What Graphics Software Do You Use- and Would You Recommend It To Others?

[vester]

I use PhotoShop CS, but also IrfanView.

Mostly to screendumps from the game, resizing of the pictures.
Especially when I am working with automata skins, I work with the skins in double or four times the final size.
I save the skins from PhotoShop in oversize and then resized them in IrfanView to the final size.


....and it does save the jpg to a smaller file size than PhotoShop.

[callagrafx]

....and it does save the jpg to a smaller file size than PhotoShop.

Is that using Photoshop's "Save for Web" option?  I've never come across another piece of software to beat this compression algorithm and would be interested if it was better than SfW.  Photoshop's Save As facility with JPEG is intended to keep as much original data as possible (if set to Max 12, the loss is negligible) whereas SfW is designed for maximum compression at cost to quality (within reason).

[jmyers2043]

I have Paint Shop X.

I have an old copy of photoshop from work (I grabbed it from the bin when they were throwing stuff away) but as I was already fluent with Paint Shop I stick with it. Except when I want to resize images for the WEB. Then I use Photoshop.

[Masochist]

"See my purse, I'm a poor, poor man...."

So The GIMP for me.  I've even linked to it in the Pic Contest rules.  I'm not trying to do anything too complicated, and it's been able to handle everything I've asked it to so far.  If you have no money but still want something like Photoshop, I'd recommend The GIMP.  If you have money and are willing to spend it, I'd grab something else...although there's a new GIMP coming out really soon, so who knows?

Anyone know where that quote is from?

[Shadow Assassin]

There is a plugin on the Internet that makes the GIMP look like Photoshop, including fixing its UI problems. It's potentially useful, because about the only think I didn't like about the GIMP was the multiple windows with no 'canvas' background that kept everything together in the one tab on the taskbar, like Photoshop does. It made things very difficult to keep track of.

[Xiziz]

I just heard from a few mates over IRC, that Gimp has been released in a new beta, one that includes most features and functions of photoshop, including handling of camera raw's. so if everything goes as planned it will probably get a major update sometime soon, and my bet is that the beta is good enough to be used too(its a public one from what ive heard).

[Masochist]

There is a plugin on the Internet that makes the GIMP look like Photoshop, including fixing its UI problems. It's potentially useful, because about the only think I didn't like about the GIMP was the multiple windows with no 'canvas' background that kept everything together in the one tab on the taskbar, like Photoshop does. It made things very difficult to keep track of.

From what I here, that plugin is buggy and not recommended to be used...

I just heard from a few mates over IRC, that Gimp has been released in a new beta, one that includes most features and functions of photoshop, including handling of camera raw's. so if everything goes as planned it will probably get a major update sometime soon, and my bet is that the beta is good enough to be used too(its a public one from what ive heard).

Yes, GIMP 2.4...been waiting for a while for this, and it's coming out soon!  One of the non-gaming programs I'm most excited about this year!

[Tarkus]

I think I may have tried the plugin SA mentioned for The GIMP, the background window plugin.  It's nice, but then you can't close the background window without Ctrl-Alt-Delete-ing it.  So it's really kind of a nuisance.  Needless to say, I removed it rather quickly. 

-Alex (Tarkus)

[Masochist]

New GIMP 2.4 out now!

[flame1396]

For the resizing I use clip2pic.

Not just useful for SC4

[Tarkus]

Thanks for the heads up, Masochist.  Already downloaded and installed it.  GIMP 2.4 a great deal smoother and quicker than 2.2, and it seems they've added a few new tools, some of which I have yet to figure out what they are.  Seems like they've made some significant improvements this version.

-Alex (Tarkus)

[Shadow Assassin]

The only thing they need to do for the GIMP is add a background window. One that actually works.

[nerdly_dood]

PhotoFiltre is WAY better than Paint and very easy to use.

[ShadeSlayer]

I use Photoshop CS3.

[Shadow Assassin]

PhotoFiltre is WAY better than Paint and very easy to use.

Anything is better than Paint, you know.

[dragonshardz]

Iight now I use IrfanView for image format (ie .png to .jpg) converting and that's about it. I'm planning on getting Inkscape and the GIMP installed at some point....once my mom removes the d*mn parental controls on my computer!

In some ways I REALLY hate Vista. Most paranoid OS I've ever had...

[Shadow Assassin]

In some ways I REALLY hate Vista. Most paranoid OS I've ever had...

Eh, it's not that bad. If you don't mind the Narrator sounding like a dominatrix, that is.

Thank God I figured how to turn it off.

Well, I'll admit I'm the only one that's technically proficient in my family...

[mightygoose]

i use cs3

[JoeST]

I dont edit images... but if i did, i could choose between GIMP, CS3, or Paint ... and tbh i would probably choose Paint because it is so easy.... just time consuming LOL, and then i would chose GIMP cause I love Opensource

Joe

[cogeo]

I use Paint Shop Pro, and I would strongly recommend to the others.
It's handy, simple, fast, and considerably cheaper than anything else (but it's a commercial product that gets support and updates, not freeware). The only missing features (compared to Photoshop) is just some few effects like eyecandy or inner glow. Unless you need features like the above, it should be the onvious choice.