of its development is truly magnificent. With all the features added recently, it’s hard to imagine what this product could be capable of in the future. However, developers are pressing that one thing stays unchanged – it will be forever free.
To compare Vectr and Inkscape is to make a great mistake – these two products are both in a league of their own. What Vectr lacks in features, it compensates for in intuitiveness. The learning curve on the program is non-existent: if you’re just starting in the design industry, you may be able to create your very first logo in five minutes after you start the program without having to skim through pages of tutorials.
Another advantage of the app is ubiquity – not only is it available on all popular platforms, but it also has a browser version with the same functionality as its desktop counterpart. That means you can work on your designs on your PC and then finish them in an internet cafe in the middle of nowhere.
The app allows all standard vector operations – creating and editing geometry shapes, curves, and paths. It supports multiple layers and pages, letting you organize your project. Vectr allows imports in AI, EPS, SVG, PNG, and JPEG file formats.
Another useful feature is the ability to share your projects simply by sending a URL to your colleagues, letting them view and edit it in a workflow similar to Google Docs. The development of full-scale collaboration with multiple people working on the same project simultaneously is currently underway, along with Marketplace and Versioning. You can literally watch the Vectr team’s backlog in the Open Roadmap.
Tutorials: vectr.com/tutorials
Pros:
- Cross-platform and browser versions
- Intuitive, easy to use interface
- Easy sharing of projects
- Integration with WordPress
Cons:
- Need to create an account
- Some people report crashes – the new features may be unstable
- Lacks advanced features
Conclusion:
Vector graphics software is the most useful tool for graphic designers. It can be used to create various graphical objects like lines, texts, plots and others. Vector graphics software works well with on any operating system. There are a number of vector graphics software used for making designs for print publications, web designing, and desktop publishing.