Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 Help!

[NS]

Alright, I got this program practically free, for about 10 bucks, and it is worth 100 at best buy.

Can you make sig's and avatars and cool images with this? And how? Lol.

[jeffrey]

I don't have it, but, just by reading adobe.com's description, it doesnt sound like it can.
By the description, I'd says it's similar to Google Picasa, basically a Photograph veiwer and basic editor.

For a good price (free) I'd recommend The GIMP (google "Gimp Installer" for the .exe file).

[Shine]

Nay, I've used it, (or at least, i'm 99% sure i have), and you can make stuff with it. However, GIMP is better. 8P

[NS]

How much is GIMP, and is it hard to use?

And what program would anyone recommend that is the best for the money (under *hopefully* 50 bucks) that can make nice looking images with layers and stuff?

[Shine]

1st Question -

Gimp is free and its probably the best program besides Photoshop. Even better than some of the other programs that you pay for. The interface takes some getting used to, but its not too hard to use.

2nd Question -

Um....Gimp. 8P

[jeffrey]

What he said.....

Some people say GIMP is just as good or better than Photoshop (unless you're doing this stuff professionally), even if it lacks a few features, it make up for it in that it's free...
If you're coming from a Photoshop interface, you might want GIMPShop, a GIMP hack that emulates the Photoshop interface.

I havent been dissappointed in it, though it's hard to be with free stuff

[Smangii]

rupert said:

What he said.....

Some people say GIMP is just as good or better than Photoshop (unless you're doing this stuff professionally), even if it lacks a few features, it make up for it in that it's free...
If you're coming from a Photoshop interface, you might want GIMPShop, a GIMP hack that emulates the Photoshop interface.

I havent been dissappointed in it, though it's hard to be with free stuff

Quite honestly, GIMP can't even compare to Photoshop. Why? Because it's free. If you want to get professional with design, then you should have to pay some money to get it =P

Of course, it does more depend on the designer rather than the program. I believe that some designers out there using GIMP probably can rival that of a photoshop user, I use Paint Shop Pro and do that today

As for the Elements, congratulations
To learn how the program works, I'd start with tutorials.
www.photoshoproadmap.com/Photoshop-tutorials/Photoshop-Elements-tutorials/Most-popular/1/

That seems like a good place to start

[jeffrey]

ummm, Not so much...I'm not a great designer, but I am a thinker.

I don't agree that it can't compare because it's free.
Free doesn't mean second rate.
I don't think that makes one better or worse, ex. I like audio production. I use Audition ($300) and Audacity (free, open source), I like audition for recording, not a whole lot for detailed editing, I like audacity for editing, not so much for applying effects.
I think if you want the best results, use more than one program.
Free usually only means that the creator has no desire for profit and has made a program out of the kindness of his heart, not that it's worse than apps that cost $$$, though it might be.
And I also said, "(unless you're doing this stuff professionally)". Maybe PS is better for professional stuff, but the stuff most of us make here, Paint.net, The GIMP, and even low cost apps like PSP and others are plenty.


Now, I never said that I thought GIMP was better than PS (I said some say so), I've never used PS, but I think there might be better reasons why PS is better than The GIMP than 'PS cost $$'.

[dude]

I think the point zilla is getting at is that essentially (although this is a bit of a generalization) if a program isn't making any money then it is much harder for it to be a better program. If you want to get big with graphic design then it is necessary for you to be fluent with photoshop although if you're just doing it for fun then it's not. Anyway, elements can actually do most of the stuff PS6 and 7 can do really excluding some stuff with layer styles and it might be missing a couple of tools as well. Elements is probably a better place to start cos it's then easier to migrate to the full photoshop. GIMP is a very good free program though.

[jeffrey]

I can understand that, [dude]*.
It doesnt have the money to progress as fast as PS does.

[NS]

So where would one download or get GIMP if it is free?

And when I do get it, does anyone wanna try and teach me how to use it (or at least tell me how to layer things, add text, crop, and take something from one image and put it on another)?

[:K3Z:]

read the stickeys in this board

[NS]

Which one, "The Gimp for Windows" or "GTK+ 2 Runtime Environment (version 2.10.6, for Windows 2000 and newer)"

[Celadon]

smangii said:

rupert said:

What he said.....

Some people say GIMP is just as good or better than Photoshop (unless you're doing this stuff professionally), even if it lacks a few features, it make up for it in that it's free...
If you're coming from a Photoshop interface, you might want GIMPShop, a GIMP hack that emulates the Photoshop interface.

I havent been dissappointed in it, though it's hard to be with free stuff

Quite honestly, GIMP can't even compare to Photoshop. Why? Because it's free. If you want to get professional with design, then you should have to pay some money to get it =P

Of course, it does more depend on the designer rather than the program. I believe that some designers out there using GIMP probably can rival that of a photoshop user, I use Paint Shop Pro and do that today

As for the Elements, congratulations
To learn how the program works, I'd start with tutorials.
www.photoshoproadmap.com/Photoshop-tutorials/Photoshop-Elements-tutorials/Most-popular/1/

That seems like a good place to start

Not true smangii! I used GIMP before CS2, and i beat out have of GIMP's official forum in battles. It can be done

[NS]

I am having some difficulties downloading GIMP..