Graphics package recommendations?

[Si Hunt]

we need to get a graphics program for the new PC. Photoshop CS4 seems to be the Market leader but it's about £500 on Amazon! We need something easy to use but a step up from just a Paint program, it needs to do masks, layers, clone brush and what not. And be Windows 7 compliant. And not too pricey. What should we get?

Si. :mobile

[Rob McCow]

I had a look at this recently and apparently Corel do a decent package for around £60 or less. Before you use that though, you should try out 'Gimp', a free graphics package available on the internet

[Si Hunt]

Thanks Steve. I read a review of Corel (are they Jasc in disguise? We have always used Jasc Paintshop Pro but links to that go to the Corel site!) and it said it is ok, but a bit basic. Not that I'm too advanced, but I don't want anything too dumb. I'll check out Gimp.

I suppose we have the trouble now with W7 being so new, of can we buy software in confidence that it's compatible? Photoshop Elements 8 is actually £60 on Amazon (link) but it doesn't mention Windows 7. As this is about the same price as Corel I guess it would be the one to get, but how likely is it to work with W7?

Si.

[WhiteCrowNZ]

Thanks for that recommend - I'm always trying out anything free - in fact littering up my PC with it!

[Si Hunt]

Hmmm this page seems to suggest it is.

I'm not sure what the difference between Photoshop Elements and Photoshop Elements CS is, but if you can get a version of Photoshop for £60 then that's not TOO expensive I guess. Presumably future versions would be available as an upgrade cheaply (or for free).

Si.

[Lissa]

I use an older version of Photoshop Elements (the program really hasn't changed since version 2 despite what Adobe claim - it just looks a bit different each time) and it works fine in Windows 7. But I only really use that for old PSD templates I've got for site graphics. I mainly use Corel Paintshop Pro Photo X2 Ultimate which used to be Jasc Paintshop Pro in the olden days. It's reduced from £80 to £40 at Amazon at the moment and I've been very impressed with it. It's certainly a lot more powerful than Photoshop Elements in any of PSE's incarnations.

You'll find anything that works with Vista will almost certainly work with 7 as Vista was Windows 6.0 and 7 is Windows 6.1 so programs don't recognise it as a major upgrade.

[Si Hunt]

Thank you all!

Think I'll try Gimp before I do anything.

Si.

[Pip Madeley]

I use Adobe Photoshop CS2 and it does everything I need, particularly when I use it in conjunction with Adobe Encore CS3 for making custom DVD menus.

I think you should try Gimp but Photoshop Elements should be pretty good too.

[Si Hunt]

Where did you get your copy from Pip, and how much was it?

Si.

[Pip Madeley]

A friend of mine gave me his as he upgraded to CS4.

[WhiteCrowNZ]

Just been trawling through this thread.

I have Paint Shop Pro on my machine at home, and last night for something I was trying to do, I was finding I just got no-where at all with it - although what I'm trying to do is very specific (trying to doctor an image for one of my cursed stop-motions).

I'll have to download gimp tonight and see if I get anywhere with that - alas I don't think splashing out on photoshop is an option at the moment.

[Lissa]

Funnily enough I've just added Paint.net to the freeware page of the website. It has a few nice features not found elsewhere so you could try that too.

[WhiteCrowNZ]

Thanks Lissa - that is indeed a very useful resource!

[WhiteCrowNZ]

Funnily enough I've just added Paint.net to the freeware page of the website. It has a few nice features not found elsewhere so you could try that too.

Actually that hit the spot perfectly - got what I needed done in about 5 minutes

[Lissa]

Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 Ultimate Edition is a deal of the week at Amazon for £27.97. It nestles mid-way between Photoshop Elements, GIMP and Paint.net at one end and the full Photoshop at the other. It's definitely the best graphics program I've used.