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Question about Photo Shop

Messages
946
Hi,

I hope I posted this in the correct thread. Many people use photo shop as their photo editing tool when exporting bitmaps from SbuilderX. I've been thinking about getting the photo shop but all I see is where you pay a subscription and includes the cloud service, and I don't care for that. I figured one could purchase the photo shop for around $100.00 and be done with it instead of paying a subscription price which will keep you in their wallet for the rest of your days, rather you use it that much or not, and I don't like it. And you wonder if there are any other hidden charges that they may not make clear. I've read where they once sold the product for one price and it was something like $700.00. Why so expensive!? That is outrageous!! I can understand maybe $100.00 or less. But is it possible to purchase photo shop somewhere, and at a reasonable price? I hear that Gimp is a free software that's comparably close to Photo shop but I just don't like Gimp because it takes too long to load and it's not that user friendly because you have to open too many menus and to find what you want. And on top of that, most tutorials are based on using photo shop and it's a waste of my time trying to get around in Gimp searching for what I need.

Ken.
 
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Messages
1,095
Back in my day there was PhotoShop, and then there were cheaper tools for the rest of us. I ran a digital print store, and we used PhotoShop on a Mac, but I much preferred the Windows PC, so we purchased Micrografx Picture Publisher. The difference wasn't that great early on, but it wasn't that long before PhotoShop pulled ahead, for me the main step forward was a non-Mac version... These days there are still plenty of cheap/free choices, but most don't come near the feature-set of PhotoShop.
PhotoShop these days is the perfect tool for me, and I've never really found the subscription expensive. I'm aware that a lot of people don't like the subscription model, but I've got used to it. It costs me NZ$16 a month for Photoshop+Lightroom, foregoing the clouds storage which gets a bit expensive. I actually pay NZ$18 per month for EACH of the two Prepar3d developer licences I use, so Photoshop seems a bargain.
You are right in that most tutorials are based on it, but there are a lot of Gimp tutorials if you search hard.
However, I do find the 3D Studio Max subscription too expensive at NZ$286 a month, in that for five months of the year I would struggle to pay for it.
Having said all that, if you ONLY use PhotoShop for SbuilderX bitmaps, then Gimp makes a lot more sense.
 

hairyspin

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unitedkingdom
For $100 you would never have bought Photoshop, ever; even secondhand examples went for much more money. There are alternatives, including Gimp, Paint.NET, so unless you absolutely have to have PS I’d recommend getting to grips with one of these. I use PS, but bought a permanent license secondhand some years ago (at a price...) and use it for lots more than image conversion. It’s a huge package and by no means easy to learn. Paint.NET was quicker to load and simpler to use when I used to use that.

Can you buy the Cloud subscription, let it lapse when you don’t need it and pay when you do? Might be worth investigating if only PS will do.

The decision is yours!
 
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arno

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netherlands
I guess the first question is what kind of work you want to do on the images. Based on that you can decide which tool is best.

I have switched to Gimp myself because it's free and it can do what I want. But I know I'm not the typical developer, since I mainly make tools.
 
Messages
946
I guess the first question is what kind of work you want to do on the images. Based on that you can decide which tool is best.

I have switched to Gimp myself because it's free and it can do what I want. But I know I'm not the typical developer, since I mainly make tools.


Well, I want to get into the developer part of it. I have another one called IrfanView but I don't think it has all the features I need as Ps. I recently updated my Gimp to version 2.8 and ever since, it takes at least 30 seconds, if not more, to load and get the message that it's "looking for data file fonts, this may take a while." Prior to this update, I never had to wait that long. Before the update when I click on the program, it opened immediately. I haven't found anywhere in Gimp that allows me to do alphas and some of things explained in these tutorials, and I'm just tired of wasting my time with it. Since many tutorials use Ps in their tutorials and if the person doing the tutorial explains how to do something in detail, it makes it a lot easier to follow along, I've found many of these scenery tutorial videos that are very lacking in their teaching abilities.

Ken.
 
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=rk=

Resource contributor
Messages
4,450
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us-washington
Photoshop CC 2015 takes over a minute before I can use it, but I have just about every font known to modern civilization loaded..
 

Pyscen

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2,993
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us-texas
What is the complete version of Gimp that you Have? Version 2.8.x What? Where did you get this version? What link did you use? GIMP does have access to the alpha channel... Have you uninstalled GIMP and then tried to reinstall?

Adobe Photoshop also has an Element version which is less... It does have access to the alpha channel but not by normal means as the CC version or the full version.
 
Messages
946
What is the complete version of Gimp that you Have? Version 2.8.x What?

The version is 2.8.22


Where did you get this version?

From their official website.


GIMP does have access to the alpha channel...

I thought so, but where is it?


