For the financially challenged amongst us, artist John Ridgway created this list of a number of free programs you may find useful when it comes to working with or creating digital images.
Gimp (GNU Image Manipulation Program)
Official site: www.gimp.org
Available for: Windows, Mac
A program similar to Photoshop. Lacks the high-end features in Photoshop that I never use anyway. A bit clunky on text handling.
Note: Running GIMP on Mac OS X requires Apple’s X11 environment. It is included on the “Optional Installs” package on the OS X install disk.
Mypaint
Official site: http://mypaint.intilinux.com
Available for: Windows, Mac, Linux
A good little program somewhat similar to Painter. At present only exports in png and jpg formats (as well as saving in its own native format). Png files can be saved automatically as layers, but each layer is a separate file. These files can then be loaded into Gimp (or Photoshop) and combined.
Draftsight
Official site: http://www.3ds.com/products/draftsight/free-cad-software/
Available for: Windows, Mac
A good CAD program.
Blender 3D
Official site: http://www.blender.org/download/get-blender/
Available for: Windows, Mac, Linux
A very good 3D program with comprehensive particle system, animation system and excellent compositing ability. A little difficult to get into, but well worth the effort. Good range of import and export facilities (including obj format).
Bryce 7
Official site: http://www.daz3d.com/products/bryce/bryce-what-is-bryce/
Available for: Windows, Mac
This is available for free at the moment. Very good for scenery, skies etc. Models can be built using analytical primitives (i.e. spheres, cylinders, cubes, torii etc). Object in obj can be imported.
POVRay
Official site: http://povray.org/
Available for Windows, Mac, Linux
This is a text-based modeller. (A scene description is written as a series of object descriptions). Native objects are analytical primitives (you will be amazed at how many different shapes can be described mathematically). Other objects can be imported as mesh objects via Poseray. The Mac version works on older versions of the Mac OS
Poseray
Official site: https://sites.google.com/site/poseray
This is a utility for converting obj and 3ds files to Povray format. It is also helpful in correcting some obj files which will not import into programs such as Vue and Terragen 2.
POVRay Galaxy Include (Galaxy.inc)
Official site: http://www.povray.org/resources/links/POV-Ray_Include_Macro_and_Object_Files/Include_Files/
A utility to create starfields from random seeds for use in POVRay. (The images created can then be used in Blender 3D as backgrounds).
Arbaro
Official site: http://arbaro.sourceforge.net/
Tree generator. Originally developed as Tomtree by Tom Aust for use in POVRay, the program creates trees to specification in POVRay and obj formats.
Makehuman
Official site: http://www.makehuman.org
Available for Windows, Mac, Ubuntu
A program similar to Poser. Perhaps not so sophisticated yet, but producing figures that can be imported into Blender and sculpted to any requirement.
Pencil
Official site: http://www.pencil-animation.org
Available for: Windows, Mac, Linux
2D animation program
Celestia
Official site: http://www.shatters.net/celestia
Available for: Windows, Mac, Linux
Astronomy program, which can be used for technically accurate backgrounds.
Celestia Motherlode
Official site: http://www.celestiamotherlode.net
Repository of image maps for planets and spacecraft (real and imaginary).
DaVinci Resolve Lite
Official site: http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve/
Available for: Windows, Mac, Linuix
Professional standard compositing software.
LuxRender
Official site: http://www.luxrender.net/en_GB/index
Available for: Windows, Mac, Linux
A rendering program for 3D graphics with physically correct image synthesis.
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