hey does any one now any good graphics program where i can design good graphics for my site - im an amature so the easier the program the better but i dont want something really basic i want something easy but good for my site
www.CircleOfLinks.com.au

thanks

guys

PhotoShop. It begins and ends there for me.

illustrator: more versitile

I'm a Photoshop user as well. I think it's a better all around editor, though Illustrator will offer more options for working with vector graphics.

If money is an option you can try The GIMP which is basically a Photoshop clone and it's free.

Jeez guys, you gotta be specific with the noob's

Let's try

Adobe Photoshop / Illustrator CS2

Both Photoshop and Illustrator are WAY over the heads of an amateur and a graphics noob. Not to mention the hugely hefty price tag.

Photoshop Elements may be better for a beginner, lots of PS functionality but a little easier to use.

For vector graphics Xara Xtreme is an EXCELLENT program for a fraction of the cost of Illustrator - and it comes with a boatload of video tutorials.

Some design classes wouldn't hurt either.

Corel Draw - For Vector Graphics

Photoshop CS2 - For Bitmap Graphics.

Photoshop do have a lot of options and features, but I guess Paint Shop Pro is better for amateurs. I think you can download a demo version somewhere.

you can get a demo of photoshop to...

https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/tdrc/i...otoshop&loc=en

I do alot of vector graphics and love using corel and illustrator for these depends on what you want to do really

For Web Photoshop and/or Macromedia FireWorks.

Creating logos. Even for the Web one should always always always go the vector route. If you are going to create a logo for a client, at somepoint in time he is going to want that on a t-shirt, a sign, business card, or the side of his truck. If you have created the logo in Photoshop you are screwed. Bitmap doesn't cut it for a logo...

To reiterate. Even as a Web designer/devloper. If you plan on creating logos for clients take the extra step and obtain and learn how to use a vector program. If you don't, then sketch the logo and have someone else create it for you. It is the professional thing to do. Being on the other side where someone hands you a disc with a jpeg on it is not fun..

Use Xara3D for logo creation, it's very easy, and Photoshop (not necessary the latest one) for layout design. Buy some book, say Photoshop for Dummies, or something like that, you will learn the basics in just several days. Don't mess up with vector if you are a beginner, you will study it later...

Originally Posted by script

... Don't mess up with vector if you are a beginner, you will study it later...

I'm not sure why people feel that vector based programs like Illustrator or Freehand are more dificult to learn. They are not. Most people who have a hard time grasping the concept of Illustrator are people who have been using Photoshop for a while.

I teach both and have seen that people who learn Illustrator first learn Photoshop Much easier than the other way around.

Like I said before if you are going to *design* a logo you must do it in vector. You are going to cause yourself or others much grief if you create a logo with a bitmap program like photoshop. A logo is part of a company's Brand/Voice; it needs to be able to scale to literally any size. In 3 years your client may even decide to run an ad on a billboard. Not only will you save him money, but you will make yourself more as well. (So, if you need to design a logo for someone, and you do not use a vector program, make the design and please, please get someone else to create it for you.)

Good advice Chip. I think the need for scalability in a logo is something many of us forget from time to time. It's easy to think your logo will only ever be on your website or perhaps a few smaller printed materials like a busines card of brochure.

Truth though is none of us completely knows how we will end up using out logos. They should be scalable and also work well in black and white.

Logo Creator has always worked for me.

I too am interested in this subject. My existing program will not open or edit psd files. Will gimp do that?

Looking around I seenm to see some really good buys on the 6.0 version of PS. Usually a few years behind the cutting edge works well for me. I would like to have some easy to use way to slice a few large images and edit psd files.

Will 6.0 do the job?

Originally Posted by ChipJohns

I'm not sure why people feel that vector based programs like Illustrator or Freehand are more dificult to learn. They are not. Most people who have a hard time grasping the concept of Illustrator are people who have been using Photoshop for a while.