Have you uninstalled GIMP and then tried to reinstall?

Not yet, but I was thinking about doing that.


Adobe Photoshop also has an Element version which is less... It does have access to the alpha channel but not by normal means as the CC version or the full version.

What is meant by the CC?
 

Pyscen

Resource contributor
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2,993
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us-texas
The Creative Cloud (or CC) is the Cloud version that was mentioned in others as well as your's comments,...

To access the GIMP alpha channel or create one within a texture or image, can be done by simply adding a layer to image,... or through the Layer Menu,... which appears as such (see images)... I would suggest uninstalling GIMP and reinstalling it first before anything else.
 

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Messages
311
Country
australia
I have been using Corel Paint Shop Pro since it was owned by Ulead and always found that it did everything I wanted and was reasonably easy to learn ANF it is heaps cheaper than PhotoShop although it is HEAPS easier to purchase magazines and reference books for PhotoShop.
Lately I was referred to using GIMP and now use it almost exclusively and for creating water/land and blend masks I always use it and find it works well and it reasonably easy to learn.
A big attraction to using GIMP is that it is free although once again not a lot of printed reference material is available.

Remember when using layers with the alpha channel (transparent background) always REMOVE ALPHA CHANNEL before exporting to a mask image. I found all sorts of problems if I didn't do that.
 
Messages
502
Country
unitedstates
Hi Folks,

I've used Gimp, PS, and PSP - I prefer PSP over the rest - without considering the PS subscription - I just like the interface... PSP can also read and write PS files - I don't think PS can do the same... You should be able to get PSP for around $50.00 (one time fee) if you shop around - especially if you don't go for the latest and greatest - I'm running x9... I seem to recall paying around $300.00 for Jasc PSP 9.1 when it was current - so it's a complete steal now... The big advantage over Gimp - is I don't think Gimp can do vector graphics - which if you paint aircraft is a MAJOR plus...

Regards,
Scott
 
Messages
7,450
Country
us-illinois
Hello:

Indeed, PaintShop Pro (aka "PSP") and GIMP both work with layers / channels, can read / write PhotoShop *.PSD files, and IIRC, also allow use of certain plugins such as the color palette matching utility "Metrix", as discussed along with a link to a reportedly 'free-to-use' 32-Bit version of PhotoShop ...in this post:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/different-seasons.440791/


BTW: Inkscape is a freeware, highly capable vector graphics application which can be used with ex: GIMP for advanced vector functions, although IIRC GIMP already has a vector "Selection" to/from "Path" feature set which may be adequate for many FS scenery development purposes.

https://inkscape.org/en/


Personally, I primarily use Corel PhotoPaint and CorelDraw for most raster and vector graphics tasks.

The speed for loading those applications themselves, as well as when working with large files, and certain raster and vector graphics tasks such as when using the Magic Wand tool for creating / working with "Selections", "Masks", "Paths" etc. are substantially faster than most other graphics applications I have tested over the years (GIMP is appallingly slow with those latter tasks, for example).

Additionally, those Corel applications can use most plugins compatible with PhotoShop (like PSP also can).


I would encourage testing free demos of expensive pay-ware graphics applications before buying them. ;)

GaryGB
 
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Messages
7,450
Country
us-illinois
Hi Scott:

The vector feature set for Corel Draw is extensive, and although it has the ability to work with raster images, it is designated as a primarily vector graphics application.

https://www.coreldraw.com/en/product/graphic-design-software/?topNav=en

https://www.coreldraw.com/en/pages/history/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CorelDRAW

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_vector_graphics_editors


Corel PhotoPaint:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corel_Photo-Paint


Hope this helps ! :)

GaryGB
 
Messages
502
Country
unitedstates
Hi Folks,

Thanks for the info - I'll see if they have a demo and check it out - I want tapered lines - the easy way...
:)

Regards,
Scott
 
Messages
311
Country
australia
Something I tried and found works recently when using METRIX and PSP (Paint Shop Pro) and probably PS as well.
I was creating a 'winter view' for my satellite image.

You can use parts of both analyzed and target images if required using either the 'selection', 'freehand selection' or 'magic wand' (PSP functions).

Select an area of the image being analysed (sometimes this helps if the image contains a large area of 'color' you don't want 'analysed' which might distort the result).
Select the METRIX plugin and select 'analyze'. Only the selected area is analysed.
Switch to the target image. Select the area to be changed. I did this recently as my satellite image contained areas of shallow water which I did NOT want the color changed.
Select the METRIX plugin and select 'apply'. Only the selected area will be changed.

Regards
 
Messages
198
Country
switzerland
Thank you John for this valuable tip. Just downloaded the latest Version of metrix.

Kind regards from Switzerlan

Conrad
 
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