sK1 is an open-source, cross-platform illustration program that seeks to be a substitute for professional proprietary software like CorelDRAW or Adobe Illustrator. Unique project features are CorelDRAW formats importers, tabbed multiple document interface, Cairo-based engine, and color management.
History
A small team led by Igor Novikov started the project in 2003, based on the existing open source vector graphics editor Skencil. sK1 is a fork of the Skencil 0.6.x series which used Tk widgets for the user interface (this version had been dropped by the main Skencil developers who were working on a branch of the program based on GTK+).
In 2007 the sK1 team reverse-engineered the CorelDRAW (CDR) format.[3] The results and the first working snapshot of the CDR importer were presented at the Libre Graphics Meeting 2007 conference taking place in May 2007 in Montreal (Canada).[4] Later on the team parsed the structure of other Corel formats with the help of CDR Explorer.[5] Export into CDR and CMX file formats was presented at the Libre Graphics Meeting 2019 conference taking place in May 2019 in Saarbrücken (Germany).
Target audience
Since the project was started by a small team of Ukrainian professionals in prepress, it was unambiguously focused on full support for PostScript, PDF, CMYK color model and color management at the expense of developing some advanced functions for illustrators[citation needed]. Informally the project is positioned as a free open source alternative to the commercial CorelDRAW[citation needed].
Functionality
Compared to Inkscape, sK1 has a limited feature set, adequate for simple sketching, while its user interface remains clean. Drawable objects include circles and ellipses, rectangles, text, Bézier curves, and straight lines. Those can be transformed in typical manners and aligned in multiple ways.[6]
Supported formats
Import
CorelDRAW v7-X4 (CDR/CDT/CCX/CDRX/CMX)
Adobe Illustrator up to version 9 (based on PostScript)
On 19 November 2006, On 19 November 2006, Bernhard Reiter and Bernhard Herzog asked Ihor Novikov to join Skencil development, stalled since 2005.[7][8]
On 31 October 2010, Skencil 1.0 alpha was released, as a result of revitalization work done by Ihor Novikov.[9][10][11]
On 4 November 2016, Skencil 1.0 rc1 was released, and the last code changes committed on 7 February 2020.[12]
UniConvertor
an application for conversion of files from one vector format into another one. In fact it is a part of sK1, rewritten as a standalone code and being developed by the same team. UniConvertor is also used by Inkscape for opening CorelDRAW, WMF and Sketch/Skencil files.[13][14][15]
Color Palette Collection
a set of free palettes provided in different native file formats for sK1, Inkscape, GIMP, Scribus, LibreOffice, CorelDRAW, Adobe Illustrator, Xara Designer etc. For sK1 2.0 the palette collection is available as a web service.[16]
CDR Explorer
a program that simplifies the reverse-engineering of CorelDRAW formats.
LinCutter
an application for interactive work with cutting machines (PLT format).[17]
Awards
In 2007 the project was awarded the second place in the Trophées du Libre open source project contest in the "Multimedia and games" category.[18]
In 2008 the project was awarded the third place in the contest Hackontest, organized by the Swiss Open Systems User Groupd /ch/open and sponsored by Google.[citation needed]
In 2009 the project was awarded the second place in the contest "The best free project of Russia", conducted by Linux Format magazine. Among the group projects.[19]
In 2009 the UniConvertor project was awarded the first place in the Trophées du Libre open source project contest in the "Multimedia" category.[citation needed]
sK1 versions
Version
Date
OS
Description
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.9.0
9 May 2009
Linux
First public release
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.9.1
10 November 2010
Linux
Release "Made in Brazil"
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.9.2
5 December 2014
Linux
Backport release with branch 2.0 changes
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.9.3
19 February 2015
Linux
Bugfix release
Old version, yet still maintained: 2.0RC1
6 May 2016
Linux, Windows
First public release for branch 2.0 based on wxWidgets
Old version, yet still maintained: 2.0RC2
20 October 2016
Linux, Windows
Completed vector graphics editor, but there is not import/export functionality
Old version, yet still maintained: 2.0RC3
13 April 2018
Linux, Windows
Bitmap graphics import (more than 100 file formats), import filters for GPL, SOC, JCW, CPL, ASE, XML palettes, SVG, PDF, WMF.
Current stable version: 2.0RC4
27 May 2019
Linux, Windows
Import filters for CGM, FIG, CDR(CDRX), CMX, CCX, SVGZ. Export functionality for CGM, CMX, CDR.
Latest preview version of a future release: 2.0RC5
^Reiter, Bernhard (19 November 2006). "[Skencil-users] Join forces for skencil1/sK1? (was: sK1)". Retrieved 2023-11-03. I have chatted a bit with Bernhard (Herzog) and my idea was: Why not join forces on a tcl/tk based Skencil1/sK1 development? Bernhard's initial reaction was quite positive.
