Whether you are deriving from an existing product, creating an entirely new product or even making a sticker to decorate your homepage, you will be using some sort of graphics software to create and edit your textures and images. Here at IMVU we use Photoshop – a powerful tool and an industry standard – but there many options to suit different skill levels and budgets.
Adobe Photoshop
Photoshop is an industry standard and a powerhouse in image manipulation. It is the tool of choice for many graphic artists and professionals, however its many features can make it a bit daunting for beginners. It also comes with a high price tag that may not suit some creators.
https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop.html
Photoshop Elements
Elements is the cheaper cousin of Photoshop. For a fraction of the price you can do many of the same things you can with Photoshop. Its focus is on photo editing and while it lacks some of the creation tools contained in Photoshop, it is definitely worth checking out for those just getting into 2D graphics.
https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-elements.html
GIMP
GIMP is an open source freeware program that is the software of choice for many successful IMVU creators. It is a great free alternative to Photoshop, but be aware that as it is an ongoing effort by independent software engineers, it is not completely free of bugs.
Corel PHOTO-PAINT
PHOTO-PAINT is Corel’s answer to Photoshop. It is another powerful image manipulator used by many in the graphics industry. As with Photoshop its multiple features attract a higher price so it may not be ideal for those new to 2D graphics.
https://www.coreldraw.com/en/pages/photo-paint/
Other Software
When it comes to graphics software there are a myriad of options available. If none of the suggestions above suit you, have a browse around the internet or talk to other creators – there’s sure to be something that suits your budget, skill level and work style.