sK1

sK1 is an open-source program for drawing vector graphics. It runs on Windows, GNU/Linux and macOS and is meant as a free alternative to commercial tools such as CorelDRAW and Adobe Illustrator. The project began in 2003 and is still developed on GitHub.

What sK1 offers

• Vector illustration — a drawing editor for newcomers and experienced designers.
• Prepress features — multi-page documents, CMYK colour, colour separations, ICC colour management and press-ready PDF output.
• UniConvertor — a command-line tool and library that translates between vector file formats.
• Format support — compatibility with formats such as CDR, CMX, WMF and AI through UniConvertor.
• Colour picker — a palette editor that reads many open and proprietary palette files.

Who it works with

Designers, illustrators and print professionals who prefer open-source software.

Key facts

• Founder: Ihor Novikov, who started the project in 2003 and died in March 2021.
• Toolkit: written with wxWidgets, giving it native controls on each platform.
• Status: development continues with the website kept online.