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Which graphic design software you recommend for a programmer? Gimp like, but more simple, paint-like but more complex.

I need to design a logo for my software.

I forget to mention, must run on linux.

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Would this be better asked at superuser? "for a programmer" doesn't magically make it SO material. – Troggy♦ Sep 20 at 3:18
just get your logo from websites such as logomaid.com, otherwise do it yourself in Paint.NET (getpaint.net) – lubos hasko Sep 20 at 3:21
@lobos hasko: I forget to mention, must run on linux – juanduke Sep 20 at 3:26
Oh mannnn!!!! There goes my suggestion.... A small detail missed indeed @juanduke. :) – klabranche Sep 20 at 3:30
Logos need to be in a scalable format... – Oskar Duveborn Sep 20 at 10:36

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6 Answers

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I need to design a logo for my software.

I forget to mention, must run on linux.

This just screams Inkscape.

Vector graphics is the number one way to create logos - trust me, bitmaps will bite your ass in the future when you try to scale them down (or even worse - up!).

As a programmer you are familiar with binary operators, which is essential when you edit vector graphics (Union is OR, Difference is XOR etc).

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I've never heard binary operators brought up in reference to vector editing - +1 for orthogonal thinking. – Darren Newton Sep 20 at 12:10
Darren: Binary operations are pretty fundamental to vector graphics. They're also fairly common in 3D graphics. – Lee B Sep 20 at 20:08
@juanduke+LiraNuna: Yes indeed. You definitely want a vector graphics package for logos; it'll let you make a logo once in perfect mathematical crispness, and adapt it for print, the web, business cards, invoices, customers sites which have different background colours (if you're a web developer), subprojects that use the logo with small changes or additions, etc. Inkscape will do it, but beware: it's based on SVG, and doesn't handle pro-art level gradients etc., because they're not in the SVG spec. Something like Xara LX might be better. – Lee B Sep 20 at 20:12
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I use Paint.Net and have found it to work pretty well.

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+1 for paint.net – Chii Sep 20 at 3:23
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"must run on linux." – Vince Sep 20 at 3:40
@Vince, I know. He added his requirement to be linux based well after I had responded. Note my comment to him. :) – klabranche Sep 20 at 3:42
Paint.Net has been ported to Mono. I haven't tried it myself. code.google.com/p/paint-mono – dangph Sep 20 at 3:54
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I will never, EVER recommend bitmap editor for LOGOS. This will bite you in the ass in the future. – LiraNuna Sep 20 at 3:58
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I don't use any of them, but Gimp, Tux Paint, KolourPaint, or GNU Paint (gpaint).

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I'd recommend Fireworks - if you're designing a logo, you'll probably want to make it vector, which Fireworks is good at - but it's also simpler than photoshop, and easier to cut up images for websites, or even parts of an interface.

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if Wine is an option: i can confirm that Jasc Paint Shop Pro 9 is known to run well under wine.

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If you are a developer and not a graphic designer then I strongly suggest hiring someone to do your design work for you. It doesn't necessarily have to be a high-cost professional design firm. There are university and college students in Graphic Design programs that are constantly looking for some extra work. Most students past their first year of schooling are more than talented enough to create a logo for you.

Just has software development has it's challenges and skills, as does graphic design. If you aren't sure, imagine if there was a graphic designer out there who just designed a beautiful website and then asked, "What programming language should I use to create my website?".

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