Skencil review

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Skencil is a free, open-source desktop vector drawing program for creating illustrations, diagrams, and other drawings. Its object-based workspace will suit Linux and UNIX-compatible users who want to compose artwork from shapes, Bézier curves, text, and polygonal objects. It also supports embedded raster or EPS images, making it possible to combine vector objects with image content. The fit is narrower for people who need a drawing tool on other platforms or want a recently maintained product: the vendor site identifies version 0.6.17 as the stable release and was last updated in 2006.

The drawing controls cover both construction and styling. Objects can take solid, gradient, tiled-image, or hatching fills; line styling includes color, width, dashes, caps, joins, and arrowheads. Users can rotate, scale, shear, and otherwise transform objects, while shapes and guide lines can serve as drawing guides. Automatically updated blend groups provide a way to create blended object sequences, and the published feature set includes an effectively unlimited undo history. This makes Skencil more than a basic shape sketcher, though its focus remains vector illustration rather than a broader creative suite.

File support is a practical strength for workflows that exchange vector artwork: Skencil imports XFig, Adobe Illustrator, Corel CMX, WMF, SVG, and native files, and exports native files, Illustrator, PDF, SVG, and EPS. It is free and open source, with community support; however, the software requires additional dependencies, and current-system availability is unverified. Choose it if Linux or UNIX compatibility and vector drawing features match your workflow. Look elsewhere if you need another platform or prefer a product with recent vendor updates and support beyond the community.

Skencil pros and cons

• Where it wins
  • Draw with shapes, Bézier curves, text, and polygonal objects
  • Style fills and strokes, then transform objects and use blend groups
  • Import and export formats including SVG, Illustrator, PDF, and EPS
• Where it doesn't
  • Platform coverage is limited to Linux and other UNIX-compatible systems
  • The vendor lists version 0.6.17 as stable; its site was last updated in 2006
  • The software requires additional dependencies

Skencil fact sheet, pricing and score →

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Last updated 30 Oct 2026 · How we research and update