Forget Photoshop (free alternative)

[PN]

This software was recently featured on TechTV.

Pixia 2.8d Powerful graphics editor

Pixia is the English version of a famous Japanese painting and retouch software for full color graphics. It supports mask, layer and many other editing functions. You can use your own customized brush tips and even use an image file as a brush tip to create unique effects. Its user-friendly interface is suitable for beginners as well as experts. Pixia supports the most common editing techniques and presents a user friendly interface.

License: Freeware
Price: Free
O/S: 98/ME/NT/2000/XP
File size: 3275 kb
Author: WebSite
Last update: 04/13/2003 view latest changes


http://www.webattack.com/get/pixia.shtml

[This message was edited by PN on 05-28-03 at 09:05 PM.]

[Wise Young]

For Mac users who want to convert photo files of any kind to jpeg files that are suitable for the web, I recommend Graphic Converter by Hagen Henken http://www.lemkesoft.de/us_index.html (shareware, $30). This program is not photoshop and provide only limited tools for retouching or changes photographs. However, it does open virtually any graphic file made (from jpeg to photoshop) and will save it into just as many formats. It has a couple of really convenient tools:

• Smart Trim (gets rid of empty borders)
• Resolution (allows you to change resolution of bitmapped pictures)
• Scale (allows you to change the scale of the picture)
• Brightness/Contrast (allows you to change the brightness and contrast of a picture)
• Colors (allows you to change the color resolution of the picture)
• Invert/Rotate/Mirror (alter the orientation of the picture)
• Label/Draw/Color/Select, etc.

Wise.

[Lewis]

Although expensive, it's hard to beat Photoshop.

-Lewis

[Steven Edwards]

I do well with Jasc's (http://www.jasc.com/) Paint Shop Pro. Cheaper than Photoshop and just about comparable...

-Steven

[-scott-]

depends what you use these programs for... I do photo processing on amateur & some professional levels & Photoshop takes the cake hands down.

for general image editing though, any of the aforementioned will do fine. I've used all of them except pixia.

[This message was edited by jmublueduck on 05-27-03 at 05:19 PM.]

[scott7065]

The Gimp is a free (GPL) clone of Photoshop and will run on most platforms.
http://www.gimp.org/

[-scott-]

Originally posted by Slim:

The Gimp is a free (GPL) clone of Photoshop and will run on most platforms.
http://www.gimp.org/
i was weary of mentioning that... note the irony of the name http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/wink.gif

it's not a worthy "clone" of photoshop... nowhere near as easy to use, & the image enhancement capabilities / color management is pretty sub-par, although as a free program it definitely holds its own... worth a look for anyone interested.

[Max]

Bugs, bugs, bugs!
The current development version of GIMP is loaded with tons of bugs, as Bugzilla will show you in the list of open bugs (including the list of enhancement proposals). If you think you've found a new one, you can submit a bug report. http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/confused.gif http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/confused.gif

[PN]

Yesterday, when I was watching "Call for Help" on TechTV, I became aware that every Wednesday they do a 10 minute segment on "Tips and Tricks" with Photo Shop. If you have cable or satellite TV you should be able to watch TechTv. If not, talk to your cable provider.

PN

[-scott-]

a few of the links I have saved re: PS:

Adobe - http://studio.adobe.com/expertcenter/main.html
AdobeEvangelist - http://www.adobeevangelists.com

About PS tutorials - http://graphicssoft.about.com/cs/photoshoptutorials/index.htm

About PS retouch tutorials - http://graphicssoft.about.com/cs/photoshopretouch/?once=true&
Carl Volk Tutorials - http://www.carlvolk.com/photoshop03.htm
ColorTutorial - http://epaperpress.com/psphoto/
Deke McClelland Tutorials - http://www.apple.com/creative/resources/ttphotoshop/
David Rowley Tutorials - http://www.davrodigital.co.uk/tutorials/howtoo.htm

Digi Dans B&W - http://www.digidaan.nl/indexframedigidaan.html?channelmixer/index.html
DP reviews PS actions - http://www.geocities.com/kafuensis/
Espresso Graphics- http://www.espressographics.com/text/overview.html
Fred Miranda Tutorials - http://www.fredmiranda.com/article_2/index.html
Internet Eye - http://the-internet-eye.com/HOWTO/Photoshop.htm
JT Graphics - http://www.jtgraphics.net/all_digital.htm

Lisa Neils Pencil - http://www.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1006&message=3842725
Planet PS - http://www.planetphotoshop.com/
PS Café - http://www.photoshopcafe.com/
PS Gurus - http://photoshopgurus.info/
PS Tutourials - http://user.fundy.net/morris/redirect.html?photoshop.shtml
PS Etc - http://www2.netdoor.com/~annrob/index3.html
PS Workshop - http://www.rainworld.com/oe_99/forge/ps_tut/index.frame.html

PS Pref File fix - http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/17478.html?origin=story
Retouch Pro - http://www.retouchpro.com/
Russell Brown Tutorials - http://russellbrown.com/body.html

Speech Balloon's - http://graphicssoft.about.com/library/weekly/aa0801balloons.htm
Team PS - http://www.teamphotoshop.com/index.php
Wacom Tablet PS tips - http://www.wacom.com/tips/index.cfm?category=Photoshop

[PN]

Thanks, Scott.

PN

[antiquity]

Ummm, I just bought Printshop. Don't know why I'm mentioning this other than to say it sucks. Not enough images.