I teach both and have seen that people who learn Illustrator first learn Photoshop Much easier than the other way around.

Like I said before if you are going to *design* a logo you must do it in vector. You are going to cause yourself or others much grief if you create a logo with a bitmap program like photoshop. A logo is part of a company's Brand/Voice; it needs to be able to scale to literally any size. In 3 years your client may even decide to run an ad on a billboard. Not only will you save him money, but you will make yourself more as well. (So, if you need to design a logo for someone, and you do not use a vector program, make the design and please, please get someone else to create it for you.)

Easy logic here, Chip. It's MUCH more easy to create logo in bitmap with Xara or any other logo creating app than to go the hard route. Anyone should go step by step in their education. It is possible to convert bitmap into vector later if needed. Maybe they will not even get 1 click a day for the website, so they first need to resolve tons of marketing issues, and then they will go deeper or even hire someone for designing part, its that easy.

Photoshop for me!!

Originally Posted by script

Easy logic here, Chip. It's MUCH more easy to create logo in bitmap with Xara or any other logo creating app than to go the hard route. Anyone should go step by step in their education. It is possible to convert bitmap into vector later if needed. Maybe they will not even get 1 click a day for the website, so they first need to resolve tons of marketing issues, and then they will go deeper or even hire someone for designing part, its that easy.

Ummm..!!?? DON'T see the easy logic here script. Maybe from personal experience you found it easier to learn bitmap program first. IN my experience of teaching both program types to hundreds of students, The people who learned photoshop (or any other bitmap program) first, had more difficulty learning vector based programs like illustrator and freehand. The people who learned vector first had no problem understanding the concept of bitmap creation.

As for logo creation. I really don't know how you can say that it is not a problem to *convert* bitmap to vector..?? I'm not a ware of a program that does this.??!! I have always had to recreate the piece which is extra work and expense for the client. When I create a logo for a client, depending on our contract, I either pass off to him the vector file, (via, illustrator or eps) or I keep it available so that they will have it if needed.

And, if one knows how to do both well, one will ALWAYS find it easier to create logos with vector..

My mentors in this business where people who created pieces for clients like : Smithsonian, National Geograhic, HBO, Discovery Channel, etc. etc., The best in the business, really, (I was fortunate to meet the people, and make the contacts that I did..) They would never, ever, create a logo with a bitmap program...

XTRA: All of the programs work quite nice. I, as others have tried manyof them. If you are building your own Web site or marketing materials, you can try some of these programs and find them quite satisfying. If, howeer, you plan on *being in the business* My opinion is you need to obtain a professional program. Photoshop is a tool that is practically necessary to learn and use. Some people get a long with out it, but in the long run it causes problems.

Every job isn't the same, and as a professional you eventuallly will have to corroborate with other designers, etc. People are going to pass off photoshop files, Illustrator files, illustrator eps files, etc, .. and vice versa.

I am currently working on a Web site for a creative director who works basically in print. She has asked me to do the web site side of the project. I gave her a price based on them, creating the graphics. Well, she is not able to pass me the files that I need... They designed the graphics and gave me a pdf file. Not going to cut it for the price I am giving them. I can't take the time to recreate all of these graphics. I need workable files...

When you start hanging with the *big boys* you need to have the right bat... And, when you get to a certain point, (if you're serious you will) You will need to work with others.

You need to learn these programs BEFORE you get to this point. Photshop is a program that you NEVER stop learning about. You need to start this process as soon as you can. (This is my opinionn based on experience of working with print, web, and video projects with other people.)

Personaly I use Photoshop and Illustrator mostly, but they cost a bit (good thing I have a nice boss to pay for it).

But as free alternatives GIMP is mentioned, there is also GIMPshop which is GIMP with a interface that tries to mimic photoshop. For a alternative to Illustrator, freehand and other vector applications you have Inkscape.

If you're on OSX you have Pixen which is free, haven't tried it but it focus on pixel design like icons etc.