What about Elements instead of full blown CS3 / CS4?
In my OP I mentioned that I have Elements, but that I'm finding it limiting. I can handle $100 or so for software, but I'm too much of a cheapskate to spend $700.
I want layer masks! I want the pen tool! I want curves!
Actually, taking on board what others have suggested on this thread, I have been playing with the Gimp, and it does these things, and can even import my psd files. So far it looks really promising!
Lonni, I upgraded from Elements to CS3 and quite honestly it was a waste of money - there are not that many tools that I actually use versus what is available in Elements. If you check out Richard Lynch's Hidden Power of Elements you will find a way around many things. I bought CS3, because I mistakenly thought I was really missing out.
Another PaintShop Pro user here. It does curves, layer masks and a lot of the other stuff that you said elements does not. So far I have encountered very little it can't do. I believe Melethia recently mentioned using a b/w adjustment layer on her dolls entry. I don't have that, though I can certainly accomplish the same a different way. I got my copy on sale for $40.
I have found most Photoshop techniques and tutorials can be applied to PSP without much trouble.
I'm somewhat ambivalent about PSP. Love the price and the features. But now I'm wanting things like smart objects and that BW adjustment layer. Curves is forever crashing the tool, and crop does it a lot of times too. At the end of the day, I get what I want out of it, but you get what you pay for, I suppose.
Curves is forever crashing the tool, and crop does it a lot of times too. At the end of the day, I get what I want out of it, but you get what you pay for, I suppose.
You are right. v12 does seem to be more crash prone, especially with the crop tool for me. I haven't had curves crash yet, however. According to others in the PSP group on Flickr, v12 ultimate edition has fixed that instability, but I want a free fix for something like that. I am mostly sticking with v11 right now, which is pretty solid.
Curves is forever crashing the tool, and crop does it a lot of times too. At the end of the day, I get what I want out of it, but you get what you pay for, I suppose.
You are right. v12 does seem to be more crash prone, especially with the crop tool for me. I haven't had curves crash yet, however. According to others in the PSP group on Flickr, v12 ultimate edition has fixed that instability, but I want a free fix for something like that. I am mostly sticking with v11 right now, which is pretty solid.
I will verify the less (to almost no crashing) with v12 Ultimate. Never in curves, and come to think of it I can't remember when the last time I got the gray screen, hourglass and "Not Responding". Definately some fixes on the Vista Platform. I had issues paying the 29 buck upgrade price for what appeared to be Bugfixes with a bunch of apps, (light) filters and a 2G thumb drive. Now I am quite happy I did. I found that I actually use that Corel Painter 4 Photo that came in the package.
(Hint) If you are on PSP v12 standard and do not see the $29 (limited time) upgrade window (Help > Check for Updates...), Call Corel Sales. I had a buddy call last week and he told them that his buddy got it for $29 and he wanted it for that price...they gave it to him.
There is no download for the update. It has to be mailed to you. Box includes a really good User Guide, 2G thumb drive (whatever), DVD with the Update, some lite NIK plug-ins, a new Background Eraser plug-in, Painter 4 Photo, some frames and tubes.
Box includes a really good User Guide, 2G thumb drive (whatever), DVD with the Update, some lite NIK plug-ins, a new Background Eraser plug-in, Painter 4 Photo, some frames and tubes.
What is the difference between PSP and Painter? I also noticed Corel still sells Photopaint. I tried that a few years ago and I kept going back to Paintshop Pro when is was a Jasc product. I gave my copy of photopaint away on Freecycle about a year ago.
I will freely admit that up until recently, I was using a pirated version of PS3. However, I realized that especially as a software developer, I was being a hypocrite when I was stealing other people's software.
Since then, I've purchased a copy of Lightroom 2, which I do most of my PP in. I do my final resize, sharpening and Save for Web in the GIMP.
There is often a real double standard out there when it comes to stealing a physical item, or a virtual item like software. I fell into that trap myself, and I write software for a living.
There is often a real double standard out there when it comes to stealing a physical item, or a virtual item like software. I fell into that trap myself, and I write software for a living.
That double standard exists in part because it is an actual different thing. One would be theft, the other copyright infringement. Legally they are different. But also perhaps morally. In one case, you are depriving someone of an item that they had before - with software, you are creating a duplicate without removing the original from the previous owner.
Similar with music, videos and other digital media. The various industries are trying really hard and spending vast amounts of money to make people think that theft of physical property is the same as copyright infringement. All those 'piracy' comparisons. Trying to tie it into drug smuggling and sponsoring terrorist groups. Anything to vilify and obfuscate the actual issue.
There is a real issue of compensation of the original creators for the use of a work. Software developers deserve to get paid for their products. But there is also a active campaign to mislead us all that physical theft and copyright infringement are the same thing, when they are far from it.
I bought my legal copy of photoshop a couple of years ago.
Box includes a really good User Guide, 2G thumb drive (whatever), DVD with the Update, some lite NIK plug-ins, a new Background Eraser plug-in, Painter 4 Photo, some frames and tubes.
What is the difference between PSP and Painter? I also noticed Corel still sells Photopaint. I tried that a few years ago and I kept going back to Paintshop Pro when is was a Jasc product. I gave my copy of photopaint away on Freecycle about a year ago.
EDIT: (To answer the question) The difference is that the end result from Painter 4 (photo) is that your end result will always be a artistic rendition of your photo. Be it a painting, drawing, cartoonish etc... there will always be visible signs of the paper, brush, medium and style you choose in the end result.
Painter 4 has two tabs (sets of palettes), one you can do layers, use filters and drawing tools and the other for photo painting. Painter 4 Photo only has the Photo Painting Tab.
Basically Photo painting is you bring your photo in and it becomes an underlay. You chooses brushes/palette knifes and mediums (oil, water, acrylic etc) and paint on a semi opaque layer that is like tracing paper, depending on what the brush/medium is used colors and details are pulled from the underlay and painted in the style you chose.
Tip: Use Auto Paint to get you half the way there (you will not like your results), hand Paint the rest to get the finished effect you like.
This was fully hand painted with Wet Oil Brush, you can't really see it but when printed at 19x13 you can see lumps and strokes of the oil medium.
...back to the Why pay Abode so much every two years thread...
The Gimp for Mac is fantastic, I was lucky to get my copy of CS3 from craigslist and sell off my version of CS2 as well. I always buy used because I'm pretty poor (a combination of being pretty and being poor)
I tried Paintshop trail but I find it awkward.
Lightroom is another good purchase. I am only using version 1.4 though.
They work very well together and I see no reason to upgrade either right now or in the near future.
I use elements 6 and love it, Have a good relationship with local photo store owner did some old fashond tradeing for it, It does most every thing I need.I know all the other adobe do better but cant justifi the cost right now
I got a good deal on a copy of CS2 a week ago. I bought a used G4 Mac Mini for my wife, and it came with licensed copies of CS2, Office for Mac and a 17" monitor for $450. Try keeping an eye on Craigs List, which is how I ran across that deal.
Originally posted by Ristyz:
Did they transfer the license to you? If not, it doesn't count.
That copy is paid for......I don't see an issue with that. It's not like he was deliberately selling PS off of a disc.....it went with a used computer.
I have a problem with software people and the one-shot deal.
If I pay for an issue of software, and I'm not copying it and selling it, I'll do whatever I damn well please with the computer when I'm done with it....it's MINE!
Did they transfer the license to you? If not, it doesn't count.
I have the original disks and if Adobe requires a letter or something to verify the transfer, I have his contact info to get whatever proof they want from him.
