Free vector graphics editor software

[Gomer]

Saw this at another site... thought the artists around here might find it useful.

Creature House Expression™ 3 is an innovative vector-based illustration and graphics tool that provides exciting creative capabilities for designers working in print, web, video, and interactive mediums.

Free 52 MB DL at M-soft... need to have a hotmail account or .NET crap. Fully functional program.

http://www.microsoft.com/products/ex...ault.asp?pg=tr
(click download)

I don't do any sort of graphics design myself... but I can make some kickass scribbles with this program!!! Maybe I will try drawing something... but I have little artistic talent. I can draw a mean set of plans up in AutoCAD, but that is about it =)

[Gomer]

Additional info for those interested =)

Spread your wings and let your creative power
unfold! The unique tools and features in this new
major version of Expression will bring you a new
level of energy and freedom to create stylish drawings
and illustrations. Built on Creature House’s
proprietary, efficient and powerful graphics engine
and cross-platform framework, Expression 3 continues
to break new grounds, introduce new unique
features, enhance and improve on existing features
to make the software more accessible and useful as
a creative tool.


1.1 A Stylish Vector-Based Drawing Application

Expression 3 is an object-based drawing application.
All brush trails, painted areas, lines, curves
and text are recorded analytically as high-precision
mathematical lines and curves. Graphics and software
using this approach are generally referred to
as vector-graphics or vector-based, so named
because of historical reasons rather than being an
accurate description of the approach, which actually
involves more than linear vectors. In contrast to
this object-based and analytical approach, paint
applications, like Photoshop, record pictures in
unstructured arrays of pixels, and possibly layers of
them. Such applications are generally referred to as
being pixel-based or bitmap-based.
Vector-based applications, in general, name superior
editability and resolution independent graphics
as their main advantages. However, as you create
more and more graphical objects in a picture document,
its structural complexity and hence the computational
demand on the computer increases.
Pixel-based paint applications, on the other hand,
are generally resolution dependent. This is a disadvantage,
because pictures displayed in output
devices whose resolution is higher than the resolution
at which the pictures were created will appear
blocky. A further disadvantage is that one usually
cannot edit the brush strokes that are drawn on bitmap-
based pictures, except at the pixel level. Nonetheless,
in terms of complexity, that of bitmap
pictures always remains the same, regardless of the
look of the images and the length of time spent
working and re-working them.
For reasons explained above, vector-based drawing
applications have often been used mainly for design
work, where precise curves, crisp edges and
smoothly shaded areas of colors are often
requested. Whereas photo touch-up and other more
organic paint effects were usually in the realm of
pixel-based applications.
That is, until this monotony was broken by the
launch of Expression 1, which introduced to the
vector graphics world the Skeletal Strokes technology
and full transparency. And after that, with
Expression 2 pushing the vector graphics boundary
even further by introducing, for the first time in the
software industry, real-time soft-edged and
embossed fills, “live” paper textures, watercolor
strokes with variable width/transparency, and warping
of arbitrary vector/bitmap objects.
Continuing in the spirit to raise the expressive capability
of vector-based drawing applications,
Expression 3 is once again ready to release its new
features and solutions for containing the problem of
growing complexity which is inherent to all vector-
graphics software. Read on to explore what new
power now lies in your hands.
the skeleton of the stroke, and can be easily controlled
by manipulating the path itself.
Graphics of any design can be easily turned into a
Skeletal Stroke. All you need is a quick simple marqueeing
gesture using the Stroke Definition Box
tool. Whether a watercolor brush trail, a fish, an
arm or a picture created from other Skeletal
Strokes, they can all be turned into new Skeletal
Strokes, and be used for drawing at once.
In Expression, Skeletal Strokes are always in your
control. You can make different parts stretch or
repeat differently, or use multi-view strokes to add
variety or make animations. If you are new to
Expression or Skeletal Strokes, the next chapter
presents an introduction to Skeletal Strokes and
their power.

[MitaDC]

wow it is available for mac too :S from M$ never knew they were so kind lol (BTW I don't run mac )

[CookieBox Inc.]

does it have some sort of limitation to it?
like can't save ur files, limited trial time, pop-ups urging u to sign up for the more "official" copy?

[OuTpaTienT]

Nope. It certainly does seem to be a 100% free full working copy of the program.

[CookieBox Inc.]

sweet deal then! but i can't dl it till exams are done...lol
or else i'm not going to university

[Gomer]

I'd DL it ASAP if I were you... who knows when MS will pull the plug.

[rastorize]

Downloaded and installed...

Although not a demo version, it IS a Beta! The Windows version states in the About info, "V3.3 Beta (build 372) -NOT FOR SALE-..."

[CookieBox Inc.]

lol i'll get it this friday

what's a beta???

[OuTpaTienT]

beta is the pre-release version of a software product. It just means it's not necessarily in it's final stage yet and therefore might possibly contain bugs or problems. I've read some of the message boards where loyal users of this program hang out and so far they all seem very happy with it.

[VHockey86]

Besides the seemingly endless pages you go through to get to the download link looks cool.
I'm by no means much of a graphic designer but I like to play with this kind of stuff from time to time. Good find