Finding programs and activities for children and teens that are kid-safe and child-friendly can often be an arduous task for parents, with summer vacation right around the corner. Since most children enjoy painting, why not combine traditional painting with technology to create digital painting?
Although there are many online and offline painting programs available today, some are quite complicated while others are expensive.
Free Online Painting Programs
The following programs not only inspire creativity and artistic flair in the young artist, but are also entertaining and simple to use. The programs listed below provide a wide array of tools and cool effects that offer basic painting features as well as more advanced features, for free.
- Psykopaint – This amazing photo-painting program, in beta, combines photo editing with digital painting. The program works by taking the colors in an existing image and then painting with them. To begin, simply upload a photograph, select a brush, blend mode, background opacity and saturation level and paint. All sorts of fun and interactive tools are included on the site. A gallery and user forum is also available.
- Brushter – Touted as an “online painting machine”, Brushter is an abstract interactive painting program for all ages. Tools include 40 different brushes and options include a wide variety of different textures, colors and strokes. Special effects include blending, smudging, rippling and blurring. The auto feature creates computer generated paintings. A tutorial is also included.
- Flow – This beautiful program from the National Gallery of Art, is suitable for all ages. Flow is an animated, moving painting program children and adults are sure to enjoy. To start, select an image. Pre-made designs include flowers, geometric shapes, pets, people and homes. Once the image is selected, the fun begins. Change the speed, size, flow, path and background color of the image and watch the image move, swirl and rotate.
- PaintBox – From the National Gallery of Art, PaintBox is another entertaining painting program for children. Children will learn basic painting techniques and not even realize they are learning! To begin, select from a pre-made image or draw a personalized one. Select symmetry, brush strokes and color levels. The special effects include several fun warping options that are sure to make children of all ages smile and giggle!
Downloadable Painting Programs
- Tux Paint – Tux Paint is a wonderful painting program for children. Tools include a rubber stamper with hundreds of stamps, shape and line tools and a text tool. Just a few of the special effects included in Tux Paint are cartoon, emboss, foam, glass and chalk to blur, kaleidoscope and smudge. Sound effects can be turned on or off and finished projects can be printed and saved. Tux Paint is a free download and is compatible with Windows and Mac OS X.
- MyPaint – This free digital painting download offers basic digital painting features with a wide variety of configurable brushes. Other features include layers, charcoal and ink. A quick-start tutorial and Wiki is also available.
- Art Rage – This program is for the more advanced users. Paint and sketch with oil paint, sparkly glitter or stencils. Trace or draw freehand. Users can paint and sketch with oil paint, chalk or pencils. Fun effects include sparkly glitter, crayons, markers, rollers and stencils. Draw a masterpiece freehand or trace. Upload a personal photograph or use a pre-made design. The starter edition of Art Rage is free. The download is compatible with Mac OS X and Windows XP and Vista.
- Twisted Brush Open Studio – This feature-packed program, for the more advanced user, is loaded with all sorts of painting features including more than 5000 brushes. Other features include photo retouching, filters, masks, patterns and more! A quick start guide and a variety of helpful tutorials are also available. This download is currently compatible for Windows users only. The Open Studio is a freeware version.
The interactive painting programs listed above are sure to inspire creativity, artistic flair and entertain both young and old alike.
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