Graphic Design Contests

**Webseeker** · 05-21-2005, 09:23 AM

Hello there,

I'm new to the forums here and am happy I found this place!

I am looking for recommendations on a good graphics program I can use. Right now it looks like I'll be getting the latest version of Microsoft FrontPage. By the way, what is the last version of FrontPage? 5.0?

I don't mean FrontPage as my graphics progam. I'm looking for something that will work good with it. Right now I like outdoor type graphics: trees, landscape pics, animals, etc. I would like to be able to learn to have text/fonts of all kinds superimposed within/over the graphic, etc. I know nothing about this sort of thing.

What are your recommendations? I have very little webmaster skills, but can do very basic html pages.(very little) LOL!

Webseeker

**dojo** · 05-21-2005, 10:19 AM

Well I'm awfully pleased with Photoshop CS. It's a bit "tough" on your wallet but I think it's a serious piece pf software and does its job great. Get a free trial and see if YOU like it.

**stoot98** · 05-21-2005, 10:19 AM

The best one would be Photoshop - unfortunately it's very expensive unless you can 'acquire' a copy from somewhere. Other options would be Macromedia Fireworks, alot simpler to use but not nearly as powerful (possibly adequate for what you want to do). Again, it's pretty expensive.

There are ohers out there which i dont know a great deal about. Paint Shop Pro, Corel....

Hope this helps a bit.
Stoot

**Webseeker** · 05-21-2005, 03:04 PM

Thanks for the replies. I will definitely start looking into PhotoShop.

Any other recommendations?

How about FrontPage? Is the latest version 5.0? What year is 5.0? (not a graphics question... just webdesign)

Thanks!

Webseeker

**dojo** · 05-21-2005, 04:46 PM

Well ... I don't have a good opinion of FP since I have worked with it and it's been disapointing for me. I have worked when I started webdesign and afterwards I used Dreamweaver. Last week i had to do a page and I haven't got the Dreamweaver installed that day so i used FP again. I must admit even now I find it poor compared to dreamweaver. and the code was really messy. So I'd say you could invest some money in Dreamweaver. a good wysiwyg editor

**brokensoul2271** · 05-21-2005, 05:20 PM

I recommend Fireworks as its simple to get the hang off and unlike Photoshop is affordable

.
You could also look into Paint Shop Pro which is another quality graphics program or the best free graphics program around ...The Gimp - Some say its as good as photoshop although its not it makes a good alternative...

**MoonxChild** · 05-21-2005, 05:34 PM

Yeah, I would highly recommend Photoshop. I know it's expensive but there are some downloads out there (Kazaa and such, although I don't use it anymore so I don't know if they still have it up).

**Fed** · 05-22-2005, 07:50 AM

definitely Photoshop, even the version 7 is good and can be bought a good prices

regarding fron page I can't help you as I use dreamweaver and I think I'd never change....

good luck

**DJA** · 05-22-2005, 11:54 AM

If you don't want to spend money on Phtoshop go beg some college student majoring in computers to give you a copy! I'm sure he/she'd have one!

**DJA** · 05-22-2005, 11:56 AM

And I have photoshop, if you have some free time (and a version of PSP or photoshop) it's always fun to enter a contest at http://www.worth1000.com its really fun, and if you want to edit banners and make them like different colors the megnetic lasso works WELL.

**P3rc3pt10n** · 06-02-2005, 06:55 AM

as said before photoshop is really the best but if you cant get it theres other programs such as fireworks and paint shop pro but psp is slightly expensive. If you are looking for a program to code your website dreamweaver is the best but frontpage is pretty good, but if you know html like the back of your hand then just use notepad most designers use it cause its easier to use and most of them know what code is for what.

**brokensoul2271** · 06-02-2005, 07:38 AM

Yeah but notepad starts to get really annoying to work with as you have to keep opening notepad to get extra pages and no syntax highlighting or anything, there are other web text editors around that help make things a little bit faster while still giving you full code control like textpad or PSPad which is free from http://www.pspad.com.

**Brendan22** · 06-02-2005, 12:13 PM

you could always check out ebay for older less expensive versions of Photoshop, 6.0 or even 5.5 would do what you need

**brokensoul2271** · 06-02-2005, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VitaminB

you could always check out ebay for older less expensive versions of Photoshop, 6.0 or even 5.5 would do what you need

True. And then you can update it and it will probably work out less than if you paid for it of the shelf ..if you know what i mean

**Molly** · 06-02-2005, 03:19 PM

Paint shop pro is great, its really easy to use too. But ive heard photoshop is probably the best.

**CasaPages** · 06-02-2005, 05:13 PM

Front Page 2003 is the newest version.....From what I hear it is the first one that is comparable to Dreamweaver.....I do use Front Page 03, I have tried Dreamweaver but I sarted off on frontpage so Im more comfortable with it plus I mostly hand code soooooo it doesnt really matter to me ( I use it like notepad on steroids, it also has a nice ftp feature).....

Photoshop is the nasty...however The newest version of GIMP (which is free) looks almost exactly like photoshop (this means you can use all the same tuts)....Thing is the output files that Photoshop produce are of far superior quality to anything out there

Jassic PaintShop pro is an afordable program that is comparable to Photoshop