Raster graphics editor
A raster graphics editor, also called a bitmap graphics editor or pixel graphics editor, is a computer program that allows the user to view and edit graphics of the digital photograph and screenshot variety (as opposed to vectors). The name "raster" is out of date as most of the graphic formats of this nature are not stored in raster lines, and very few consumers view them on raster displays.
Personal
I have used a variety of different raster graphics editors over the years, and I mostly prefer those which have a lot of features, but those features are not obtrusive. The one I use the most of an older version of Corel Photo-Paint, but, for pixel art, I prefer GraphicsGale.
Programs
Name | Platforms | Notes |
---|---|---|
Corel Photo-Paint | Windows | A powerful and cheaper alternative to PhotoShop. My favorite for photo editing. |
GraphicsGale | Windows | Designed specifically for sprites and animation. Discontinued. My favorite for pixel art. |
ImageMagick | iOS, Linux, Macintosh, Windows | Allows for the programmatic creation of graphics. My favorite for Web use and batch processing. |
Paint.net | Windows | Free, but low-powered. |
Paintbrush (Microsoft) | Windows 3 | Replaced by Microsoft Paint. |
PaintShop Pro | Windows | Medium-quality program which constantly displays ads even if you buy it. |
PhotoShop | iOS, Macintosh, Windows | Powerful editor, but very invasive to your computer. |