Control Panel graphics and software

[Richardgregory]

This might already be covered in another thread, but searching isn't returning anything that I was looking for.  I'm wanting to refresh a CP by creating a customized look to it by creating a graphical layout for it.  Is Adobe Photoshop the best application for this?  Keep mind that I don't have much or any significant graphics experience, so I'm not even sure if this is going to be any easy.

Thanks

[keilmillerjr]

---fudgesicle--- Adobe. Installs a ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- load of files, takes for ever to load, and is very expensive. You pay that money only to have a new version come out each year and have to pay that money again.

I use pixelmator for Mac. It is contained to one single .app package, small file size, loads quick, and can do everything photoshop can do. Oh, and it's only $30. And you don't have to pay that $30 every damn year. You might also try gimp. It's free and for Mac/Linux/windows. Acorn for Mac is $30 too.

[IAmDotorg]

Mine were done with Inkscape, which is free.

Generally you want a vector program (Illustrator/Inkscape) not a raster one like PhotoShop. The end results are just better.

[Richardgregory]

I don't have a Mac, so Pixelmator is out, but I just tried Inkscape - the interface looks more difficult to 'learn' than photoshop, and not sure were to start.

I guess I'll fiddle with it.

[keilmillerjr]

Mine were done with Inkscape, which is free.

Generally you want a vector program (Illustrator/Inkscape) not a raster one like PhotoShop. The end results are just better.

I agree. Inkscape is awesome for vector art. Available for Mac/Linux/win. And Free is for me!

[IAmDotorg]

I don't have a Mac, so Pixelmator is out, but I just tried Inkscape - the interface looks more difficult to 'learn' than photoshop, and not sure were to start.

I guess I'll fiddle with it.

It has a bit more of a learning curve. There's a lot of good tutorials I found online about it. I would say it definitely took me longer to put my CPOs together than if I used Photoshop or Gimp, but the end results were definitely a lot higher. (Especially if you're pulling in any vector art, which most of the repro arcade stuff is.)

One tip -- use the pre-release version (.91 I think) as opposed to the "released" version -- its quite a bit better. I was having a lot of trouble getting my CPOs to look the way I wanted until I switched.