Open Source Gems

Strong Apps that are made to not be "alternatives" (that's an insult u.u)

Miguel Abreu
Miguel AbreuList by Miguel Abreu, last updated 
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  1. OpenToonz icon
     Like

    GEM for Frame Animation. Open toonz is unbelievably powerful, has both vector and raster animation and you can use mypaint brushes for variation in frame work. Another software where the interface is quite dated though, there could be a lot of work in that regard.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    GTS
    Digital painting
    Filming
    +4
    OpenToonz screenshot 3
  2. Inkscape icon
     Like

    GEM for Scalable Vectorial Drawing. Runs more Smoothly by each version that comes. Can't wait for 1.0, looks pretty as hell.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Haiku
    Inkscape screenshot 1
    Inkscape screenshot 1
    Inkscape screenshot 2
    +8
    Inkscape screenshot 3
  3. GEM on Office Suite Applications. Powerful features - good interface design, easy to use and a good range of applications. A total beast.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • F-Droid
    • Flatpak
    LibreOffice Writer on Linux
    LibreOffice Calc on Linux
    Main menu (old version)
    +8
    LibreOffice Writer on Windows 7
  4. LMMS icon
     Like

    GEM for Digital Audio Workstation The interface is still very complicatd, but still very powerful. Used along with Audacity is amazing.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Haiku
    • Flatpak
    LMMS screenshot 1
    LMMS screenshot 1
    LMMS screenshot 2
    +2
    LMMS screenshot 3
  5. Audacity icon
     Like

    GEM for audio recording and editing. Along with LMMS you got your own studio going, pretty muhc. The intercae is very dated and could use an update, or at least support for Community themes.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • AppImageHub
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Haiku
    Editing Audio
    Audacity 2.2.0 in default Light theme running on Windows 10
    Recording with Audacity 2.2.0 in Dark theme on Windows 10
    +4
    Audacity 2.2.0 MIDI playback running on macOS
  6. Krita icon
     Like

    GEM For Digital Drawing Krita has a lot of features, the brushes defaults that come with it are very good and it runs very smoothly even with Drawing Tablets (no jitter, or delay).

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android Tablet
    • KDE Plasma
    • Epic Games Store
    • PortableApps.com
    • Steam
    • F-Droid
    Main Window
    Startup page with news
    Brush editor
    +3
    Gamut Mask editor
  7. GIMP icon
     Like

    GEM for Photo/Image Editing. Tons of features - Interface could use improvements and the latest update is a step in the right direction in that regard.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Haiku
    • Flatpak
    • AmigaOS
    yes
    GIMP 2.99.18 on Windows, non-default theme.
    GIMP screenshot 2
    +5
    GIMP screenshot 3
  8. Blender icon
     Like

    GEM for 3d Modeling 2.8 Is a blast, runs smoothly and the interface is just amazinggly well thought. Wish they could work more on the sculpting workflows though.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Haiku
    • Steam
    • Flatpak
    • Snapcraft
    Splash Artwork for Blender 4.3
    Cycles Render Engine
    Modeling, Sculpt, UV
    +9
    VFX
  9. GEM For Spine Animation Defenitely needs to be more known by the comunity, the software is very powerful but lacks comunity envolvement/tutorials.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
     Packaging and Export	
Pack images into a texture atlas, which results in more efficient rendering in your games. Export DragonBones and Egret MovieClip data with JSON data format.
     Skinning Animation
Skinning allow individual vertices in a mesh to be attached to different bones. When the bones move, the vertices move with them and the mesh is deformed automatically.
    Skeletal Operation
Bind bone for image. Easily let your character have more vivid actions and more smooth animations.
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