Gimp or Photoshop?

[Thunderchild 875]

O.k, so yesterday I spent around 3 hours working on the sig you see at the bottom of my post here-mainly trying to figure out paint.net. I know it's a breeze for all you youngsters that learned this stuff in school, but computers weren't even around when I went to school-so it's more of a learning curve for me.

 

I swore never again as it was super frustrating. I couldn't get the text to work, things were back to front...you get the picture. So I'm saying all that to say this:

 

I've looked at reviews on Gimp and Photoshop-and they seem fairly split down the middle. Which one is going to be easiest for a rank amateur to figure out? Basically I'm starting out with just sigs and avatars, but would like to have the option of progressing out from there if it seems to make sense to me.

 

Thanks in advance for your input.

[An Old Head 4,816]

For a total rookie getting into the swing of things, GIMP is your best bet. Sure, it's much more limited than the oh so expansive Photoshop, but it's very beginner-friendly and it's free.

 

Once you get the hang of GIMP, however, it can begin to frustrate you with its limitations. Move back to Paint.NET when you think you're familiar with all the different tools; Paint.NET is compatible with plugins, see, and you can begin to tailor things to your liking. That's what I did anyhoo - began with GIMP, began disliking GIMP, switched to Paint.NET. My current signature was made in Paint.NET, used a handy plugin that creates object outlines with certain radii.

 

Once you feel like you're ready to really start manipulating and cruising with images (unlike me) you can move up to Photoshop. Photoshop costs a lot of money, though, so be sure about it. Photoshop is the real deal, used by professional magazines and printers to get their layouts right.

Edited June 7, 2013 by Flipturn ツ

[Quilava 1,290]

 I'd say go with GIMP. With the basic download from their website you can easily get started making signatures quite easily. GIMP is basically a free and open-source version of photoshop. Sure, there are probably some things that are PS exclusive, but, if you search 'round the internet, there MAY be a plug-in made for GIMP.

 

IMO GIMP is the way to go for beginners and if you want some examples of things that GIMP can press out with some work check out MY signature and my signature request thread.

[Acoustic Cloud 2,202]

As a beginner, GIMP is definitely the easiest to learn in the shortest amount of time.  And the GIMP paths tool is superb!
But after you really get deep in, you would probably want to switch over to Photoshop.  Which isn't too hard to accomplish after some experience.

[DR Leper Lupinstein 410]

I'm liking GIMP... but, i'm still using MS Paint, too. srsly tho, with MS Paint a little patience and a lot of imagination can do great things in there. so anyway, GIMP has been pretty good to me, still kinda learning the ropes tho. other than that, I used programs like AutoCAD and SolidWorks in college and you can make awesome designs in 2D and 3D and export them to JPEG files.

[Thunderchild 875]

O.k, this is great. Thanks everyone for pointing me at the free dl-a lot easier to deal with than the $700.00 PS wanted for their program.

 

I'll give the Gimp a try.

[Jokuc 8,174]

Once you get the hang of GIMP, however, it can begin to frustrate you with its limitations. Move back to Paint.NET when you think you're familiar with all the different tools; Paint.NET is compatible with plugins, see, and you can begin to tailor things to your liking. That's what I did anyhoo - began with GIMP, began disliking GIMP, switched to Paint.NET. My current signature was made in Paint.NET, used a handy plugin that creates object outlines with certain radii. Once you feel like you're ready to really start manipulating and cruising with images (unlike me) you can move up to Photoshop. Photoshop costs a lot of money, though, so be sure about it. Photoshop is the real deal, used by professional magazines and printers to get their layouts right.

 

This. So much this.

Don't use gimp. It lacks features  feature options and is buggy. imo.

Gimp has many things you can do with it, yes, such as animations. But it's soooo limited and it's so buggy I don't even...

ok now I made gimp sound bad..

Gimp is not bad. It's just... A frustrating program

 

Paint.NET has many great plugins and the majority of signatures I make are made in P.NET. When I want to make some more advanced stuff I move to photoshop. I would say, if you are a pirate, download photoshop and learn it. But if you're not, don't pay for a software you won't fully use. Photoshop is awesome once you understand it. If you are a beginner I would start out with an easier program UNLESS you get photoshop for free and learn it.

 

btw Flipturn, no they don't. Magazines are made in InDesign.

Edited June 7, 2013 by Jokuc

[Quilava 1,290]

 It's apparent that those who have said that GIMP is limited has yet to see this of GIMP (it's also the version I use). I don't really advise getting this version as a beginner though, unless you really want to start working with GIMP. There are so many things added onto the basic version of GIMP it can be bit overwhelming.

