Which version of Photoshop?

[Franco]

Im starting a new CP and I would like to design all of the artwork myself. Photoshop seems to be the route but there seem to be many versions out there and I dont know which is the best one for this kind of application. Any suggestions?

[wintermute]

If you're going to make a CP out of photos (this is what I did since I'm a horrible artist), I like photoshop a lot (I hacked together some hi-res photography from NASA, google images, etc..).  I use the "Photoshop CS" version.  However if you're going to be drawing something from scratch, it might be smarter to use a vector type program like Illustrator, since the results will be infinitely scalable, and you'll be working with a file around 100kb instead of 450mb like a large 300dpi CP image would be.

[Franco]

Thanks! Just need to find photoshop cheap from somewhere, it seems you can get it for around

[Ad_Enuff]

Photoshop seems to be the route but there seem to be many versions out there and I dont know which is the best one for this kind of application.

Not to be rude, but the best version will ALWAYS be the latest version currently Adobe Photoshop CS 2 (version 9 if anyones counting).

The latest version seems to have additonal features nothing of which really helps the modification of CP's but if your going to spend money of PS definately buy the latest.

If you havent got the money for CS2 then you must at least buy Version 7.0 for it to work on XP properly.

[RayB]

Not to be rude, but the best version will ALWAYS be the latest version currently Adobe Photoshop CS 2 (version 9 if anyones counting).

I disagree. I have used version 7.0 for the longest time (it's a tool I use every day in my line of work) and then I finally upgraded to CS last month. I am not happy with CS. It is much slower, and also they messed up the UNDO so that now there is no "linear undo" through CTRL-Z.

I've had to add another 512mb of RAM in order to keep performance up a little, but I really shudder to think how much slower CS2 would be. I was happy with 7.0 but upgraded to CS only to keep up with some clients who like to use layer folders. Otherwise there are no features in CS that I absolutely need that isn't already in 7.0.

[Ad_Enuff]

I really shudder to think how much slower CS2 would be.

Actually CS2 is faster....thats one of the new fixes....

[AceTKK]

I use PS 6 or 7, I can't remember exactly which.

[Stingray]

I'm still using Photoshop 5. Does everything I need it to do.

-S

[M3talhead]

I create 100% of my artwork with GIMP. Its free and is more user-friendly than PS IMHO.

[Stingray]

Serif Photoplus is also free and IMO is a pretty good little graphic app.

-S

[Ad_Enuff]

I have to admit, Phototshop although briliant is a very expensive app.

Paint Shop Pro is also a great alternative as a graphic app......personally I use both.

Once you get to grip with Photoshop you wont go back. At first, you'll find it very daunting and very unuser friendly with its crappy gui.

But once mastered its amazing what you can do with it. Then once your image has been created in raster, try to vectorise it with Illustrator.

[Rook3]

How well does this work? Say for example I have an 8x10 photo I want to use as side art on a cabinet. I scan it at 300 dpi, then import into Illustrator.

How bad is the pixelation going to be? It sucks that I picked a theme that has no easy CG or other pre made graphics.

Russ

[Ad_Enuff]

How well does this work? Say for example I have an 8x10 photo I want to use as side art on a cabinet. I scan it at 300 dpi, then import into Illustrator.

How bad is the pixelation going to be? It sucks that I picked a theme that has no easy CG or other pre made graphics.

Russ

It works really well, but the quality of teh original image is how well the final vector will turn out. Poor imagery will no doubt will be hard to read and therfeore errors can occur.

Always try to find the cleanest version....from then on its only as good as your vectoring skills.

More more info on vectoring, try Fostilicus's PDF tutorial.

[Lilwolf]

btw, one of the main new items for CS2 is being able work in a 3d perspective space... And even hit corners

For a house example.  Take an image, in a second you specify the perspective changes for the visible sides of the house (by drawing lines on the ground / roof)... Then when you copy / paste images around, they automatically scale and go around corners.

REALLY cool... but only if you need them.