graphics editor

[jagguy]

Hi,

q)What do you recommend to create graphics with, is gimp OK or is there better and affordable others? Photoshop costs a bucket load .

What I need from Gimp or anything else is access to information on how-to's and forums. Asking questions sometimes is really needed with anything new, but I only found 1 gimp forum. I don't know what people here use.

q)I want to transform the graphics on my site
http://jagguy.ej.am/zen/index.php

Any suggestions?

[Centauri]

I find Paint Shop Pro to be very good, and quite often use it over Photoshop due to its ease of use. Not sure of pricing these days, but it is MUCH cheaper than Photoshop.

Cheers
Graeme

[jagguy]

Well for now i have gimp for now and maybe i will change later.

Any ideas about improving graphics for my site, using gimp?

[jagguy]

q)I had a look at photoshop emements,paint shop pro and fireworks. I wan't to create graphics for my website , and be quick and easy to use. Is gimp as good as all of these?


q)Well for now i have gimp for now and maybe i will change later.

Any ideas about improving graphics for my site, using gimp?

[Kor]

Any ideas about improving graphics for my site, using gimp?
This is a rhetorical question. To "improve" is such a vague verb, thus we will never be able to formulate an answer or advice. It is like asking a famous writer :"What kind of ball pen should I use to write a novel for a Nobel or Pulitzer prize".

A graphical tool is a nothing but a tool. It will not improve your site. Your mind, talent and skills might do that, no matter the tool.

[jagguy]

q)I am after some suggestions in what people think would improve my website appearance.

Any ideas about improving graphics for my site, using gimp?


Now I can either take them on board or not but I am new graphic design.

[Znupi]

I use Paint.NET (http://getpaint.net). It's free, very easy to use and has lots of features. I totally recommend it.

[Kor]

As I said, it does not matter the tool.

Here's what I think you might do:
- Don't use that green, or at least that green with that red title. Complementary colors are to be used carefully, and never in such sharp hue.
- Don't use shadowed "3D" buttons. They are obsolete.
- The pictures in the head have no link with the site's profile. Try to be creative. Try to design something related with the type of site, something which might tell alone what is about your site
- try create a logo instead of a simple text "Photo Express"

[WebJoel]

I use Jasc PaintPro. It at the time I bought it, was around $99.ooUS. Corel bought Jasc some time ago, so I guess it's called "Corel PaintPro" now.

Easier to use than PhotoShop I think, but it has a few fewer options than I would like that PhotoShop has. It has some things that I think PaintShop doesn't have. I particularly enjoy "PictureTubes" in PaintPro, make-you-own or use ready-made available upon the web, for quick vector image needs. Think 'rubber-stamp images' that are re-sizeable. Those are "picturetubes".

Compatible with PhotoShop, each can open & edit the other's format. I used PaintPro for my assignments when taking "Photoshop" in class. It worked, although the presentation did show the editing tools as being 'not PhotoShop' (we had to demonstrate how each layer was constructed). The instructor never commented upon this, clearly recognizing that I could not afford even the 'student version' of "PhotoShop CS", which was around $400.oo in the college bookstore, but I met all the criteria for the assignment. (this student-version, btw, is fully loaded BUT non-upgradeable...I'd find that a terrible caveat)

[jagguy]

I will look at PSP, as it looks good. Is it made for web graphic apps?

Could i ask though about help forums for gimp? i can only find gimp talk as an up to date forum about technical q's about gimp.