Best graphics program?

[deb4dwight]

Anybody suggest any? I want a program that I can use to make my own banners, buttons and so forth and don't want to shell out a lot of money for something I can't understand and can't use properly. Don't forget I'm a beginner! :lol:

 

[Eric]

Well you can use adobe, but that gets spendy. I just dowloaded xara webstyle 4 and it makes great banners and nav bars, etc. You can check it out at the URL below. :wink:

http://xara.com/products/webstyle/

Its not free, but I found it well worth the cost.

 

[novocaine]

I think the Macromedia suite is pretty good. for a beginner. In Fireworks you can make almost any type of button or banner. About the price.. i have no ideea

 

[Eric]

True on the macromedia. Ive seen some great stuff. About how long does it take to figure out the basics? I may look into it.

 

[novocaine]

It's easier than Photoshop.. and kinda easy to use. I learned it in a few days . Previous works in Photoshop or Flash will help you .. i like it because it's simple and i don't have to go through all the layer junk from Photoshop. When i want to make a layoout quick i use Fireworks. It also has great slicing functions.. Very good software

 

[ovi]

Hello

Photoshop is the best for you, you will find also a lots of tutorials on the Internet.

Ovi

 

[Patrick]

yes i would agree with Ovi, but it would be pricey (if you wanted it legaly of course...)

 

[Eagle]

 
Just my 2¢...

I use CorelDRAW Graphics Suite almost exclusively and here's a few reasons why...

Flexibility:

I'm an independant graphics freelance and a professional PR (public relations) photographer therefore I don't need to work for an agency. However, even if I did want or need to, Corel GS allows me to export my files to Illustrator or Photoshop formats. It also allows me to import them from Adobe applications if needed, so the flexibility is there which Adobe products don't deliver. Corel is probably the most versatile product out there for filetype support. Hey, it's even supported jpeg 2000 format since version 11 (without plug-ins). Version 12 now supports the import of MacroMedia Freehand files.

Adobe Illustrator (AI)
Adobe Photoshop (PSD)
Encapsulated PostScript (EPS)
Macromedia Flash (SWF)
Windows Bitmap (BMP)
CorelDRAW (CDR)
Corel PHOTO-PAINT (CPT)
Microsoft Word Document (DOC)
Corel DESIGNER (DSF)
AutoCAD Drawing Interchange Format (DXF)
AutoCAD Drawing Database (DWG)
Corel Presentation Exchange (CMX)
GIF
GIMP (XCF)
HTML
JPEG (JPG)
JPEG 2000 (JP2)
Kodak Photo CD Image (PCD)
PaintBrush (PCX)
PICT (PCT)
Portable Document Format (PDF)
Portable Network Graphics (PNG)
Painter (RIF)
Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG)
Targa Bitmap (TGA)
TIFF Bitmap (TIF)
WordPerfect Document (WPD)
WordPerfect Graphic (WPG)
...and many others...


Plugins:

Speaking of plug-ins, it supports most Photoshop ones as well as those made for Corel apps.

Cost:

Corel Graphics Suite includes CorelDRAW, Photopaint and several other applications and is significantly cheaper than a single Adobe product.

Features:

It can do anything that Adobe products can...and then some!

Speed:

Workflow options and simple speed of work is much faster than Adobe.

Ease of use: User customisable interface...yet another idea now taken on by Adobe CS.

If you're interested, the full Corel GS product is available for downoad and trial from Corel's site. You can also upgrade to a full install of Corel if you have any licenced version of Photoshop or Illustrator. And the educational licence is within easy reach if you're on a tight budget...and of course, you're in education!

Industry Standard?:

No, but people used to think you could only design on a Mac.....

 

[Eric]

No, but people used to think you could only design on a Mac.....

Thank God those days are over :wink:

 

[novocaine]

that's a very complete presentation of Corel Graphics Suite. BUT.. i don't agree with you on the speed problem. I find the corel interface quite hard to understand and learn and for image manipulation it cannot compete with Photoshop. For DTP Corel it the best tool but things like photo retouching, webart and stuff like that i don't think it's such a good ideea

 

[Eagle]

Taming the interface does take some time but I can now work many times faster with Photopaint than I can with Photoshop. I'd disagree with your comments on image manipulation though - how can it not compete? In my experience, I've yet to see anything PS can do that PP can't!

Love your av, btw!

Mark

 

[Alexandru Ungur]

Gimp

www.gimp.org, powerful, very nice and very free
You will also find a lot of tutorials for it.
It's got versions both for Linux and Windows.

For simple vectorial drawings, you can use with success InkScape. I don't know if that has a windows version though... but it's still free.

 

[ovi]

Gimp

Right gimp.org is the best, you will have the power of Photoshop for FREE, anything you can done in Photoshop can be done also in Gimp...trust me...is good..

Ovi

 

[temi]

Gimp is excellent on Linux but cannot be compared on Windows with Photoshop and other specialist image manipulation software on Windwows
Temi

 

[criserb1]

Same here !

I think that Photoshop is the best software for editing and makeing designs. Nothing compare with photoshop. Of course it is not very easy to use from the begining but in time it can be more useful like any other soft, because it makes all that other soft can do

 

[Alexandru Ungur]

Same here !

I think that Photoshop is the best software for editing and makeing designs. Nothing compare with photoshop. Of course it is not very easy to use from the begining but in time it can be more useful like any other soft, because it makes all that other soft can do

Just out of curiosity what exactly did you miss in Gimp that you had in Photoshop... ? I'm really curious...

 

[ovi]

Temi, there is Gimp also for Windows and a few weeks ago I have read in PCWORLD magazine a comparative test betwin Photoshop & Gimp...gues what.....no difference. The version 2.0.2 of the Gimp has no difference..The only major difference is the cost. GIMP cost NOTHING, FREE, so guys, use it
You can find here the Windows version of the Gimp: gimp.org/windows/

Regards,
Ovi

 

[temi]

Ovi,
very very impressive, I am converted to Gimp now instead of using illegal Photoshop I will now download Gimp
Temi

 

[ovi]

I tell you the true, I use both on my computer, till I will know the full functionality of the Gimp, is not easy after 3 years of Photoshop to pass to another one, but I can tell you that is very very similar.
And by the way..I am tired to use illegal copies of the Photoshop, and I cannot afford to buy a license

Ovi

 

[Paul_KY]

I'm very skeptical about downloading something of that quality, which costs absolutely ZERO. :shock:

Does anyone have any experience detecting Adware/Spyware, and if so, do you see any evidence of the AW/SW in this program?

I'd love to try this one out, but I've been burned too many times downloading, "FREE" stuff.

Thanks

Paul