Pastello

Pastello is a graphic editor that allows you to hone your painting skill in the realm of dry stone art. While it promotes an oversimplified appearance, the technique employs highlights and strokes that enable you to add a powerful message to paintings and images.

Straight off the bat, the program includes a simplistic, yet well-structured and intuitive interface that is fairly easy to work with. The UI is comprised of several panels, namely the presets located in the lower region, the view/paint pane and the editing area that enables you to modify the settings of the presets.

It is necessary to mention that the utility allows you to work with multiple layers that you can seamlessly add or remove using the functions located in the toolbar. Layers are customizable so that you can fill, clear, invert or use the Smudge tool to obtain a softer appearance. However, you should keep in mind that the app only supports a few file formats, namely TIFF, PNG and JPEG.

The vast array of traditional sketch styles and effects that you can use to transform your pictures into breathtaking pastel drawings represents the highlight of the application. While they are available as presets, you should keep in mind that you can use colored pencils, graphite, charcoal, chalk and crayons to enhance your photos. You can edit the stroke direction, volume, size and variation for all the aforementioned utensils.

A noteworthy feature is the signature layers, an option that can help you add a subtle touch to any drawing or image you are editing. You should know that the program enables you to customize your signature and even create one with your handwriting. Moreover, you can make the signature as visible or as delicate as you deem fit.

If you appreciate the unique approaches of Leonardo da Vinci in painting and you would like to try your skills with the dry color method, then Pastello might be worth a try.