Wikipedia:Graphics tutorials

Various Wikipedians have put together graphics tutorials. Some of these are still works in progress. It is preferred to work with open formats (such as PNG or SVG) and free licenses (such as public domain or GFDL) when possible. There are many free software programs available for creating and editing images.

Main page: Wikipedia:Graphs

Tutorials

Vector graphics tutorials

Application

• SVG with Inkscape - Fully featured SVG drawing program, also capable of PNG output

• Using Dia - page not maintained - Well suited to technical diagrams & flowsheets - PNG output, limited SVG support
• Using Microsoft Word - page not maintained - Familiar to many users, easy to use - PNG only, no SVG support

Specific tasks

• Commutative diagrams in TeX, in mathematics
• Circuits in 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)

Filesize optimisation

Filesize optimisation tutorials

• Wikipedia:Preparing images for upload - Describes how to keep image file sizes as small as possible.
• How to reduce colors for saving a JPEG as PNG (using The GIMP)

Open source programs

• PNGCrush
• OptiPNG
• AdvanceCOMP
• Jhead

Freeware programs

• PNGOUT
• JPG Cleaner

Non-Free programs

• JPGExtra

Photo editing tutorials

• How to improve image quality

Combination tutorials

• Keep in mind that images can contain 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

Software used for Wikipedia images

Vector graphics software

• Adobe Illustrator (Non-free)
• CorelDraw (Non-free)
• Dia (Free)
• DrawPlus (Non-free)
• Inkscape (Free)
• MetaPost (Free)
• Sodipodi (Free)
• Xara Xtreme (Non-free and Free versions)
• xfig (Free)

• and many more...

3D software

• Autodesk 3ds Max (non-free)
• Autodesk Maya (non-free)
• Autodesk Softimage (non-free)
• Blender (Free)
• LightWave 3D (non-free)
• OpenFX [1] (Free)
• POV-Ray (Free for non-commercial distribution)
• and many more...

Raster graphics (bitmap) software

• Adobe Photoshop (Non-free)
• CodedColor
• GIMP (Free)
• Paint.NET (Free)
• Paint Shop Pro (Non-free)
• and many more...

Word processors with vector-graphics facilities

• AppleWorks (Non-free)
• KWord (Free)
• Microsoft Word (Non-free)
• OpenOffice.org Writer (Free)
• and many more...

Panorama software

• Hugin (software) (Open source)
• Autostitch (Non-free; full demo available)
• PTAssembler (Shareware, based on the open source Panorama Tools)
• PTGui (Shareware, based on the open source Panorama Tools)

Related topics

• Vector graphics, Raster graphics, 3D graphics, Word processors, Graphics, Computer graphics, Page layout, Image editing
• Images for cleanup: images that need improvements
• Image use policy: general information on using images on Wikipedia
• Picture tutorial: The best way to add your pictures to articles
• Public domain image resources: sources for public domain images, organized topically
• Maps and images for Wikipedia
• Prokudin-Gorskii photographs (scroll down)
• Wikipedia:How to create graphs for Wikipedia articles
• Wikipedia:SVG Help Technical help for problems with uploaded SVGs

External links

• Grokking the GIMP: a comprehensive on-line book covering the GIMP, as well as graphic and digital photo editing in general