 

Though I would agree, that once you get the hang of either Paint.NET or GIMP, you move onto PS (how you get it, *shrug*). 

Edited June 7, 2013 by Lugia

[Thunderchild 875]

 

 

Don't use gimp. It lacks features and is buggy. imo. Gimp has many things you can do with it, yes, such as animations. But it's soooo limited and it's so buggy I don't even...

 

Great. I just got it figured out and you came along. 

 

I'm not using paint.net anymore-talk about buggy. Damn. I spent an hour. AN HOUR! trying to figure out why it wasn't letting me put text in-after about 15 discussion boards I finally found out you have to hit ctrl + something to shut off something else...Yeesh.

 

So I deleted the thing in a fit of rage. I could go all day without that kind of frustration again-and if Gimp is going to be the same kind of stupid, I'll probably crawl back into my hole and stay there.

[Evilshy 5,093]

GIMP

 

free > not free

open source > not open source

 

 

Also, what are all these implications that GIMP doesn't having plugins? I guess the plugins I downloaded for it were illusions conjured by my evil mad scientist brain?

 

And I haven't run into any horrid bugs in GIMP. A few here and there, but nothing major.

Edited June 7, 2013 by Evilshy

[Dopey Hooves 90]

I would go with PhotoShop GIMP is just so like frustrating. GIMP is more of a advanced program, I think. If you don't want to get frustrated and spent like a day or so on the image you are trying to create you should go with PhotoShop then. But, maybe you could try them both out and see which one suits you. I know it cost money but, sometimes you can get the "Free trial" like I did .

Edited June 7, 2013 by Dopey Hooves

[Jokuc 8,174]

Great. I just got it figured out and you came along. 

 

I'm not using paint.net anymore-talk about buggy. Damn. I spent an hour. AN HOUR! trying to figure out why it wasn't letting me put text in-after about 15 discussion boards I finally found out you have to hit ctrl + something to shut off something else...Yeesh.

 

So I deleted the thing in a fit of rage. I could go all day without that kind of frustration again-and if Gimp is going to be the same kind of stupid, I'll probably crawl back into my hole and stay there.

 

Haha don't worry. Go with gimp all programs are basically the same so it's not like you're fucked if gimp starts being a bitch when you have learned it. You can just change program if that happens. Go with gimp and I'm sure you will be satesfied. I just like paint.net because it is more lightweight.

 

also sorry gimp users, I don't know why I said it lacks features. ..it doesn't.

But I just hate gimp for some reason, it had some super annoying bugs and the whole thing just made me rage whenever I just started the program haha. It took ages for the load screen to finish as a bonus

Edited June 7, 2013 by Jokuc

[Thunderchild 875]

 It's apparent that those who have said that GIMP is limited has yet to see this of GIMP (it's also the version I use). I don't really advise getting this version as a beginner though, unless you really want to start working with GIMP. There are so many things added onto the basic version of GIMP it can be bit overwhelming.

 

Though I would agree, that once you get the hang of either Paint.NET or GIMP, you move onto PS (how you get it, *shrug*). 

O.k, I clicked the 'This' link,-it asked me to choose which components I wanted to dl-how do I know what components I want? I can't even.

 

As far as how I get PS- Oil be figuring thaat out when the toime comes, Jim lad. Arrrrrrr!

[Quilava 1,290]

O.k, I clicked the 'This' link,-it asked me to choose which components I wanted to dl-how do I know what components I want? I can't even.

 

As far as how I get PS- Oil be figuring thaat out when the toime comes, Jim lad. Arrrrrrr!

 

Just install all the components. At one point or another you'll probably just use 'em out of curiosity as to what they do. Also, although it does install some brushes, just know that Photoshop brushes (.abr files) will also work for this version of GIMP. Either google search GIMP Brushes or Photoshop brushes, if you need to know how to install them just ask~

[Thunderchild 875]

 

 

if you need to know how to install them just ask~

Cool man-thanks.

 

I'm going to dl Gimp and give it a whirl-I've already got a fairly decent siggy imo, so the pressure's off a bit-we'll see what happens.

 

Thanks to everyone who's given me advice-it's greatly appreciated. And you can go about your days in the knowledge that you've helped a poor, decrepit old man enjoy his last few remaining years.

 

What? Too much?

[Orablanco Account 3,707]

I have the opposite problem. I started using Photoshop out of the gate and was learning how to use it over the course of three years, to the point that I almost knew all the ins and outs of the program.

 

But now that school is over, I have no access to Photoshop, and since I'm done with High School, it may be a couple of years before I can get my hands on it again.

 

Tried using Gimp. Too limited, even with all the plugins, and I'm just not meshing with the UI.

 

I miss Photoshop so much.