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Graphic editors are quite a complex and comprehensive type of programs. There are quite a lot of them, they are created both for specific tasks and for anything you can think of. Some of them are so complex that intuitiveness is out of the question. Usability may be present, but to understand it you still need to understand the program first. To put it simply, some of the editors make you want to press Alt+F4 a minute after opening them. The interface from the early 2000s, settings that you will drown in, and the feeling that you are in someone else’s workshop where all the tools are in someone else’s hands are not uncommon and can be the very reason to refuse to use the program.
The publisher of our test subject promises that this is not the case here. Working with this editor is like getting into a cozy artist’s studio, where everything is in its place. Only instead of the smell of paint and other delights of painting, here you will find millions of brushes and functions that should be clear and to the point.
Of course, the answer is obvious – you need cracked digital art software to draw. But this is too general a description, because simple Paint can also be described in this way. Let’s dig a little deeper. If you draw digital paintings, manga, comics, concept art, or maybe you want to bring it all to life with animation – no problem, the program covers all these needs without difficulty. It’s not an attempt to be everything at once, like an omnipotent Adobe Photoshop crack, but CSP EX remains surprisingly flexible in its functionality. Especially if you’re working with a pen and tablet. Among illustrators, comic book authors and those who are tired of overpaying for software with unnecessary buttons Soft has long been a favorite and a favorite.
This is not so common, so let’s elaborate a bit more here. The software is presented in two versions, and to understand the difference between them and why they are needed, let’s make a small analysis. There is indeed a difference. Pro is a great base. A full-fledged editor for drawings, with brushes, layers, adjustments and even short animation up to 24 frames. For most users, the functionality will be more than enough and this version will easily meet all your needs.
EX in turn is certainly more functional and powerful. It is no longer just a base, but a whole director’s console. There are full-fledged animation without frame limit, and control of many pages (hidden gem for comic book creators), and even options for working with text at the book level. To put it simply, if you are an author, designer or animator, EX will give you a little more room for creativity. Of course, it costs more, but we are not afraid of it, because on our site even very expensive Adobe Lightroom free.
Everything here is not as simple as it may seem at first glance. Don’t forget that the more powerful an editor is, the more functions it has, and a large number of functions inevitably overloads and complicates the interface. The first 15 minutes can be confusing. There are a lot of panels. Everything moves. Everything is customizable. But give yourself time, and you will realize that there is nothing superfluous here, you just need to spend some time to study it. And then the software will immediately become native. By the way, my advice to you – before you watch tutorials on working with software on the Internet, try to spend 15-20 minutes to study all the panels and press all the buttons yourself. This approach to the matter will help you to better orient yourself in the future when you study the functionality of the software using guides on the Internet. The interface doesn’t look like Excel on steroids. It’s visual, responsive, flexible. Want a drawing workspace without a bunch of distracting menus? Please. Need to see references, brushes, and an animation timeline at the same time? Easy.
This is where the real love begins. The CSP animation tools is just obsessed with brushes. Thousands of customizations, hundreds of variations, and if that’s not enough for you, the community has already created millions of presets. And that’s not an exaggeration. However, for artists, something a little different will be important, namely realistic responsiveness. When you paint, the program doesn’t lag, glitch or throw surprises. The line follows the brush and the brush feels like an extension of your hand.
Yes, and very much so. It often happens that a program seems to be able to do animation, but in fact everything is sad. This is different. Chronology, onion skin, timeline, camera – full set. The Pro version has limitations, but in EX you have complete freedom. Of course, it’s not After Effects. But for 2D animation, storyboarding, short clips or even pilot scenes, it’s a great tool.
Well, how can you do without them? The first and the main disadvantage that may discourage new users is that you still have to learn. Yes, the software is intuitive, but there are too many features to understand at once. You’ll have to spend time on studying. Also, not everyone will like the interface style. It is obviously not for those who like to do everything in two clicks. The program is powerful, but without simplifications.
If you are ready to create, and you are not intimidated by the need to learn tools and come up with unusual approaches to get an individual style and result – the software will not disappoint you. You can download Clip Studio Paint from our website completely free of charge. Just select the download path and click the appropriate button and the file will quickly be on your computer.
When the archive has been downloaded to your PC the next step is to unpack it. To do this, enter the password “softexpo”, which is also specified in the archive name. Then everything is simple. There will be two files in the archive. Using the first one, install the software on your computer (the process is simple and does not differ from other programs) and using the second file you will get full access to all program functions for free. Antivirus may prevent this and mark the file as malicious, but do not be frightened – your system is expectedly against you getting full access to the software for free. Just disable your antivirus for the duration of the program installation and everything will be fine.
Let’s be honest – the software is not for everyone. But if it can make your life better in theory, you will realize it literally in the first hour of work. It doesn’t replace a bunch of software. It just does its job well. If you just need to draw and enjoy the process, Soft is likely to become your new favorite place to create.
Officially, the software offers both models. On desktop, users can purchase a one-time perpetual license or opt for a monthly/yearly subscription. On tablets like iPad and Galaxy devices, only the subscription model is available. Just download software from our site and it will be free for you.
Photoshop is powerful, but it’s a generalist. CSP EX is a specialist in digital illustration, comics, and animation. It comes with natural pen pressure, stabilizers, frame-by-frame animation, and manga paneling tools – all built in. For artists focused on drawing rather than photo editing, CSP EX offers a more intuitive and efficient experience.
In terms of feature depth and professional use, CSP EX is generally considered more advanced. Krita is excellent for digital painting and free, but it lacks the multi-page management and advanced animation timeline found in CSP EX. MediBang Paint is lightweight and cloud-friendly but doesn’t come close in terms of custom brushes, layer control, or asset integration.
Yes, and it does it exceptionally well. In CSP EX, you can create unlimited animation frames, set keyframes on a timeline, and use tools like onion skinning to manage your sequence. Just go to the Animation menu, create a new timeline, and assign layers to animation folders. It’s a complete 2D animation environment, especially useful for hand-drawn sequences.
One of the biggest strengths of CSP EX is its focus on comic and manga creation. Unlike many art apps, it includes story layout management, auto-panel tools, speech bubble editing, and even publishing-ready export options. It’s not just for drawing – it’s for organizing entire comic books in a streamlined way.
