Editing Incubator escapee wiki:Graphics tutorials

Various [[Wikipedia:Wikipedians|Wikipedians]] have put together graphics tutorials. Some of these are still works in progress. It is preferred to work with [[open format]]s (such as [[Portable Network Graphics|PNG]] or [[SVG]]) and [[free license]]s (such as public domain or GFDL) when possible. There are many [[free software]] programs available for creating and editing images.

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==Tutorials== 
===Vector graphics tutorials===   
====Application====   
*[[Wikipedia:How to draw a diagram with Inkscape|SVG with Inkscape]] - Fully featured SVG drawing program, also capable of PNG output    
*[[Wikipedia:How to draw a diagram with Dia|Using Dia]] - <small>'''page not maintained'''</small> - Well suited to technical diagrams & flowsheets - PNG output, limited SVG support   
*[[Wikipedia:How to draw a diagram with Microsoft Word|Using Microsoft Word]] - <small>'''page not maintained'''</small> - Familiar to many users, easy to use - PNG only, no SVG support   
<!-- as a note, I am referring to PNG as any form of rastered graphics, as opposed to SVG. I am discounting PDF/PS output here -->

====Specific tasks====   
* [[Wikipedia:How to create graphs for Wikipedia articles|How to create graphs for Wikipedia articles]]
* [[meta:Help:Displaying a formula#Commutative_diagrams|Displaying a formula with commutative diagrams in TeX]], in [[mathematics]]   
* [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Electronics/How to draw SVG circuits using Xcircuit|How to draw SVG circuits using Xcircuit]], in [[electronics]]

=== Bitmap graphics tutorials ===   
*[[Wikipedia:Basic bitmap image editing]]   
*[[Wikipedia:Graphic Lab/Optimizing relief]] - map-making tutorial using [[3DEM]] or [[GRASS GIS]] editors and [[GIMP]] bitmap editor (all free programs)

=== Photo editing tutorials ===
*[[Wikipedia:How to improve image quality|How to improve image quality]]

=== Combination tutorials ===
*[[Wikipedia:Picture tutorial|Picture tutorial]]: The best way to add your pictures to articles
*[[User:Brion VIBBER/Maps and images for Wikipedia|Maps and images for Wikipedia]]
*[[Wikipedia:Coloring cartographic maps|Coloring cartographic maps]]
* Keep in mind that images can contain [http://www.fieggen.com/software/jpgextra_sample.htm hidden data] and that you might want to remove the hidden data before publishing the images.
*Text can be overlaid onto images using [[Template:Annotated image]] or [[Template:Annotated image 4]].

=== Filesize optimisation tutorials ===
*[[Wikipedia:Preparing images for upload]] - Describes how to keep image file sizes as small as possible.
*[[Wikipedia:How to reduce colors for saving a JPEG as PNG|How to reduce colors for saving a JPEG as PNG]] (using The GIMP)

==== [[Open source]] programs ====
*[https://pngquant.org/ pngquant] - program that reduces PNG size by automatically reducing the number of colors. Visually lossless most of the time.
*[http://pmt.sourceforge.net/pngcrush/ PNGCrush] - Old tried and true program that reduces PNG sizes using multiple [[zlib]] compression trials on disk.
*[http://optipng.sourceforge.net/ OptiPNG] - Essentially a newer version of PNGCrush, it economizes the trial (reducing from 100s of short ones to a maximum of 7 longer ones) and does everything in memory. Usually produces identical results, and is much faster.
*[http://advancemame.sourceforge.net/comp-readme.html AdvanceCOMP] - A group of programs designed to reduce ZIP compression in many contexts, including PNGs (using AdvPNG).
*[http://www.sentex.net/~mwandel/jhead/ Jhead] - A program for viewing, altering, or removing [[Exif]] data of JPEGs. Amongst other things, this allows for reducing file sizes.
*[http://nikkhokkho.sourceforge.net/static.php?page=FileOptimizer FileOptimizer] - A  [[Windows]] [[GUI]] program (recommended for beginners) that uses multiple open source and freeware tools (including most of those listed here) to optimize a large number of media filetypes. Achieves better compression than any of the others used by themselves. Released under the LGPL.

