Are there any good programs to use for CGing that are free?

Answer 1

The Gimp has most of the same functionality of Photoshop but is open source and free. The interface takes some getting used to, but then again, so does Photoshop.

http://www.gimp.org/

Answer 2

This question has been asked several times already. Here is an answer I worte for someone else:

If you are a professional you pay for full versions of widely respected programs and they are expensive. For the hobbiest there are less expensive or 'Lite' versions available. If even those are too pricey for you then you move on to the freebies.

Obviously FREE often means the software is basic or is a beta version. But that does not mean they are all useless. It depends on what SORT of art or graphics programs you want and what you want them to do.

Here are a few you could try:

Photo Editing/ Painting:
GIMP for Windows
Sefif Photo Plus gives away older versions.
Pixia
Photo Plus 6

3D:
Sketch Up has a free version
Wings 3D
Blender 3D
Maya Personal Edition
Genesis II (landscape creation)
POV Ray
Teddy

Vector Drawing:
DrawPlus 4
Microsoft Expression used to be free.. I'm not sure if it still is.
Inkscape

Textures:
Texture Processor
sTile (for making background tiles)

Animation:
Dogwaffle
Monkey Jam
Movies 12

Fractals:
Apophysis
Double Fractal

and there are more in every category.

Answer 3

I don't know.

Answer 4

no