Alternative to Photoshop?

[Enchantment_of_Nyx]

I'm not familiar with this forum, so I hope you'll forgive me if this isn't the right place to ask this question.

I was hoping someone could recommend an affordable alternative to Photoshop. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[AlinaX]

As I mentioned in the other thread, Affinity Photo/Designer/Publisher are professional grade alternatives. The website currently states:

To provide some support during this incredibly difficult time, we’re offering a 90-day free trial of all the Mac and Windows versions of the whole Affinity suite as well as a 50% discount for users who would prefer to buy and keep the apps, including iPad versions.

https://affinity.serif.com/

Otherwise... gimp & inkscape are the obvious ones; I have krita as well.

 

[29wordsforsnow]

GIMP is free and works on several platforms...

29*

 

[Misshotndeep]

GIMP is free and works on several platforms...

29*

Was gonna be my offer.

 

[jaF0]

What are you trying to do? How involved? I've tried GIMP, but could never get very far with it. Never tried PS, but have tried a few others like Paint.net and PhotoBie.

I find that IrfanView does most of what I need which is very basic. I think it can do a lot more than I use it for though with addons and plugins available.

Annotating and editing/adjusting pictures is one thing. Creating artistic drawings will take a much more elaborate program.

 

[Misshotndeep]

Paint 3D is also a good one. That one isn't free though.

 

[AlinaX]

I've used Photoshop, GIMP & Affinity Photo, but only in a very amateur way. (I actually use Affinity Designer for my stuff; I used to use Illustrator.) They're all amazing applications, but for ease of use Affinity Photo is certainly better than GIMP on the Mac.

 

[Enchantment_of_Nyx]

What are you trying to do? How involved? I've tried GIMP, but could never get very far with it. Never tried PS, but have tried a few others like Paint.net and PhotoBie.

I find that IrfanView does most of what I need which is very basic. I think it can do a lot more than I use it for though with addons and plugins available.

Annotating and editing/adjusting pictures is one thing. Creating artistic drawings will take a much more elaborate program.

I need something that will allow me to create masks and separately manipulate layers. I want to be able to create composite images. I'm not sure how to answer the question about how involved. I'm not talking about drawing things from scratch, if that's what you mean.

 

[Enchantment_of_Nyx]

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. I'll check them out.

 

[jaF0]

Layers and composites can get pretty involved, so IrfanView is out.

 

[THROBBS]

What to hope to use it for?
What device(s) to have to use it on? (A pressure sensitive tablet? A laptop/desktop?)
what other tools do you have are willing to purchase? (Pressure sensitive tablet?)
A scanner?

For digital drawing/painting?
For Photo manipulation?
General image manipulation

 

[Enchantment_of_Nyx]

What to hope to use it for?
What device(s) to have to use it on? (A pressure sensitive tablet? A laptop/desktop?)
what other tools do you have are willing to purchase? (Pressure sensitive tablet?)
A scanner?

For digital drawing/painting?
For Photo manipulation?
General image manipulation

I intend to use it to create composite images of photographs/artwork. I want to be able to mask elements in each layer, though. I have a scanner and my husband has a Wacom tablet I could use, but I don't anticipate a need for anything like that. There will probably never be any original drafting involved. I intend to use a laptop running the usual Microsoft applications and Acrobat and whatever program I settle on. I don't intend to buy any equipment. I was interested only in a limited investment in software, but free is better, and I'm going to try some that have been suggested.

 

[THROBBS]

okie dokie.
You should be all set.

the GIMP route will likely work fine. being free and all.

As you get more familiar with the processes, you may find that you would like using the tablet for more control of the tools for making composites.

 

[RejectReality]

I'm not familiar with this forum, so I hope you'll forgive me if this isn't the right place to ask this question.

I was hoping someone could recommend an affordable alternative to Photoshop. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

For what you're talking about, you might also consider Photoshop Elements. It's a somewhat stripped down version that's a straight-up purchase, rather than the subscription garbage. Runs between $80-$100 the last time I looked not long ago, depending upon whether they have a special offer running. It should still do everything you've mentioned if you find Gimp to be as difficult to work with as I did.

 

[DirtyLittleDiva85]

Have you tried InkScape?

 

[Rpierz]

PS alternative

Hope I'm not too late to the reply party.

In addition to those above, have you considered Clip Studio Paint. I adore the program & it's my default to PS. All my works on the site have been done in it, & most of my works on DeviantArt are from it.

 

[AwkwardMD]

My good friend, who is a graphic artist, swears by Clip Studio.

 

[SimonDoom]

I have used Photoshop Elements. It is much less expensive than Photoshop but not as cheap as some programs, but it is very useful for layers and masks. I've found it to be very useful, though it takes some time to learn how to use all its functions (I still haven't learned everything).

 

[blurhead]

Just thought I would put in my 2 pence-worth......

I have to say that although I can appreciate the scope of GIMP, and the fact that it is fantastic for a free programme - I personally always found it somewhat "clunky" to use especially on a regular basis, and could never get to the stage where I could say that I was comfortable using it at all.
So I tried out a few other programmes on the mac and eventually settled on Pixelmator.
It was released in 2007, and I have been using it since 2008.
it is currently selling at $ 30, which I beleive is what I paid for it back then.
It does everything that I require including working with layers, making composites, scanning, printing, digitally working/enhancing pencil drawings, working with text, probably the only one thing it is missing is a smart objects option that I miss having.
I found it to have the easiest interface to transition from Photoshop.
It's not free but it is worth the relatively small one-time fee I believe,
it is pretty stable, but obviously it depends on the available ram and what else you have open on the computer at the time it works really well with 300 dpi files.

 

[King_Willie]

Clip Studio Paint has pretty much everything you'll need and even things Photoshop doesn't. I'm particularly fond of the brushes.
For 20 bucks, you can install it on 3 computers, it's a bargain.

 

[CuttingEdge]

Corel Paintshop Pro is great for layers, masks, and composites.

Smart Clone is an amazing feature for face-swapping, and that sort of thing. Before you buy, you can test it out for a month.

I use it all the time for those things, and is very reasonable on price. ($59)

 

[29wordsforsnow]

Corel Paintshop Pro is great for layers, masks, and composites.

Smart Clone is an amazing feature for face-swapping, and that sort of thing. Before you buy, you can test it out for a month.

I use it all the time for those things, and is very reasonable on price. ($59)

Is Paintshop Pro still around? I loved it in the early 2000ies, not as overloaded as Photoshop and at price suitable for amateur use. After Corel bought that once good product, I soon got the feeling all they did was add some eyecandy and asking money for no real innovation for every new version but instead have one competitor to Corel Draw off the market.

 

[Rpierz]

Clip Studio Paint has pretty much everything you'll need and even things Photoshop doesn't. I'm particularly fond of the brushes.
For 20 bucks, you can install it on 3 computers, it's a bargain.

Yup; that written, I still keep PS for some things. You can't manipulate letters or text on it like you can with PS, for example.

 

[Sonofawhore]

Sounds hot

 

[great lover]

I'm not familiar with this forum, so I hope you'll forgive me if this isn't the right place to ask this question.

I was hoping someone could recommend an affordable alternative to Photoshop. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

GIMP is pretty good!