I have Photoshop on my laptop (which I can't get on at the moment as my charger is broken), but I have NOO clue how to use it, especially with photos & my artwork. I have tried again and again to teach myself, but pretty much everything on there is Greek to me. I also have tried reading the instructions on how to use some of the tools, but I'm still as confused as ever.

Paint, which I have on the computer I am currently typing on, is the only photo/art editing & enhancing tool I can use pretty well, though I'm still not exactly an expert on that, either.

So is Photoshop the best program for this or is there something easier that I can use on my images?

There are several programs used by members here. I use Paint.net (a free download). Has features not found in Paint, like being able to work in layers, which I like and use. I'm no expert on using it, but I didn't find it too hard to start learning how to use it.

Thanks, TG. Excuse my ignorance, but why exactly is the ability to work in layers good to have (I don't understand it on Photoshop, either).

Jellybean, the following image should demonstrate how useful layers can be:

http://www.cafepress.com/cp/mo...lorNo=0&tab=1&Zoom=2

The hand consists of three layers of the same image, each assigned its own color, stacked one on top of the other and then selectively edited to reveal the underlying layers. The coins are another layer, the text two more layers. The shadowing under the hand is actually two layers, to control the exact size and shape of the shadow. Each layer can have its own lighting and color effects applied to it, and can be edited separately from any other underlying or overlaying image. Each layer can also be moved around independently, and either brought forward or sent backward relative to the other layers.

The same image could be done in a single canvas, but it would be much more difficult and take much, much longer to do.

quote:

Originally posted by jellybean:
Thanks, TG. Excuse my ignorance, but why exactly is the ability to work in layers good to have (I don't understand it on Photoshop, either).

Another example: http://www.cafepress.com/scooting_ozarks.362860682 Even in adding text to a very simple image, you can have the image in one layer and the text in another and make changes in either easily without messing up the other. Save your layered image before flattening the image to one layer in case you want to make changes later. You will have to flatten it and save as PNG or JPEG to upload to your image basket.

Using TG's example, if you wanted the text to be available in different colors, you could go into the text layer and change only the color of the text without affecting the rider image, or vise-versa. Or you could play around with the placement of the rider image, try different fonts, etc.

You can even break up a single word into multiple layers and treat every letter as a distinct object.