PhotoScape
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A worthy alternative to Photoshop
PhotoScape is a free photo editing program that has enough features and tools that anyone serious about their pictures will surely want to take a look. Although not at the same level as Photoshop, it comes about as close as any free photo editor can and, although it doesn’t look great, performs a great deal better than many of the alternatives.
Free photo editor with plenty of potential
PhotoScape is a great free photo editor that will offer users a good number of truly useful tools and features for improving and editing their pictures. Although it doesn’t offer the same flexibility as Photoshop, it’s got a lot going for it, from installation to finished product.
Installing the Photoscape download
The PhotoScape download and install are painless and quick. The install wizard can sometimes bundle other programs, so you should pay attention throughout, but the overall impression is one of ease. Once you open the program, you’ll see an interface that looks a little odd. That’s mainly because the start screen looks unbalanced since there’s a large image to the right and almost nothing to the left. As soon as you choose an option, this will disappear, but it does make your first experience with the app a little strange.
Photo editing options with PhotoScape
On the slightly strange home screen, you’re offered two ways of interacting with the photo editing software. Clicking one of the icons around the main PhotoScape icon is one, or you can access them via the tabs that run across the top of the app. Here on the home screen, you’ll also be able to access the language options, other options, and some other software by the same developer, namely PhotoScape X for Mac, VideoBlend for Mac, and Morning Kit for Android.
The various photo editing options, as they appear in the tabs are:
If you return to the home page, you’ll be able to access all of these options, and a few more, namely:
Editing photos with PhotoScape
For many, PhotoScape’s editing abilities are important. The app does well, although the editing options are not at the same level as a more complicated photo editing program.
When you open a picture in the editor, you’ll see the image in the main screen, a file explorer to the left, and the editing options to the bottom. The editing options can be further divided into home, object, crop, and tools. The main limitation here is that PhotoScape doesn’t support layers, but it does support a lot of other great editing options.
Home allows you to resize the image and apply all kinds of usual effects, like effects, filters, and average editing options, like bloom, sharpen, and black and white. Object allows you to write on the image, or to insert shapes and symbols on top of it. Crop offers you lots of options regarding cropping the image and tools gives you access to more focussed tweaks, like red-eye removal and a clone stamp feature.
Is PhotoScape a worthy Photoshop alternative?
Whether or not PhotoScape is going to work for your image editing really depends on what you want to do, or how professional you require the end result to be. If you need the real polish and creativity offered by layers, you’ll probably find PhotoScape a bit lacking.
If, however, you just want to make basic edits and have fun with your photos in the meantime, PhotoScape is a great option. It allows you to have all of the fun of editing, with a much less complicated and easier to navigate app. That’s not to say that PhotoScape can’t make a professional image – it will just take a little longer to get there since PhotoScape isn’t quite as nimble as its paid-for cousin.
No layers, but a brilliant app nonetheless
When people discuss photo editing apps, one of the first questions to arise is about layers. Since Photoshop is a great app (and Photoshop has layers), it’s often taken as a basic necessity when it comes to what’s “good” in an app.
The truth of the matter, however, is that many of us just don’t need layers in our photo edits. If you think you can get by without it, then PhotoScape is a great place to start. It’s got a practical approach that allows you to change a photo significantly and, unlike an alternative like Picsart, is aimed more at genuine photo editing than making fun photos for sharing online. If you’re looking for a photo workhorse without the price tag, PhotoScape should be your first stop.
What’s new
Several changes were made in the last update of PhotoScape. Among them were: Added ‘Black & White’ and ‘Bandicoot’ filters (Editor > Home, Added a ‘Smart Blur’ brush (Editor > Tools > Effect Brush), Brush sizes increase from 3 to 4 and become bigger, Added 29 more film effects so totally 35 film effects now. (Editor > Home), and Improved the ‘Film Effect’ UI.
