Paint Shop Pro vs. Adobe Photoshop

[XX7509]

Hey people, I've been looking into a great graphics program to use for web design. For creating banners, company logos, themes, image mapping etc... I currently have paint shop pro and like the program very much. I downloaded a trial version of Photoshop a long time ago, and found out it's rather hard to use. In fact I could not figure it out at all. I like Paint Shop Pro because of all the cool vector graphics, and picture tubes. I've talked to a lot of people and been told by some that Paint Shop Pro is better, and by some that Photoshop is better. Does anyone have an opinion on what I should do?

The main question. Do you think Photoshop is worth all the money?

Purchase Paint Shop Pro 8.0 when it's released.

Get a "Photoshop in the classroom" book and purchase Photoshop.

I put a poll.

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What does public poll mean? Not sure what I done there but o' well. I don't remember that option from before.

[Hierophant]

The question is:
Are you making money as a graphics designer?

If you are, are you making enough money to justify the cost of Photoshop ($600-$800)?

If you can answer yes to both of those, then get Photoshop. If not stick with PSP 8.0

[vgarcia]

Stick to what you know. If you're familiar with Paint Shop Pro and can do everything you want with the program then why change? Photoshop is nice, but it's expensive and probably more than what you need, and if you find it hard to use then you shouldn't bother.

[XX7509]

Originally Posted by W. Luke

The question is:
Are you making money as a graphics designer?

If you are, are you making enough money to justify the cost of Photoshop ($600-$800)?

If you can answer yes to both of those, then get Photoshop. If not stick with PSP 8.0

No. I am just now starting a web design business. I'm not making any money yet. But I was told that most web developers use Photoshop because it's a professional graphics program, and paint shop is a "child's toy"... We'll that's what I've been told.

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I have seen some photos designed with photoshop and they are AWSOME, but I have never seen any photos or logos like that designed with paint shop. Does anyone know where I could view some awsome graphics designed with paint shop?

[Hierophant]

http://www.udraw2.com/gallery/medium/webgraphics_1.htm
http://www.jasc.com/tutorials/tptsites.asp
http://www.pspug.org/gallery/gal1.shtml

[XX7509]

I did some looking on the internet and I found a few sites selling Adobe Photoshop 7.0 Full Version in an unopened factory sealed box from $299-499. I also found some on eBay for under $500.00. I'm wondering if I should invenst in one of those. I've never bought anything from eBay before.

[Jeremy W.]

PSP and PS "can" both produce the same images as an end result, so don't worry too much about that. It's really a balance between what you want to use it for (web, we + print, web + print + tv, etc) and how much you have to spend.

If you don't have much to spend, there's nothing wrong with using PSP. You can always switch to PS at a later date

J

[XX7509]

Originally Posted by Jeremy W.

PSP and PS "can" both produce the same images as an end result, so don't worry too much about that. It's really a balance between what you want to use it for (web, we + print, web + print + tv, etc) and how much you have to spend.

If you don't have much to spend, there's nothing wrong with using PSP. You can always switch to PS at a later date

Yeah! That's true. Maybe it's because I can't draw very well but I've never been able to come up with anything that's realy that good with paint shop, but I have seen works-of-art designed with photoshop. I've seen ocean images, with palm trees, motion and waves in the water, with sun glares on remote islands, mountians in the background etc.. I've never seen or been able to design an image like that with paint shop. So I just get the impression that photoshop is a lot better choice if I want to be able to design great web banners/images/logos for my web design business.

[Jeremy W.]

Naw, those images weren't created in Photoshop, they were manipulated in PS. So, don't worry, pick a tool and do your job. Only switch when your tool limits you

J

[XX7509]

Originally Posted by Jeremy W.

Naw, those images weren't created in Photoshop, they were manipulated in PS. So, don't worry, pick a tool and do your job. Only switch when your tool limits you

J

Well.. I watch TechTV all the time, and the screen savers show they have has a person from Adobe come in about once a week and do samples with photoshop. I watched a 45 minuet show a few weeks ago where the guy started with a blank file and created the image I described above. He started by drawing some things out, and copying and pasting them to make the shadows in the water, then added all kinds of effects etc... I'll see if I can locate the finial image, but it looked just as if it had been shot with a camera. it was awsome.

[Jeremy W.]

Maybe, but PS isn't made for that, and I'm fairly sure that PSP can do the same thing, and that some of the artist tools could do it better and faster

Don't worry

J

[Geof Harries]

I recommend just sticking with PSP, and building on your design skill base. I have never used PSP but the idea of having vector illustration, and photo manipulation or creation tools in the same program (much like CorelDraw) sounds like a good deal for you at this point. If you were attempting to create vector graphics in Adobe software, typically you'd move to Illustrator, which is another expensive venture

Yes, you are right. Photoshop is both confusing, and intimidating at the onset. Its learning curve is incredibly steep, and I'd go as far as to say that most designers don't use its features to their fullest extent. Count me in there. I've been using Photoshop for over 5 years in a full-time capacity, and learn new stuff about it on a regular basis. It truly is a wonder in the graphic design world. Some call it bloatware, but it's just so advanced it is mind boggling...

But you have plenty of time to learn all that PS jibber jabber. Keep on plugging away with PSP. The techniques you pick up will help you to transfer to other software in the future...no worries.

geof

[Novapages]

I used PSP for a long time and still do when I can't figure out how to do something in PS. Its a great program especially for the price!

I have to say though, photoshop does make a lot of things easier and turns out better results without all the hassle. Even the antialiasing comes out much crisper.

