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Show HN: Graphite, a Blender-inspired 2D procedural design Rust app

(graphite.rs)
783 points Keavon | 7 comments | 15 Oct 24 22:32 UTC | HN request time: 0.227s | source | bottom

For the past three years I've been building what I hope will be the next Blender, tackling the lack of any good 2D design or image editing tools outside the Adobe monopoly. This was our first year participating in Google Summer of Code and this Q3 update includes the big payoff from that, covering the most progress we've made so far as a project. If you're a Rust dev, consider getting involved as we apply for the next GSoC in the new year— you could be our intern next summer :)

Q3 progress report: https://graphite.rs/blog/graphite-progress-report-q3-2024/

1. wg0 ◴[16 Oct 24 03:26 UTC] No.41855313[source]▶
This is amazing. I love Inskcapke but I think this tool is too good.

It makes me very excited to see tools that are built as web apps because more gravity on web means more capabilities for the web platform which is more open and accessible.

Rust is great - amazing. I presume it is compiled to Web Assembly.

I'm just wondering how and why these three passionate gifted individuals didn't go Round A, Round B Investor funding, post valuation SAFE, Press briefing route?

Been thinking a lot about it lately when I see tons of AI wrappers, open weight fine tuned packaged models and everything in between.

Probably passion can't be priced? Happiness is not valuation?

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2. jokethrowaway ◴[16 Oct 24 06:58 UTC] No.41856307[source]▶
You won't get funding for a vector editor.

Re: open weight models Most of the innovation happens within companies who use OSS to either appeal to developers or to destroy potential competitors (think Meta spending a fraction of its ad revenue just to ruin the market for OpenAI / Microsoft) Some individuals get grants from VCs who want to make a name in AI for themselves for the cost of peanuts (eg. a16z sponsors some models)

At the same time, for wealthy tech people with skills and a well paid job (think 300-500) raising capital is not always an attractive proposition. You'll likely have a lower salary when doing your own startup and if it turns out your open model can't make enough money you'll just have a bunch of worthless equity and 1-2 years of high stress / pressure.

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3. wg0 ◴[16 Oct 24 08:25 UTC] No.41856817[source]▶
Figma comes to mind. But yes, your rest of the analysis follows on the dot and makes perfect sense.
4. crabmusket ◴[16 Oct 24 12:42 UTC] No.41858409[source]▶
> I'm just wondering how and why these three passionate gifted individuals didn't go Round A, Round B Investor funding, post valuation SAFE, Press briefing route?

Maybe they wanted to work for themselves, not for a VC?

5. rachofsunshine ◴[16 Oct 24 13:23 UTC] No.41858774[source]▶
I can't speak for OP, but I didn't seek funding for my company because I knew that it would eventually force me to sacrifice the things I value about it in favor of growth. I'd rather run a small company that sustainably does good, honest business than a giant one that hollows itself out for maximum growth.

Founders are just as tired of "ugh, why can't they just stop ruining good things!" as you are. Or some of us are, anyway.

6. swatcoder ◴[16 Oct 24 14:09 UTC] No.41859206[source]▶
Raising investor money means selling your business before you're even done with it. Sometimes before you've even started it. I mean, that's what all that equity that gets cleaved off represents.

And generally, you'll get your worst terms the earlier you solicit those funds.

If you don't need those funds, it's (mostly) to your advantage to hold off on raising them until you've got your feet underneath you and a company whose future is less disputable.

On the way there, you may even decide not to sell much to investors at all, which makes a big difference if you actually care about either your product or your team. Because your outside investors will rarely care about either and will often convince you to compromise both. They're financiers, and they're there for the money. You should be sure your objectives align with theirs before you sell to them.

7. ChadNauseam ◴[16 Oct 24 15:11 UTC] No.41860020[source]▶
You could totally get funding for a vector editor. A friend of mine got funding for a node-based video editor.