==== [[Freeware]] programs ====
*[http://advsys.net/ken/utils.htm PNGOUT] - A program that optimizes PNGs by eschewing the usual [[zlib]] compression for a slower but more complete algorithm.
**[http://pnggauntlet.com PNG Gauntlet] - GUI for OptiPNG, PNGOUT, and DeflOpt (similar to AdvPNG in AdvanceCOMP)
*[http://logicnet.dk/Analyzer/ Image Analyzer] - Amongst other things, allows for [[lossy]] compression of PNG files. (Often, however, merely [[posterize|posterizing]] the image at a level that does not produce [[color banding]] results in smaller files of the same or higher quality.) 
*[http://www.rainbow-software.org/programs.html#JPG%20Cleaner JPG Cleaner] - Removes Exif data from JPEGs, making the files smaller.
*[http://www.fieggen.com/software/jpgextra.htm JPGExtra] and [http://www.fieggen.com/software/pngextra.htm PNGExtra] - Programs that losslessly optimize JPEGs and PNGs by cleanly removing all non-image data.

== Software used for Wikipedia images==

=== Vector graphics software ===

*[[Adobe Illustrator]] (Non-free)
*[[CorelDraw]] (Non-free)
*[[Dia (software)|Dia]] (Free)
*[[DrawPlus]] (Non-free)
*[[Inkscape]] (Free)
*[[MetaPost]] (Free)
*[[Sodipodi]] (Free)
*[[Xara Xtreme]] (Non-free and Free versions)
*[[xfig]] (Free)
*[[:Category:Vector graphics editors|and many more...]]

=== 3D software ===
*[[Autodesk 3ds Max]] (non-free)
*[[Autodesk Maya]] (non-free)
*[[Autodesk Softimage]] (non-free)
*[[Blender (software)|Blender]] (Free)
*[[LightWave 3D]] (non-free)
*[[OpenFX (software)|OpenFX]] (Free)
*[[POV-Ray]] (Free for non-commercial distribution)
*[[:Category:3D_graphics_software|and many more...]]

=== [[Raster graphics]] (bitmap) software===
*[[Adobe Photoshop]] (Non-free)
*[[CodedColor]]
*[[GIMP]] (Free)
*[[Paint.NET]] (Free)
*[[Paint Shop Pro]] (Non-free)
*[[:Category:Raster graphics editors|and many more...]]

===Word processors with vector-graphics facilities===
*[[Microsoft Word]] (Non-free)
*[[OpenOffice.org]] Writer (Free)
*[[LibreOffice]] Writer (Free)
*[[:Category:Word_processors|and many more...]]

===Panorama software===
*[[Hugin (software)|Hugin]] (Open source)
*[http://matthewalunbrown.com/autostitch/autostitch.html Autostitch] (Non-free; full demo available)
*[http://www.tawbaware.com/ptasmblr.htm PTAssembler] (Shareware, based on the open source [[Panorama Tools (software)|Panorama Tools]])
*[http://www.ptgui.com/ PTGui] (Shareware, based on the open source [[Panorama Tools (software)|Panorama Tools]])

== Related topics ==
* [[Vector graphics]], [[Raster graphics]], [[3D graphics]], [[Word processor]]s, [[Graphics]], [[Computer graphics]], [[Page layout]], [[Image editing]]
*[[Wikipedia:Images for cleanup|Images for cleanup]]: images that need improvements
*[[Wikipedia:Image use policy|Image use policy]]: general information on using images on Wikipedia
*[[Wikipedia:Public domain image resources|Public domain image resources]]: sources for [[Wikipedia:public domain|public domain]] images, organized topically
*[[:Image:Sergei-Prokudin-Gorski-Larg.jpg|Prokudin-Gorskii photographs]] (scroll down)
*[[Wikipedia:SVG Help]] Technical help for problems with uploaded SVGs

== External links ==
*[http://gimp-savvy.com/BOOK/index.html Grokking the GIMP]: a comprehensive on-line book covering the [[GIMP]], as well as graphic and digital photo editing in general

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