[XX7509]

Hmm.. A lot of interesting points. I contacted someone that I know who has Photoshop, he told me that I sould get photoshop, and then get the "Photoshop in the classroom" book. It will teach me everything I need to know, and it only cost about $35.00 at amazon.com. He said spending all that money is a lot to come up with at one time, but I would be glad I did later.

This all give me somthing to think about.

Thanks Everyone who is responding.

[Jeremy W.]

Sure, it'd teach you everything you need to know, but I know many people who have regretted outright buying PS, since it wasn't what they needed

My suggestion is still to buy PSP first, as it'll allow you to get your feet wet and learn the concepts first. Then, if you can justify PS from a business perspective, get it

J

[XX7509]

... I'm still thinking really hard on what to do. I really like PSP, but I really want PS.

I found these pictures from Bert Monroy, they are all done completely in PS, they are AWSOME!!!!!

I'm going to try and do a few things with PSP, and see how they turn out, if there good I think I might just stick with PSP for now...

http://www.bertmonroy.com/fineart/text/fineart1.htm

[BlueFire2k5]

Originally Posted by XX7509

... I'm still thinking really hard on what to do. I really like PSP, but I really want PS.

I found these pictures from Bert Monroy, they are all done completely in PS, they are AWSOME!!!!!

I'm going to try and do a few things with PSP, and see how they turn out, if there good I think I might just stick with PSP for now...

http://www.bertmonroy.com/fineart/text/fineart1.htm

Yeah, Bert is very, very good. He has been making photos like that for a long time, though. (10+ years)

You, also, may want to think about getting his book for later on.

[XX7509]

Originally Posted by BlueFire2k5

Yeah, Bert is very, very good. He has been making photos like that for a long time, though. (10+ years)

You, also, may want to think about getting his book for later on.

If I could only make images like that then PS would be worth every penney. But I can't draw very well, if at all. I like PSP because it allows the use of picture tubes, and I don't think PS has anything like that.

[Novapages]

Originally Posted by XX7509

If I could only make images like that then PS would be worth every penney. But I can't draw very well, if at all. I like PSP because it allows the use of picture tubes, and I don't think PS has anything like that.

Here's an idea: why don't you see if you can register for a class in Photoshop? You'd get to use the program and learn a bit about it, then you'd know for sure whether or not you "need" it right now.

[Geof Harries]

Owning Photoshop will not simply turn you into an artist. It's not the magic key to suddenly becoming a photo or image manipulation master. Anybody can own PS but that doesn't mean they have the skills or talents to make things look great. That truly has to come from inside.

You have to be willing to pay your dues to learn, make mistakes, experiment, and ask questions, but you also have to have a natural inclination towards creating artistic pieces.

I really believe you have to concentrate on developing what you already have and go from there...work with what you've got, and build on those skills over time. Sometimes you'll come up with work that you can be really proud of, and sometimes it's really going to stink. It's all part of the process.

But it sounds like you want Photoshop more than PSP. If so, and you can justify the expense, then go for it. You're admittedly doing a pretty good job of convincing yourself

geof

[XX7509]

I'm nut much of an art person. I mostly do programming stuff. But I want to learn how to do art type things. I think I am trying to convince myself that I should buy it. I'm not even sure why. I think I just want to be able to say I have it. I would also like to get 3D Studio Max. But that program cost almost $4,000.00. I was playing with PSP today, and I made some images. I'm not sure that they are masterpices though.

[Jeremy W.]

XX: They're likely teh same images you would have made in PS. That's the thing, it's just a tool. Anyone can have images like the ones you posted above: it's called stock photography

Designer's best friend

J

[hillsy]

I've used both PS 5.5 and 6.0 (albeit very briefly) and PSP 5-7. I can honestly say that PS is better, but unless you're getting really tricky, or doing print work, you're not going to notice too much difference. Though I do hate the fact that PSP doesn't have incremental zoom (are you listening, Jasc?)

I would suggest a major reason all the "Photoshop" images on the web look really nice, is that they're created by really talented graphic professionals/enthusiasts, for whom PS is basically the default choice. But you don't need to use PS to be "professional" (or as you put it, to say that you have it). That's a bit of a waste of expensive software.

As Geof said, it's less about the tool and more about the user. Sure, PS is better than PSP. No-one argies that. But what's more important is how you use the tool.

FWIW, I now use PSP exclusively. Does everything I need it to do, I know it really well and it saves our IT budget a bunch of money.

[XX7509]

I've done a few little things, but nothing thats really any good. Just ploping things down on a blank canvas. I put a few of my things below if you want to look at them. But please note I'm no where near as good as Bert Monroy. I think I'll just stick with PSP for now... Maybe later I'll get PS.

Again, thanks to everyone who is responding.

[ThaVincy]

I have used PSP since version 5.0 and I must say that I've concidered a switch sometimes.

PSP is a good program, not a bad word about it. Only thing I miss is that PS touch. Adobe seems to spend much of its time developping filters and effects, as PSP limits me sometimes.

For instance: I use PSP as a tool to create webgraphics, and most of the time I succeed and I get what I want. But when I see other peoples work done in PSP, I wonder how they did it. First i reasoned it wast just me, but the longer I experienced graphics in my professional life that idea changed.

PS can do much more than PSP, true, it's expensive, but what you get in return is worth the extra bucks. PSP is good for basic stuff and if you have some nice tutorials lying around, use them, and experience more than you would have expected. If you are serious about going along with every new wave of gfx-effects on the web, you better pick PS as your default gfx-editor.