Need Photoshop software recommendations

[KaotikEvo]

I was hoping some of you guys out there can make some recommendations for photoshop software. I'm getting ready to start on a couple new projects before the season gets rolling , and I am getting sick and tired of constantly revising my pencil sketches. I would really love to know what is a good program for editing photos, to change paint details, pipes, etc. I've seen some guys mock up some good ideas with their software, but have no idea where to start looking. If anyone has any recommendations, i would love to hear. Thanks in advance for the help.

[jamez1965]

Are you talking "free" software? You could try GIMP (http://www.gimp.org) although I personally have never used it. If you're willing to pay (or you don't mind using a pirated copy) I'd say the best photoshop software is... Photoshop!

[KaotikEvo]

I probably should have been more specific, i'm looking to buy a good program, but after looking at the ones available at the local store, I'm more confused than before i started. I really just want to be able to mock up new paint etc. All i have on my pc is ms paint, and that is all but useless.
jamez1965, have you used the adobe software for this?
Thanks

[KaotikEvo]

oh yeah, I can run xp, vista or mac. would refer a program in vista or mac so that I can us with a laptop. I also apologize for the placement of the thread, but i wasn't sure exactly where else to put it.

[Mr Jimi]

Paint Shop Pro is good and won't break the bank, I use it all the time
:tour

[snowman]

Photoshop is the king!!! It is also the most expensive and most complicated to use. I also have PaintShop Pro and it works great and is about $80....:wonderlan :wonderlan :wonderlan

[cantolina]

Adobe Photoshop really IS the top-of-the-line in photo editing....

The more you need to be able to do, the longer the learning curve, but if you're experienced with software in general, its not that hard...

Photoshop is the only program I'll use....and I'm not EVEN as good at it as some members here are....

[MikeOK]

Try Corel's Paint Shop Photo X2, I use it often even though I also have Photoshop CS3, Painter IX, and Artrage. Plus it's on sale now for $80 for the download version. You should give it a try, they have a 30 day trial version.

http://www.corel.com/

[bills bikes]

go to download.com and see if they have something.

[toddjsn]

Gimp or gimpshop are free programs that are alot like photoshop.

[jamez1965]

jamez1965, have you used the adobe software for this?

Absolutely!

http://www.netwalk.com/%7Egojira/caffeine_project_small.jpg

But as mentioned, the learning curve could be steep. You'd do great to find a friend who's proficient enough to do ya some favors.

[Screw Loose Dan]

I'm sure they aren't NEARLY as good as Photoshop or Gimp, but there are a few "fully featured" online photo editors. I'm not very good at this stuff, so I wouldn't know the difference between the good and bad but I have used Splashup (http://www.splashup.com/).

[KaotikEvo]

I wanted to thank everyone for their advice. I'm going out this weekend to pick up the adobe photoshop software. I think it will do everything I would like to be able to do, now its a matter of how long is it gonna take me to figure it out. Thanks again everyone.

[royt]

Photoshop Elements has all the features most need and is less than $100.

[rottenralph]

We like free, and gimp is easy to use.

[Scooter_Trash]

PhotoFiltre is free and you can do quite a bit with it.

Photofiltre screenshots (http://photofiltre.free.fr/utilitaires/photofiltre_en.htm)

photofiltre downloads (http://photofiltre.free.fr/download_en.htm)

[alsipd]

+1 for Photoshop Elelments. Get the 6.0 as it is much more user friendly than previous versions. My wife uses Photoshop full at work and she is a little lost with the latest Elements and she likes some of the new user friendly features. WalMart has it for $80.00.

Good luck with whatever you decide. Practice makes you better!

[CaptBligh]

+2 on the Elements. I hated Gimp

[rider29206]

if you are looking for a draw program then adobe illustrator or Corel Draw Corel draw has a top of the line photo program bundled with it

[tribaltiger]

get these:
adobe illustrator graphic suite cs2
corel draw graphic suite x3
corel painter x
auto cad 2008
flexi sign 7.02
nero 7 ultra

now throw in a couple gigs of fonts and clipart, hundreds of hours for practice, large format printers, plotters, scanners, digital cameras/ camcorders, a few cnc machines, and you too can amaze your friends.

i use corel and illusrtator graphic suites daily and my wife still takes the family pictures to wal-mart for editing... some things in life i will never understand.