Photoshop or Fireworks?

[Ascendancy]

Which software is better for designing images for the web, Adobe Photoshop or Fireworks?

[Major Payne]

You'll probably get a lot of opinions here with a question like that. I like Photoshop CS2 along with Xara, SwishMax and Flaming Text Gimp.

Ron

[Ascendancy]

Well since Fireworks graphics can be resized to any size, they are more flexible. However, Photoshop has a lot more options for customizing graphics and adding neat effect, so I just wanted to know some people's opinions.

[banev]

Better used both in combine Photoshop with Fireworks

[bathurst_guy]

Well since Fireworks graphics can be resized to any size, they are more flexible. What do you mean by that - they are vector images? You can save vector based images with Photoshop also. An EPS is a vector image. Why would you need a vector image on a website anyway?

[KDLA]

I prefer Fireworks for web-related (or screen) application.
I tend to make images too complicated in Photoshop, so either the web optimizing really degrades the quality, or the image's file size doesn't go as low as I want it.

I use Photoshop for print publications.

KDLA

[freshair]

neither actually. I'm tired of programs that attempt to suck all resources and energy out of your PC, no matter how much memory you have. I also find that I don't want software that tries to organize me and build bridges between software suites. I like to organize myself. I'm old fashioned that way I suppose. Yes, I like the convenience of the filter gallery, but I find I can work just as capably otherwise, especially when converting images for the internet, which is what I mostly do. I generally prefer Elements to Photoshop since I usually don't need to dicker with color values for print. To answer your question directly, Photoshop has a great program for maximizing images for the net, but Elements has that too. For low resource drain, use GIMP or *gosh* "Serif Photoplus 5.5" works great for jpgs if you know what you are doing. If you need compatibility with other graphic artists that use similar standards then I prefer a slightly older version of Illustrator to get the job done. Corel does great photomanipulation. Fireworks leaves me cold and the interface was obviously designed by a minimalist (like Flash Professional). I suppose purpose and then preference is everything.

[BA.Barcolounger]

I use Photoshop to create, and Fireworks to slice.

[hon]

I would Recommends photoshop. and if you don't know just try the trials of both of them and decide for yourself.

[artcase]

Actual "creation" and editing I do in Photoshop (you know, changing the sky background with a fluffy cloud sky from a clip art image, adjusting contract, blending edges, etc. Photoshop is the best I've found to do that.

However, it is much easier to create a web template (say a box 320 x 320 with 1px solid #ccc border, watermark text with drop shadow) and pull your pictures in that file and export with a default web setting in Fireworks.

Of course, you could design the same file in Photoshop (with a vector box output from Illustrator for the border) and be done with Fireworks altogether. It's a preference thing, at that point.

Amy

[pathfinder74]

I love me some Photoshop. I started out with Paint Shop Pro, which I guess has a lot of the filters and layers and all that but PS just seems a lot more intuitive and the controls/shortcut keystrokes are pretty standard across the Adobe Suite, so for me it just seems easier to learn on.

I keep hearing about Gimp.... I really need to give it a try.

What do you mean by that - they are vector images? You can save vector based images with Photoshop also. An EPS is a vector image. Why would you need a vector image on a website anyway?


Any chance SVG will makes it's way from XML to XHTML?

[novemberGrey]

For some real designing, use Photoshop.

[redbeef88]

fireworks all the way- i even made a facebook group for it lol

[WestWeb]

Adobe Illustrator is by far the superior tool for creating graphics.

[Jona]

Which program depends entirely on what it is that you're looking to do.

For layout type graphics, you could use Fireworks, as its purpose is for simple, web layout graphics and vector drawing. Photoshop is actually for photos, but it's powerful enough to do anything you want. Personally, I use Photoshop for nearly everything; there's rarely (if ever) a time when Fireworks does something that Photoshop does not.

The simple fact of the matter is that there should be no reason to ask this question in the first place. Adobe has done a very, very poor job of either (a) identifying the unique and primary purpose of each of their products or (b) consolidating software programs and avoiding competing with itself.

Use what you're more comfortable with. The designer is limited by his tools, so don't limit yourself to one program; use whatever lets you get the result you're aiming for, even if that means using something other than Photoshop or Fireworks.

[Jarrod1937]

Wow, resurrecting an old topic here... But since its up i might as well add my opinion ;-)
Photoshop is as powerful of an application most anyone would need for 2d art. It supports both raster and vector art. Its particularly nice when used in conjunction with a wacom tablet. though i do wish they'd add in particle drawing tools like project dog waffle.
Though i must say, if you're going to be doing vector graphics, you may want to look into illustrator. While photoshop supports basic vector drawing it does not (to my knowledge) support things like vector gradient meshes and such.


I tend to make images too complicated in Photoshop, so either the web optimizing really degrades the quality, or the image's file size doesn't go as low as I want it.


That may be more of a case of your not optimizing the image correctly. Photoshop's save for web jpg compression does the best job i've seen of shrinking the file size while maintaining a good file size/quality ratio. Then it allows pretty good customization of the pallete for png and gif formats. Almost all of my images turn out fairly well optimized with little to no apparent degradation.

[Kor]

When Adobe acquired Macromedia, they were forced to keeping on developing 2 former rival products: Photoshop and Fireworks. Adobe's first option remains Photoshop, and this is the reason for Fireworks is not promoted as a separate product in their first page. Even if you can purchase only Fireworks, Adobe prefer to try to sell it together with the whole Creative Suite :) Marketing trick...