Can someone tell me which program to get for this stuff?

If you have $700 dollars to spare, buy Photoshop. If you want mostly everything PS has, download the GIMP. (www.gimp.org)

GIMP is open source (free), and can do pretty much everything PS can do. PS is costly (unless you want to be a pirate), and has few to no advantages over GIMP. Though PS users would argue that point xD.

I use both programs, they're as good as each other.

I like both, I believe that essentially they are equals if you can master them.

PERSONALLY I'd say GIMP is a much much better choice than PS.

GIMP is the only one I've ever used, so GIMP. 'Course, I just downloaded it about an hour ago and made two n00bish avatars and two very n00bish sigs to go along with them. My sig and avi are examples of that...

The real difference between them is that the interface of PS is much more intutive and easier to get used to. Also, while they are pretty much the same for creating stuff like sig graphics, when you start getting into more complicated and subtle stuff, like photographic adjustments and manipulations, and really anything having to do with photography (hence the name Photoshop) then PS comes out on top. If it didn't, then why do graphic design firms shell out hundreds and hundreds of dollars per license if GIMP is just as capable? Maybe because it isn't?

i personally don't like the GIMP UI so i would buy photoshop...

Or because GIMP isnt allowed to be used for commercial gain ^-^.

Its in the licence agreement somewhere...

I agree with Allison. I use PS...CS3, baby! Just a fan here.

I also agree with Arthryn, photoshop is pretty handy with photo manipulations, though I'm not very good at it. No, I'm not good at all with it. I only have a few chances to use photoshop each week, but I can never seem to understand how everything works. Gimp is much easier to understand for me, but I'd rather have PS.

I also think that people who have Gimp can still come out with great things, even though it may not be as good as PS.

if you have the money or pirate it(which I do not recommend or suggest) PS is the way to go. its the fact everyone uses it so all the utilities are there if you need them, and GIMP doesn't have as many users.

Personally I do all of my design/image work in KidPix 1.0. Started using it in third grade and just haven't found a better program out there.

Don't be tempted to upgrade to the newer version, either, they got rid of the exploding eraser.

http://en.wikipedia.com/wiki/Kid_Pix

I remember using that.

Please god tell me you're joking, I LOVED the exploding eraser.

You could draw something then click and it would be all like "BOOOM" and do a cartoon-ish explosion thing.



ˇfantastico!

Wow, how do you get KidPix to do anything? All I could do was make funny landscapes and stick figures and then-erasexplode them.

I'm pretty sure that was what he was talking about.

Download GIMP,its superb program for doing this kind of stuff.

I have been using Photo shop,its really best .

You can get Creative Suite for a huge discount if you find an educational supply site, or a college bookstore. CS includes Photoshop and Illustrator, both very powerful and effective tag- making programs, as well as Flash, InDesign, Image Ready, etc...

If you are really serious, you can also get Cinema 4D and Apophysis, which are used to make stunning renders/fractals that can be incorporated into design. But I suggest finding free packs online and downloading them instead, less work that way. But if you are creating commercial art, then you may want to make your own.

I wouldn't recommend Gimp, simply because the resources available for it are limited, and, well... it's inferior to PS, in my opinion.

I use Photoshop CS3. It is pretty well made and it can do anything that I want it to re ally. It is good for blending things together such as renders as well as the brushes I use. However, I don't think you have 700 dollars to spare or so. I got a pack of CS3 from a rich friend of my brother's.

My father works in graphic design, and he recently got the entire creative suite, so now I do all my stuff on his mac with Photoshop CS3. I used to do everything on my own computer using a pirated version of CS2.

PIRATED??? O.O SHAME ON YOU!!
I use both PS and GIMP. I have both. So I can go from one to the other.

I use GIMP at home, and Photoshop at College, it took me about a week to become equally proficient on PS as I am on GIMP. Yo ucan use either program really, doesn't matter, GIMP is free, PS is several hundred dollars.

The only resources that are limited on GIMP are tutorials, which are easy enough to convert from PS tuts anyway, brushes and gradients can both be used from the PS format, as well as GIMP. GIMP can also save and read PSD's.

For My Side The Photoshop is best tools for creating Graphics, It's Very easy to Use...............
I had not try GIMP !!!!!!!!

I've never tried GIMP, so I can't really comment on it.

I'm not very good with graphics (there is proof of that on this forum), but I use Photoshop CS3. I got it for free from a friend who didn't want it.

I use the gimp.

I use CS3 because its part of my graphics design course. Its more professional and gives more area to expand on certain photography. Overall I prefer CS3 over GIMP.

Nobody uses Fireworks?

I like it ...

Fireworks is an outdated version of Photoshop.

I'm surprised Adobe haven't discontinued it.

I used PS CS2 a long while ago, and liked Fireworks more.

Guess it's time to get PS CS4 and try again.

My last post sounded more "my opinion is right" than it was meant to then, sorry.

In my opinion, Fireworks is more difficult to use, and it does have less features.

I actually found it to be easier to use than Photoshop, but maybe that's just me.

Photoshop CS3 user here.

I actually used to use Fireworks 4.0 in like 2006, I kid you not. >.>

<.< *cough*


Yeah... I have no idea why my father had it. Anyway, I use PS 7.0 right now. I haven't upgraded... I probably should sometime. But I'm too cheap for that, and my dad doesn't upgrade Photoshop anymore now that he doesn't get it free from the company he used to work for. So yeah. I have used GIMP once or twice, but I deleted it ages ago. It frustrated me. It was like going from Photoshop 7.0 to Fireworks 4.0. Granted, it wasn't *that* bad.


Hmmm. Does GIMP have a way of vectoring? I don't remember there being one.

...Anyway, I prefer Photoshop. There's a lot more potential in it, and it's easier to grow in skill as an artist with it than GIMP.

I only use gimp.
@Belgaer, "it's easier to grow in skill as an artist with it than GIMP." Ask anyone who saw me when I first started to now, They can tell you that I've grown substantially in skill only using gimp and not that little of time.
Growth in skill totally depends on your preference.

Well, I'd say, yeah, in some people. But, I just meant that, generally, for most people, PS is easier to expand in. Everyone is different though. I never meant that it's impossible to grow better in GIMP than PS (or even to be better). ;P

I have CS3, but as soon as I get paid for 370Z project I'm working on I am going to upgrade to Adobe Creative Suite 4 Master Collection. Yea its $900 but I'm splitting it with my photo buddy so we can share it. I have never used GIMP, I have Fireworks because it comes in the collection, its ok but I way prefer PS. Also these are some wicked add ons that I have ~~> Alienskin I have all of the design programs, and when we get CS4 my bud is getting the rest of them. Should make for some fun times! Anyone with PS can download a 30 day demo of any or ALL of the stuff to try it. Thats what I did, and after a week I got them. Anyhow.. thats my .02

I use the GNU Image Manipulation Program. OpenSource tends to be more flexible than its profit-making competitors.