OCTOBER 2019 PCWorld 101ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR
ALTERNATIVES
Photo editing software can now do almost
anything that illustration programs can do.
Some users prefer the illustrator drawing
tools over the photo drawing tools, but
that’s just a matter of personal preference.
For alternatives, check these out.
- Apache OpenOffice Draw
PRICE: FREE FROM GO.PCWORLD.COM/OPOF
The interface is intuitive (if a bit outdated),
and the product packs a punch. OpenOffice
Draw’s highlight features (go.pcworld.com/
draw) include Styles, Glue Points, and
Picture Gallery for stock images and clipart.
It also offers advanced rendering, lighting
and texture effects, an efficient 3D controller
for creating shapes, plus all the standard
editing and manipulation tools.- Inkscape
PRICE: FREE FROM GO.PCWORLD.COM/INKS
Inkscape is a free and intuitive vector
graphics editor used to create and edit
vector images. Inkscape’s best features (go.
pcworld.com/iksp) include text (or line) to
path; pattern fills; and pencil, pen, and
calligraphy tools. You also get embedded
bitmaps; a nice gradient editor; impressive
color palettes and ramps; and standard
object editing and manipulation tools,
though scaled down a bit from its
competition.
Affinity Designer’s adjustable line weights are based on speed, pressure, and width.