This category displays all tools for creating and editing photos, images, graphics, vectors, wireframes, etc. Looking for something specific? Skip to Drawing & Modeling, Image Editors, or MindMaps.
Canva: a browser-based tool for designing, editing, and collaborating on presentations, posters, images, and more. Canva counts with a large library of images, icons, and fonts (some of which are free, others available for purchase) and an easy-to-use dashboard. FREE/Pro. iOS app available.
Sketchfab: a free and premium community platform to help publish and find 3D, VR, and AR content online. FREE/PREMIUM
GIMP: GIMP stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program. GIMP is a robust open-source graphics editor. With plenty of tools available, GIMP works with several file formats and lets you edit images in layers, add image animation by way of a plugin, and more. It’s like a pared-down version of Photoshop. FREE.
Pixlr: Pixlr offers two browser image editors to accommodate different needs. Pixlr Express is designed for a quick edit on your image, including filters, overlays, and stickers; Pixlr Editor offers a robust editing suite with several capabilities and added effects. Pixlr is also available as a desktop or mobile application for download. FREE/Premium.
Adobe Photoshop: the industry standard for professional image editing, photoshop offers high-end capabilities and advanced tools, working with a variety of file formats. NYU students may access this software for free via NYU’s Virtual Computer Lab (VCL).
FotoFlexer: a robust browser-based image editor, no download required. Upload images from your hard drive, using URLs, or upload photos from cloud storages such as Flickr, Picasa, and others, and export edited images in JPEG or PNG formats. FREE.
Paintbrush: using a simple and familiar-to-most interface, Paintbrush covers the most basic needs for image editing, including rotating, adding text and other rough annotations, cropping, and resizing. Not a high-end image editor. FREE.
Preview (Mac): default image viewer and editor on Mac desktops and laptops, Preview offers a limited number of capabilities such as text annotation and markups, changing image orientations, cropping, adjusting color and size, as well as exporting files in different formats.
JuxtaposeJS: create frame comparisons by using a slider and two images, as this example:
MeshMixer: a simple introductory software for 3D modeling, able to easily clean up 3D scans, create new models and help you fix problematic geometry. MeshMixer asks you to “think of it as a sort of ‘Swiss Army Knife’ for 3D meshes.” Free.
Marq: Formerly Lucidpress. A drag-and-drop design platform that helps you create (and collaborate on) newsletters, magazines, posters, etc. Backs up different version history of your projects and offers easy import an flexible sharing options. Integrates with Google Classroom. Free accounts have a 3 document limit. Free/Paid
Storybird Studio: a visual storytelling platform that curates original artwork to illustrate (and inspire) user-authored stories. Offers free trial educational accounts with simple classroom management tools. Free/Paid
Piktochart: An “easy-to-use infographic creator,” piktochart offers over 100 ready-to-use themes. Once a theme is selected, you can edit the text, insert multimedia elements, and replace images. Free accounts have no usage limits; pro accounts have more templates and export functionalities. FREE/PRO
Easelly: Similar to Piktochart, Easelly has ready-to-use templates. You can drag and drop images and designs to use in your infographic, edit text directly on the web page, and add charts. Export options include high quality .jpgs and .pdf. FREE/PRO
StoryboardThat: quickly turn a narrative into a storyboard with this simple online platform featuring thousands of character and background images. 14-Day free trial. FREE/Premium.
ExplainEverything: a tablet-based application that enables you to create videos using original material such as a slideshow presentation, voice-over, images and others and its visual library. Free/Paid.
Design DB is a free database of design resources available online, including design templates, freebies and design assets curated and vetted for quality control. Free.
Inkscape: An open source vector graphics editor comparable to Adobe Illustrator. Inkscape can be used to create anything from graphics for websites to images ready for large format printers. FREE.
mindomo: mind-mapping and presentation software with cloud storage and sync options available with paid subscription. Option for educational account offers collaborative and teaching platforms for assignments, adding course materials, inviting student input, and more. Available for desktop and mobile devices. FREE/Premium.
SpiderScribe: web-based mind-mapping platform that can combine elements like text, images, files, calendar events and geographic locations. Offers options for drawing layouts, real-time collaboration and website embedding. 30-Days free trial. FREE/Premium.
