I have been creating my own graphics for about 5 years now and have often been asked to recommend a good graphics program to others. There are many good graphics programs out there and they all have different features that allow you to do different things so I can not recommend just one program. However, there are some basic considerations that you should look at before making a decision on what to buy.
Cost will be the first and main consideration for many of you Divas. You'll find that the cost of programs varies tremendously depending on the software vender and what can be done with the program. When I started looking for a graphics program I was horrified at the cost! Prices range anywhere from $600 for Photoshop, to $399 for CorelDraw, to $100 for JASC Paint Shop Pro. Being the thrify Diva that I am, I opted for the low end and bought JASC's Paint Shop Pro. For what I wanted to do and what I was willing to pay, that was the best choice for me.
Once you've made a decision on which software program to purchase, make sure you check for manufacturer's rebates. Sometimes you will find that even though the upfront cost is high, the manufacturer will offer a rebate anywhere from $10 to $50. You will also want to consider the cost of upgrades when you purchase a program. Most vendors will let you upgrade to a higher version at a discount providing you registered the original version you purchased. Upgrading is not a must but new tools are normally only available if you upgrade and at some point vendors cease to support older versions. If you are satisfied with what you have, then upgrading is probably a moot point for you.
The next point to consider is "How much bang will I get for my buck"? The answer lies in what exactly you want to do with the software. Do you simply want to resize or touch up photos or do you want to build complete websets? Do you want 3D objects or do you want to animate graphics? The higher priced software doesn't necessarily have the features you want or need. If you only want to retouch or resize photos you'll want to go with a lower priced product. All of the Big Three will resize photos for you but you don't need to spend $600 for Photoshop when $99 for PSP or Adobe Photoshop Elements will work just as well. If you are going to start a graphic design business you will most likely want to go with a product that has the most features and most flexibility. Those are generally the ones at the top of the price scale. Sometimes you can buy products that will do exactly what you want without all the other features. Corel for instance has many different products that feature different effects such as Bryce for 3D rendering. If you want to build templates you'll need a product like Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro where you work in layers and can save the template in layers. If you want to animate a graphic Paint Shop Pro also includes an animation shop for those of you that love those blinkies and animated graphics.
No matter what product you choose or what the cost is, choose one that is right for you. Most software venders allow you to download a thirty-day trial of their product. If you are not sure what you are looking for then I highly recommend you download a trial version before spending any money on a product. Sometimes all the features do not work with trial versions but enough of them will work to give you an idea whether that program is right for you.
Below are the links to the main sites for the software discussed in this column.
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