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Thread Number: 28590
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Original Message
"Question for the pixel pushers/siggie makers"
Posted by Snidget on 07-02-07 at 03:18 PM
I do everything I do with what I can get for free.

I use the photo processing that came with the digital camera to resize stuff (I can put in the exact pixels rather than have to guess the percentage). I add text in paint, I have a freeware animation program. I google search for free pictures/gifs/clip are, etc.

If I were to invest in software or buy any clip art types of things do people have any recommendations, and what functionality can I get that I don't have.

Also anything you would say not to bother spending money on because it ain't worth the price. Also any decent freeware recommendations also welcome.

Mostly I'd like to be able to play with the word art a bit more and the Microsoft Works that came with the computer doesn't do much. Put the shadow behind the words, etc.



Summertribe and the living is easy!

Table of contents
Messages in this discussion
"RE: Question for the pixel pushers/siggie makers"
Posted by foonermints on 07-02-07 at 03:27 PM
Mee Too! *sits next to Snidget in PixelLand*

Handcrafted by RollDice

"RE: Question for the pixel pushers/siggie makers"
Posted by Seana on 07-02-07 at 03:41 PM
I have Adobe Photoshop Elements, which I got for free and have no idea what it cost. I like it very much, but have nothing to compare it to. It comes with all kinds of spiffy bevels and shadows, as well as lighting effects and ripple effects.

I get fonts at http://www.1001freefonts.com/


Not much help, I guess.

"RE: Question for the pixel pushers/siggie makers"
Posted by RollDdice on 07-02-07 at 04:42 PM
The Creative Suite 3 Master Collection from Adobe is only $2500.00*. It has all of the bells and whistles.

Yes, it's outrageous. Welcome to Adobe.


* holds sides and laughs uncontrollably as I stumble out of the thresd.

"RE: Question for the pixel pushers/siggie makers"
Posted by Snidget on 07-02-07 at 05:02 PM
I'm not that obsessed.


Summertribe and the living is easy!

yet.

"RE: Question for the pixel pushers/siggie makers"
Posted by RollDdice on 07-02-07 at 05:14 PM
Yes, but the Master Collection gives you ICBM launch codes and allows for world domination. RGB or CMYK... you decide.

"RE: Question for the pixel pushers/siggie makers"
Posted by agman on 07-03-07 at 00:19 AM
>Yes, but the Master Collection gives
>you ICBM launch codes and
>allows for world domination. RGB
>or CMYK... you decide.


*Snort* wipes coffee off computer screen




"RE: Question for the pixel pushers/siggie makers"
Posted by tribephyl on 07-02-07 at 06:23 PM
I wish I could give you a straight answer about pricing and such, but seeing as how all of my programs were given as gifts to me, I cannot give advise on the exact pricing of the programs I use.

That said. I use Photoshop CS, ImageReady and Illustrator.
All of these give me way too many options for creative abilities with fonts (etc.), I spend all sorts of time playing with the effects available to me. And even though I hear they're in the HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS bracket, I wouldn't be without them.


No gradients? Or shading? Or stroking? Oh my.

"RE: Question for the pixel pushers/siggie makers"
Posted by sharnina on 07-02-07 at 07:33 PM
These are the same programs I use but mostly Photoshop. I also buy a membership to clipart.com for a lot of my images. Google Images is very helpful as well.

But it should probably be said that I use these things for much more than sig making. My husband is a part-time freelance graphic designer and I am a very part-time sort-of designer. We both get paid (he much more than I) to do various projects so it behooves us to have these programs and access to a variety of images.


Brought to life by Snidget.
Words must be weighed and not counted.

Shar's World

"RE: Question for the pixel pushers/siggie makers"
Posted by mysticwolf on 07-03-07 at 00:30 AM
LAST EDITED ON 07-03-07 AT 00:42 AM (EST)

Nice to know. I'm already planning to pick your brain, and Dna's, and any others available when we're in Seattle. After that? If anyone's game to help answer questions or tweak something? I may start a thread asking for help. The presentation has to be done by mid-Sept. So I have a little time for a learning curve. I just may need a push over a hill or two.

The Toledo Zoo has been selected, for the first time, to do the primary paper and presentation for the AZAD (American Zoological and Aquariums Docent) meeting this year in St. Louis. It's a major honour in this particular world. (We're still hoping to figure out how we might be able to afford to attend.)

As the resident computer geeks, dh and I (mostly I in this particular area of geekdom) have been selected to put together the PowerPoint presentation. My geeky graphics side is a little squeaky from underuse lately.

I'm bringing my laptop and am hoping to pick some brains (if time and peeps willingness permits) to maybe pick up a bit of help figuring out how to do photo montages for some of the slides.

