JANUARY 2022 PCWorld 69know that GIMP is at least as flexible as
Photoshop in terms of capability (albeit
without some of the whiz-bang additions in
Creative Cloud), so long as you’re willing to
dive into a wiki or two.
FOR QUICK AND EASY
EDITS: PAINT.NET
This Windows-first editing program has been
in continual development for almost two
decades. As the name implies, it’s a more
powerful alternative to the built-in Paint tool
that’s still a staple of the operating system.
But don’t let the name fool you: Paint.Net
(fave.co/33L0K6N) is much closer to
Photoshop than Paint in terms of capability.
While it lacks some of the more
advanced graphic design tools in Adobe’s
belt, Paint.Net can handle more or less any
basic editing task, with full support for layers,
action history, and even complex plugins.
Just be prepared for an adjustment period
for its interface, which favors floating menus
over docked tools.FOR THE DIGITAL
PHOTOGRAPHER:
PHOTOSCAPE X
Photoscape X (fave.co/3yHszZb) is definitely
more of a photo editor than an image editor,
with a focus on easy-to-use tools for rapidly
improving photos and adding social media–
approved extras. It’s particularly handy if what
you’re editing is portraits and other people-
focused photography.
Even so, it includes a few surprising tools,
like a batch editor and a GIF creator.
Photoscape X is a great choice for someone
who wants
something like
Photoshop but
doesn’t have
years of
experience to
unlearn. The
standard version
is free, while the
pro version with
better text
handling and
more powerful
filters is a
Paint.Net. reasonable $40.