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Community Forums: Home CafePress Community Forums Designer Lounge General Graphics Help What graphic program do you use most? Topic Closed|
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Mostly I use Ulead's Photoimpact 12. Mainly because I've been using Photoimpact since version dot, and I'm really comfortable with the interface. It does most everything Photoshop does, but the commands are different which leaves me a little lost when I switch to PS from time to time.
I use Corel Painter IX for fine art, of which I don't really do that much these days. If it ain't commercial, I don't have much reason for doing it.  KLC Lewis T's Me NOW! Irreverent Imprints For Individuals www.cafepress.com/tmen www.KLCLewisStudios.com |
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Thank you for your feedback. It's always cool to know what is the current favorite graphic program etc. I recently bought a small Wacom Tablet to play with, it came with Corel Painter and Photoshop Elements, I haven't played with those much. Elements seem as complicated as does Illustrator....LOL ---------- Life is Boring Without Color ----------------------------------------- |
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Ah, graphics tablets. I used to have a Graphire (2, I think) but I lost it when I got locked out of my office space (another story entirely). It had fair pressure sensitivity, but I think it was only 512 levels. The best ones these days have 2048 levels, average ones have 1024. I'm saving my pennies to get an Intuit medium-sized tablet, but the way things are going it'll be a while.
Sure is nice to be able to draw with a natural motion, rather than having to roll the ball on my MarbleMouse. But I get by, for now. KLC Lewis T's Me NOW! Irreverent Imprints For Individuals www.cafepress.com/tmen www.KLCLewisStudios.com |
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I have that little Wacom Bamboo Fun (512 levels of pressure sensitivity), which I love. It came with that software too, but I don't use it. I played with Corel Painter for fun, but it really didn't do anything for me. I use Paint.net and Inscape because I downloaded them when I first opened my shops and I'm too cheap to buy anything when they handle my designs just fine. |
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I use Paint Shop Pro 9 mostly and use Photoshop too depending on what tools I need.
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I started out on Paint Shop Pro, and I love that program, it's way easier to use then is Photoshop in my opinion. I mostly use Photoshop but I do switch to PSP sometimes. I've found that with PSP, it's easier to center images or move them where you want than in PS.
I also have the Bamboo fun. I did not want to buy an expensive tablet until I saw if it was worth buying a better one or if I would enjoy using it. I do enjoy using it, so hope to get a better one in the future. Thank you everyone for sharing  ---------- Life is Boring Without Color ----------------------------------------- |
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Well, kinda off topic - BUT, I cannot see myself doing this kind of 'design' work without a tablet. Industry assessments have shown a 50% time savings by using a tablet over a mouse. Now, I know people who do this and like their mouse, but ... ? (I still use a mouse/trackball/puck for embroidery digitizing and other design needs that work better when you can move the 'mouse' to a point and then set the point versus setting a point everytime the tablet pen touches and then having to reset that point for double the work).
I've been using my 5"x4" CalComp 'Creation Station' for over ten years now with no problems other than tip replacement, and buttons falling out. I even bought a second one at the Computer Swap Meet we have here in Phoenix. I've also bought, used, and installed other brands on others computers - such as the Aiptek ones with no problems. These are sold under different names, and there are plenty of good things to read about them (price and features) and some problems some folks have had. The newest bought is a 12"x9" !! as it was a closeout when a new 'widescreen' size came out - Hyper Pen tablet from Aiptek. I did recently buy a WACOM Bamboo to carry with my Netbook for working at the library or ? - seems nice. I've had direct discussions with WACOM engineering to ask they make some tablets with no pressure features to get more people used to using tablets at a lower price. No luck. I personally have no need to use any 'pressure' changes a tablet offers, so I cannot comment on that (still need to figure out my 'Painter X'). I have tablets that are now over 20 years old that still function just fine. I have had little problem with any of the tablets I've had and I strongly agree with the idea that your work WILL go faster (better is in your head) by using a tablet. Considering the life of all the tablets I've had this has got to be one of the best money investments an 'artist' can make. . |
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Thank you for sharing. I really love mine, but do hope to purchase a better one in the future. I want to be able to draw my own designs, and I haven't had much luck with the mouse. I really love the ease of the pen myself. ---------- Life is Boring Without Color ----------------------------------------- |
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I was a graphic designer before I opened my first shop so I started right off using Photoshop and Illustrator and still use them to this day (except newer versions, hehe).
I also have a Cintiq tablet which I bought with "t-shirt money" a few years ago. I love it but I still usually use my mouse for pen tool vector work in Illustrator (not to be confused with the brush tool). I use my Cintiq most with Photoshop, especially for retouching photos (I'm also a photographer). Anyway to directly answer your question of "What graphic program do you use most?" I'd say it's Photoshop
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For a lot of my earlier designs I used Photoshop and/or Illustrator. After I got my MacBook I started using GIMP and Inkscape instead. I find they have enough power and tools to do the job. They are both free (OSX, Win or Linux) and I've been able to convert some of my older Illustrator designs to Inkscape.
I'm not saying they are better, but if you can't afford to pay $$$$ and don't need the extra bells and whistles then Open Source may work for you. I still look for other apps to see if they work better or different, ie Project Dogwaffle or SK1. But in the end you have to make sure that they can export the file formats necessary for CafePress. You can make a great t-shirt design in an icon making app but if you can't export it to JPEG then it's a waste of time. Since most of my recent designs are text/vector based, the graphic program I use most is Inkscape. David |=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=| Original and Off-Beat Designs at The Hype Factory! OMG it's The Hype Factory Blog! |
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BarryK,
I've been thinking about getting a tablet, so thanks for your info! I know nothing about them. Do you need special software? If you mess up, is it easy to erase, etc...? Sorry for this elementary questions .Thanks for your help! Kim http://www.cafepress.com/orangemoonapp |
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Almost all of the tablets come with graphics software and drivers. A couple years ago I bought a Wacom Graphire4 and it came with Photoshop Elements and Corel Painter. The tablet will also work with any other program because works just like a mouse. I use it with PSE, Inkscape, Firefox. My Graphire4 came with a stylus for drawing and a mouse to do everyday things. I use the mouse as much as the stylus. The Wacom Bamboo (current) comes with just a stylus or stylus and mouse. Intuos is better and Cintiq is a monitor you can draw on (very expensive, $1,200+)
Wacom is the industry standard but not cheap. I've just heard about VisTablet and people seem happy with it for half the price. It's lower because the stylus (thicker than most, that's better for your hand) has an AAA battery in it, but one guy said it took a year to run down. Both brands of tablets will work with Mac or PC. David |=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=|=| Original and Off-Beat Designs at The Hype Factory! OMG it's The Hype Factory Blog! |
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I have a Wacom tablet and love it.
I have to be careful not to use it too much as a mouse as well though, as the surface starts to wear off in spots that are used a lot. www.cafepress.com/SharonAlama www.squidoo.com/AlamaPetPortraits www.SharonAlama.com |
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The main programs I use:
Adobe Photoshop Elements GIMP Inkscape Corel Painter X I also have a WACOM tablet that comes in handy for doing original sketch art. |
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Topic Closed Community Forums: Home CafePress Community Forums Designer Lounge General Graphics Help What graphic program do you use most?