The best tools for the artistic vision? Borderbund- Publisher Delux? Adobe?

[Nateskate]

I'm mixing text and artistic photos. What is the latest and greatest software for this? I have an older edition of Photoshop Pro and Microsoft Publisher. My goal is putting together Photos and art and stories/poems and other text. But my software is limited in what it can do, and obviously to some degree by my ability to master it.

I want to go for cutting edge, and went to Best Buy and they had a wide range of Software. What is the best- most comprehensive software?

2) I want to do some audi music and voice. Should I get something different for sound clips, or is there one that does all the above and this as well?

[Richard]

Sound clips - download this for free: http://audacity.sourceforge.net. It does everything you need.

As for graphics...what to you mean? Desktop publishing? Adding fancy typography to images? It depends what you want to achieve.

[Nateskate]

Sound clips - download this for free: http://audacity.sourceforge.net (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/). It does everything you need.

As for graphics...what to you mean? Desktop publishing? Adding fancy typography to images? It depends what you want to achieve.

I'm going to alter images and use fancy text. I want to create a visual behind the text. Thanks for the link.

[Richard]

Okay. In that case, I'd recommend a copy of Photoshop Elements (note: Elements, not Photoshop proper). It's got all the features you'll need, and is pretty easy to get started with.

[Nateskate]

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm wondering if there is any site that compares them feature for feature?- User reviews. This is so important because they change features every year or two.

I saw the software you suggest, but they really didn't give a great deal of information in the little advertisement booklet attached to the box.

In case these companies read this, that makes a big impression. I think the Photoshop (Borderbund) products showed more details of what the product could do- better upfront advertisement. Adobe was okay. Even Microsoft was so so. Photoshop elements had an interesting cover though. It cost a little more, and wondered what it did the others didn't???

[Dawno]

Try here: ZDNet (http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/Software/2001-3513_16-0.html?tag=ont-sw) There are links in the side bar to Software blogs and forums as well.

There's also Epinions (http://www.epinions.com/Software--reviews--graphics), and Review Centre (http://www.reviewcentre.com/last_reviews_ci2065.html)

I typed in "user reviews of graphics software" into Google and those are the three links I thought would be helpful.

Google is our friend :)

[Nateskate]

Try here: ZDNet (http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/Software/2001-3513_16-0.html?tag=ont-sw) There are links in the side bar to Software blogs and forums as well.

There's also Epinions (http://www.epinions.com/Software--reviews--graphics), and Review Centre (http://www.reviewcentre.com/last_reviews_ci2065.html)

I typed in "user reviews of graphics software" into Google and those are the three links I thought would be helpful.

Google is our friend :)

Thanks!

[Moondancer]

And if none of those suit, there's always JASC Paintshop Pro which costs a fraction of what Photoshop cost... Or Macromedia Fireworks but that one is going to be hard to find since Macromedia sold out to Adobe.

[Mike Coombes]

Get the Gimp. It does everything photoshop does, it's fully featured and incredibly powerful. And it's free.

[Richard]

It's a lot harder to learn though.

[Moondancer]

It's a lot harder to learn though.

I agree. I have it. However, if the dollars are tight...

[biotales]

I just want one written for us idiots.... not programmer to programer...
thats all I want...

[Dawno]

Great tips and advice. Thanks for the link to the PS Elements tutorial, Tilda. I've had the program for a couple years now and still need masses of help.

[Humourwriter]

You could try GimpShop, which is Gimp (http://plasticbugs.com/?page_id=294) but with a Photoshop-like interface.

Bill.