Which Computer Program Should I Use?

MoonstoneArtist · Newb Joined: 31 Dec 1969 Posts: 10

I'm trying to decide which photoshop I should use? I was thinking of using one of adobe's products but I don't know I'm not good with this stuff. Can anyone help me? Uneasy

fallenangel · Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 6:28 pm Post subject:

Uh, if you want to use photoshop, just buy whatever version you can afford. Unless you plan on getting extremely serious with graphic design, there aren't many features in the newer versions you can't live without. Photoshop Elements has basically everything you need (layers). The first version of Open Canvas is free for download and is, in my opinion, just as good as Photoshop only a different layout.
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DG-sama · Moderator Joined: 31 Dec 1969 Posts: 2294

Not that this has anything to do with what you should buy but... it more like a buying tip... if you have a college student ID people at these places will usually give discounts to college students
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cstdenis · Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 8:12 am Post subject:

College/University stores often have very cheep educational versions of various professional software.

And there are free alternatives. The GIMP is a powerful free graphics program.
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Akito · Has No Life Joined: 31 Dec 1969 Posts: 510

I just use Adobe Photoshop 7.0 for all my new work, like my sig (for example) it works pretty nice as long as you know what you're doing, for Graphics Design, filters work really nice. But yeah, I used to use Photoshop Elements, it blows.

fallenangel · Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 4:47 pm Post subject:

[quote="Akito (Spike760)"] But yeah, I used to use Photoshop Elements, it blows. [/quote]
It hardly blows. A number of fabulous artists on another forum primarily use Elements over any other photoshop version because none of the fancy features are at all needed. And not everyone wants to spend $500+ (not counting discounts) for features they don't need.

*cough*filters are cheesy*cough*
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"I care about people as much as I care about lawn furniture" - Dexter/Michael C. Hall

fev · Newb Joined: 31 Dec 1969 Posts: 18

I highly agree wit fallenangel...
Photoshop Elements works perfectly fine for me.. its got everything i really need ^^.. 100$ is a good price..

i can find free plugins online as well that are compatable should i wish to use them (usually dont though)^_^

also heard Paintshop Pro is good, and tis 100$ as well... although i believe it has most everything a full blown edition of photoshop has ^^

also you can try opencanvas... www.portalgraphics.net/ its a lot like a simplified painter, and it has a 30 day trial Smile

Akito · Has No Life Joined: 31 Dec 1969 Posts: 510

See the thing about Photoshop Elements, is all it truely is, is the dumbed down Photoshop, it's good for n00bs are GFX and stuff, but yeah it's like really hard to colour on it, well like colour the way I was taught, I can only work with 7.0.

fallenangel · Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2004 6:20 pm Post subject:

Dude...how were you taught? There really aren't many features on the full photoshop that aren't in elements that you can't live without. Unless you were taught to use channels or something for coloring. :huh:

And it's not dumbed down; it's simplified. All the basic features are there. And have you used Elements 2.0?

Courtesy of Keiiii on artcorner.org, here's a list of what Elements doesn't have that the full version does:

[b]Channel control[/b] - you don't really need that.

[b]History[/b] - good if you want to undo multiple times, but again, you don't [i]need[/i] it.

[b]CMYK mode[/b] - good for if you're printing, but yet again, don't need it

[b]Brush Smoothing[/b] - Good for if you have a tablet. It makes quick strokes smoother.

However, according to EagleMaina, the only thing off that list missing in Elements 2.0 is CMYK color mode. It's really a very nice little program and just a simplified photoshop.

Your coloring method must be...different, to say the least. (but more power to ya, if it works)
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"I care about people as much as I care about lawn furniture" - Dexter/Michael C. Hall

lucien_aristis · Very bored Joined: 31 Dec 1969 Posts: 156

Personally, I use Photoshop 6. Because I don't know how 2 use n e thing else. ^^; Im just learning, so. Bah. I was going to buy some software primarily for colouring in anime type stuff, at the place u buy it u can download a demo of it. But it's best used with a tablet. I think I just (at the moment) need a program that has Layers, History (I have a habit of changing my mind) and hmmn. Just the paintbrush tool and colours. I'm not really in2 n e thing fancy yet. Heres the link to the anime software site...It's in conjunction with Deleter. They a big manga supply company. If u didnt know. This link just tells u a bit about the software...

Deleter - CGIllust Product Info

Cheers,
-Lucien

Hanami · Member Joined: 31 Dec 1969 Posts: 104

If anyone still reads this, I have a suggestion. Try Paint Shop Pro. It seems to have most of the things you all are talking about and it costs MUCH less than Photoshop.

It's got layers, history, but it just isn't as powerful as Photoshop (but for all that I've done, I don't need Photoshop... just look at my craptacular avatar)