HeliosPaint

If you’re looking for an application that’s easy to use, does not cost a thing, and provides access to very useful image editing tools, then you are very well advised to check the free image editor HeliosPaint. Load photos, drawings or icons into HeliosPaint and easily start editing them.

HeliosPaint is available for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. The Windows installation file is less than 1MB in size. When you run the installation file, you are asked to pick between a recommended Quick Installation (IncrediBar is installed alongside the image editor, your default search provider and homepage are changed) and an advanced Custom Installation (you get to choose if you want to make MyStart by IncrediBar your default search provider and homepage, and if you want to install IncrediBar). During the installation process, you will also be asked to pick one of the many languages HeliosPaint supports.

Right in the middle of HeliosPaint’s interface you can see the image you’re working on. To the left, right, below, and above, there are buttons for all the functionality it has to offer. This type of layout is typical of image editing applications and if you have ever used a similar application before, you should not have any problems figuring out how HeliosPaint works. If you do have any problems, check out the User Guide from the Help menu.

HeliosPaint comes with a pencil, line, paint brush, eraser, spray can, copy brush, paint can, area selection & movement, gradient, transform, color grabber tool. Its editing functionality does not end there; it also lets you adjust the color, add text, rotate, cut, add effects, reduce noise, and more. You can use HeliosPaint to edit BMP, GIF, JPG, JPEG, PCT, PICT, PGM, PNG, PPM, PSD, RAS, TGA, TIF, TIFF, WBMP, and XPM files.

As I’m sure you’ve noticed, HeliosPaint is freeware. Cons:
Don’t choose the Quick Installation if you want your homepage and default search provider to remain unchanged.