Using Free Software Programs to Create Quality Graphical Images and Effects

Although graphic design is certainly a business in and of itself, many people rely on this skill to help promote or communicate their companies offerings or services. Especially if you currently own or plan on creating a website or blog for yourself, learning a little bit about graphic design and installing some free designing programs might be all that you need to turn your mediocre website into a thriving community.

Free Photo and Image Editing Software

Photoscape

Photoscape, a completely free graphic design program readily downloadable online, allows the simple addition of borders, basic effects, text, filters and many other appealing graphics to any image saved on your computer. You might not get all the powerful tools and effects that come with the purchase of Adobe CS5 or Photoshop, but the ease of use and wide range of options that the software offers makes it a perfect choice if you are looking for a free graphic design program.

Although creativity and skill can likely be combined to produce images of an extremely high quality, there are still some basic capabilities that can easily be harnessed through the Photoscape program:

• One of the easiest and most useful features available on the free Photoscape graphic design program is the text tool. Shadow and outline effects can easily be applied to any text through the simple drop down menu in the text creation popup box.Keep in mind that there is a rich editor and a regular text tool that can both be found under object - the regular text tool is usually better suited for most projects and also has more features.
• Perhaps the most essential aspect of a good photo or graphic editing program is the ability to determine opacity or transparency levels. Photoscape has a simple system that allows you at add transparency to different layers and objects.
• Placing a gradient on a picture can be very useful. Although this program does not have the tools necessary to really customize the way in which your gradients display, you can add basic fading effects to your pictures using both the filters or the preset gradient borders available.
• Under the home tab at the bottom of the Photoscape editor you can find a large number of photo editing and filtering tools that can be used to make slight changes or completely change the appearance of any image. From contrasting and sharpening tools, to more exciting filter effects, Photoscape is pretty close to Photoshop in terms of basic filters and color corrections/changes.
• Photoscape has a texture filter that can accept any properly formatted texture that you download or make yourself. The only downside to this tool is the fact that you can only apply textures to the entire picture, forcing you to break images up into smaller files to later be combined if you only want the texture on a specific area of the photo.
• Making shapes and lines of different colors and varying levels of opacity is very easy to do with Photoscape, unfortunately there is a very limited amount of brush tools - very likely the main downfall of the program.
• This software is great for adding borders, frames or margins to any photo or image, and the program comes with at least fifty different frame designs that can easily be applied in the home section of the program.

When combined with the Microsoft Paint program for the most basic of features that might be left out of the platform, Photoscape can be used to make some pretty cool online banners or images. If you regularly take pictures and enjoy adding effects to them this program is also an ideal download if you don't have the money to spend on expensive photo editing software. Still, other free programs offer more advanced features that are nowhere to be found in the latest version of Photoscape.

Free Designing and 3D Animation Software

Google Sketchup

If you are interested in getting involved in any sort of three-dimensional animation but would first like to experiment with a free program, Google Sketchup is a great way to dip your feet in without having to bring your wallet. Excellent images can also be produced with this free 3D design program by creating your scene with 3D objects and positioning the digital camera at any angle for a snapshot.

You can design anything that you can imagine with this program using different shapes and tools in three dimensions, but Google released this program to challenge people around the world to design replicas of real buildings in their community. you will be able to spend hours crafting intricate architecture and other constructions once you get a hang of the program, and it can also be a powerful tool to help with any project that requires a model or attractive picture/logo.