Software Package. Which one?

Hi everyone. I am looking for some advice.

I want to upgrade my ability to work with textures and I am wondering which way to go to go in regards to software. I have been using a free program called paint.net which is pretty cool and free. I know too that The Gimp is out there as a free option, but it seems like most people here use photoshop. Is it worth investing in Photoshop for use only in SL? Does it offer something different or just make it easier to follow instructiosn bc/ eveyone has the same buttons.

If I do buy software which package is good? (Isn't there a whole suite option in addition to just photoshop?) And is there a downside to buying it through my University with a student discount?

Sorry about all the questions. Thanks so much!

I have the same questions! I want to learn a program and I am thinking that photoshop might be best because it is used so many other places.

Any advice?

I am biased towards Photoshop. I have been using it for years and it is the industry standard. I don't have experience with the other free or modest priced paint programs.

That said, I recommend Photoshop Elements which lists at around $100 (Photoshop lists around $650). I saw a couple Photoshop Elements on Ebay for about $40. Photoshop Elements has all the same tools and menu items as Photoshop that you would be using the most for texturing in SL.

The creative suite includes Illustrator which is more for making logos and technical drawings, GoLive and ImageReady which are for making websites and several other components that I haven't even explored. I use Illustrator to make ornaments for clothing and for logo design. See
http://www.throughlinedesign.com/secondlife/ballgownPic.jpg
The jewells on the butterfly wings were made in Illustrator. It does take time to learn Illustrator. It is based on line drawing, where photoshop is based on manipulating pixels.

By all means, use you acedemic discount, the software is exactly the same.

Thanks for the info. The butterflies are amazing!

Sounds like the $100 scaled down version of Photoshop might be a really good option. Esp with copies availabel on Ebay. I'll have to check into that.

Thanks again!!

*so much to learn*

I use PhotoShop Elements 4. As I have been told, its not PhotoShop, but is close enough that I am able to use it now following the instructions for PhotoShop and CS. The only draw back with using Elements is that you cannot see the alpha channel, but that is where I use GIMP . That's just me, as I have yet to find a good way for me to make my alpha channel transparent. The more I use Elements the more I find things that I can do to make what I am making look even better, mostly I am just making clothes at the present time. Take care and have lots of fun making things, that is really the key.

I am just curious, for those that use both Gimp and either PhotoShop or Elements, why? What is elements providing that you can't do it Gimp? I am nto trying to start a flame war. I do have photoshop 5.0 le or whatever it is they give you with a digital camera now-a-days but never use it, and I also own every version of Paintshop Pro since 7.0 (and just sent back XI for a refund)

So far, I have been able to follow most tutorials photoshop or otherwise in Gimp or PSP with a few exceptions in things like the way the motion blur works, or how the noise filter works. But have been able to tweak the process enough to achieve the same effect.

Am I missing something with not having Elements?

By the way, another program of this ilk to consider is Photo Plus and their other packages from Serif software. They have some intersting deals where they either give you their software free or for S&H or whatever then email you every week on some special deal. Or they let you buy th emost recent version off th ewebsite for some reasonable cost. It is an insteresting way to amrket things, but when I used their stuff I was not unhappy with it. I may go back to it again some time. http://www.serif.com/photoplus/photoplus11/index.asp

Also, Paint.Net is kind of intersting. http://www.getpaint.net/index2.html

But so far, I am really liking Gimp.

Unless they changed something in the years since I was in College, the student discount purchase version of Photoshop is identical to the full-price boxed version that you buy in the computer stores. The only down-side of buying it on an educational discount is that you have to be paying tuition payments! (IE: Either a currently enrolled, at least half-time student, or an employee of an educational institution).

I use Photoshop, and originally bought mine on an education discount back in college. I've upgraded it several times since then to keep relatively current. Never had any problems doing so, even well after I graduated from college.

I played with Photoshop Elements, as I got a free copy with a graphics tablet that I bought. It was OK, and really would do most of what people might need for SL art. I can't recall if it can make alpha-mapped 32-bit TGA files though.

I started using PSP7 quite a few years ago when it first was upgraded. back then it didn't hold a candle to Photoshop, however now I use PSP10, and other then the price I don't see much difference, for what I need. All filters (plugins) you get for PS work in PSP as do their brushes and other goodies. It's resonably priced, and a much easier user interface IMHO.

I use The GIMP. For my needs it is way more than enough. I just cannot justify spending real money on something like Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro or even Elements when everything I've tried to do in texturing for SL has been accomplished with The GIMP. It's a little steep on the learning curve and the documentation sort of sucks because of the open source nature of the software......but I experiment a lot and either figure it out or find some other way to get to where I want to get. Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment though (I actually think it's fun to play until I get it).

I mostly use The Gimp. I also have PS CS2. Clearly PS is the state of the art program of choice for people who want to be able to do everything.

The GIMP is low cost, there is a good online book (Grok the Gimp), there is a good real book (From Beginner to Pro), there is an active user community.

PS users claim it is unintuitive. I found the opposite to be true. GIMP is intuitive, PS is strange and bizarre...my point being that Intruitiveness is in the eye of the beholder.

For those of you using The Gimp, and those wanting to do so the following are two very excellent links containing lots of tutorials:

http://www.gimptalk.com/

http://guicon.110mb.com/
(don't bother trying to login ro create an account, just look on the right hand side for the tutorials.)