[SOLVED] Best graphic design interface?

[sburk]

I was wondering what the best free linux graphic design interface was? Possibly one from the ubuntu one software center. I tried boa constructor and it was glitchy and kept crashing. I want something very easy to use and as simple as possible as i am new to programming. I want something that also supports the major programming languages like python C++, etc and was also wondering where i could go to learn codes for python and how to use whatever designer you suggest.

[ramin.honary]

First off, check out Wikipedia's list of open source graphics software.

But there really are a lot of choices with Linux -- the biggest problem is picking one.

The GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) provides a graphical user interface for manipulating raster graphics, reminiscent of Adobe Photoshop, but geared more towards computer geeks (i.e. not as easy to use). But it does allow for scripting and batch processing in Python. Then there are programs with nice graphical user interfaces like MeshLab (3D triangle meshes), InkScape, and Synfig (2D, can also do Animations).

apt-get install gimp
apt-get install inkscape
apt-get install synfig
apt-get install meshlab

As far as programming languages go, Python by far is the easiest to learn, and because it is so easy for programmers to connect it to their own libraries you will find that most major 2D/3D graphics libraries and image processing libraries have Python bindings (bindings means, the ability to use functionality of the code library from within a Python program). On Ubuntu you don't need to install Python yourself, it is installed by default.

For 3D design, the best platform, hands-down, is Blender. Blender is written in C/C++ where efficiency matters, but most everything else is done with Python, and you can write Python scripts to create scenes and images, and even games using Blender. But in my experience, it has a very steep learning curve. I have never had the patience to just sit down and learn it because it is so counter-intuitive in some places.

apt-get install blender

2D Graphics libraries that are purely programmatic (no graphical interface, drawing is done entirely with code) include "Cairo" from the Gtk project. It is written in C, but has Python bindings.

apt-get install python-cairo

The "ImageMagick" library (also code-only, no GUI) provides effects for image processing on raster graphics, like bluring or sharpening, warping.

apt-get install python-pythonmagick

My personal preference is to use "inkscap" or "GIMP" to draw things by hand -- I create SVG or PNG files with my pen tablet -- then use the hand-drawn images with a Python Cairo script, and ImageMagick to do effects if necessary. But that might be doing it the hard way.

[sburk]

well thanks those were some great programs but i wasnt really talkin about graphic design e.g. photoshop, i was talkin about like a program used to build another program such as windows visual basic. So if you have any suggestions for those kinds of softwares for linux it would be great. But thanks for the others

[Rubberman]

well thanks those were some great programs but i wasnt really talkin about graphic design e.g. photoshop, i was talkin about like a program used to build another program such as windows visual basic. So if you have any suggestions for those kinds of softwares for linux it would be great. But thanks for the others

Terminology is important when discussing technical issues. What you seem to want isn't a "graphic design" program, but a graphic interface development tool set, or GUI API. There are a number of good ones, but for someone who is probably not a master programmer, you want to stick with the so-called "higher level" tools such as wx, or Qt. Both are widely used, support many platforms including Windows, Linux, Unix, mobile devices (phones and PDA's), etc. They are freely available, as in open source, and well designed.

[ramin.honary]

VisualBasic is evil. Python is always the better solution, and it is easier to learn.

well thanks those were some great programs but i wasnt really talkin about graphic design e.g. photoshop, i was talkin about like a program used to build another program such as windows visual basic. So if you have any suggestions for those kinds of softwares for linux it would be great. But thanks for the others

Then I would definitely go with "python-cairo" (i.e. the Python bindings to the Cairo library), this is the best for 2D graphics programming.

Also for 2D graphics, check out a program called "NodeBox". It is not GPL, it is actually an MIT open source license (a bit different than GPL) but still might be interesting for you.

For 3D graphics, try VPython, I actually used this for my final project as a senior in college, it is really easy to learn, and very effective. It can even do stereographic projection.