I have Corel 6.0 (which I used to be really good at) and Adobe Photoshop 5.0 (which I haven't really used at all) as my primary packages. I'm more experienced creating my own graphics (or combining prefab pieces) in Corel than manipulating photos.

For this project I'll be working with photos. So, I'm hoping that at least one of you photographic whizzes might be willing to take a little time to give me a quick tutorial. Particularly if you're already familiar with Photoshop.

Shar's summer
blogging's scary
*grins and looks pleadingly* *crosses fingers*

Edit to correct for which pixel pushers are supposed to be at the peep meet.

"RE: Question for the pixel pushers/siggie makers"
Posted by RollDdice on 07-03-07 at 02:01 AM
Please check your PM for a red wavy.


"RE: Question for the pixel pushers/siggie makers"
Posted by sharnina on 07-03-07 at 02:21 AM
No problem. I plan on having my laptop with me as well.



Brought to life by Snidget.
Words must be weighed and not counted.

Shar's World

"RE: Question for the pixel pushers/siggie makers"
Posted by Sunny_Bunny on 07-02-07 at 07:55 PM
Can I just step in here and say AGAIN how much I appreciate all you pixel pushers? Since I am graphic design impaired, I really appreciate all that you do for us.


"RE: Question for the pixel pushers/siggie makers"
Posted by syren on 07-02-07 at 08:33 PM
I have tried most of the reasonable programs...and I can honestly say for me Photoshop is just more difficult than a program like Jasc Paint Shop Pro. I still use version 8, and it came with Animation Shop.

I love these programs. Very rarely do I use anything else. Even more rare is when I use Adobe photoshop. And Jasc has got these picture tubes, that are great. Many are user made and really you can find anything and it not have that clip art look.

So, if I were to suggest to anyone a great program for making siggies, it would have to be Paint Shop Pro.


What?


"RE: Question for the pixel pushers/siggie makers"
Posted by agman on 07-02-07 at 10:17 PM

I've been trying to use Adobe Photoshop 5, but I just don't have enough time to sit and play with it. Tribe has helped me, but the layers are still difficult to work with. I do most of mine on picture it!


"For stills and anims"
Posted by IceCat on 07-02-07 at 10:12 PM
I don't use anything else...

http://www.ulead.com/store/ga/runme.htm

"RE: For stills and anims"
Posted by agman on 07-03-07 at 11:34 AM
>I don't use anything else...
>
>http://www.ulead.com/store/ga/runme.htm


How difficult is this program to learn? Do you think it's too much if you're not animating yet?


"It's very... very simple"
Posted by IceCat on 07-03-07 at 08:27 PM

You could become functional with it in a few days to a week.
"RE: Question for the pixel pushers/siggie makers"
Posted by KeithFan on 07-02-07 at 11:43 PM
I've tried the free versions of just about everything out there. I've settled on Photoshop Elements. I'm just about to upgrade to 5 from 4 because if you can take picture in the RAW format (it's awesome) 5 is better. So for $80-90 you get a program that does everything you will ever need unless you are a very serious pro.

The thing of it is, you have to work with whatever program you choose. A lot. You need to know what it can do. I've had 4 over a year and I'm still learning new techniques.

"RE: Question for the pixel pushers/siggie makers"
Posted by agman on 07-03-07 at 00:05 AM
LAST EDITED ON 07-03-07 AT 00:06 AM (EST)

>The thing of it is, you
>have to work with whatever
>program you choose. A lot.
>You need to know what
>it can do. I've
>had 4 over a year
>and I'm still learning new
>techniques.

Word!


"RE: Question for the pixel pushers/siggie makers"
Posted by RollDdice on 07-03-07 at 02:10 AM
Yes, Word is difficult.

Personally, I'm using Adobe's Creative Suite 2, which includes Photoshop, Image Ready and Illustrator. Then add in Flash and Dreamweaver (formerly Macromedia, now a part of Adobe).

Let's not forget After Effects for motion graphics.
(I'm also teaching myself Combustion for motion graphics, Premiere Pro, Avid Symphony, and Final Cut Pro for video editing and Maya for 3D.)

"RE: Question for the pixel pushers/siggie makers"
Posted by sharnina on 07-03-07 at 02:20 AM
You and my DH would have a ball talking graphics programs. He's also a web designer and uses Dreamweaver for that along with Adobe CS2. It still scares me - I have to have him sitting right next to me whenever I need to make a change to my little cake website. He hasn't used Flash very much but that's just an issue of not really having spent much time with it yet. He is completely self taught on all that he does.

LOL - and I agree, Word is difficult.



Brought to life by Snidget.
Words must be weighed and not counted.

Shar's World

"Another thought"
Posted by KeithFan on 07-03-07 at 09:09 AM
I'd go to http://www.flickr.com/ and search your camera model. There is probably a group dedicated to people who just use that particular model, and are good at using it. I get lots of good tips from there.