GIMP vs Photoshop, etc

[Rin 158]

As I'm preparing to recreate and start dipping yet another toe into graphic making, I've been wondering if I should try and push myself to learn a stronger program than the classic paint.net. It's been more than serviceable thus far, but I feel like learning something more powerful would make graphic making not only faster and easier, but higher quality the more time I put in to actually mastering the software.

 

GIMP is the program I'm most interested in, since it's free and handles .psd file types very nicely, but I was curious to know if others had experience with it, or just general advice to share when it came to making this decision.

[OrbitingDeath 3,263]

For a free application, i would like to suggest photopea.com ; it resembles photoshop more 

[Triller 1,697]

I use Photoshop for work and have been for awhile, mainly for texturing work for 3D but I got more into the graphics side when I started here.

 

I will say that though Photoshop performs certain tasks faster it still requires a good amount of time to do something good.  If your goal is to just make something quickly then I wouldn't bother with Photoshop.  No point in learning how to use a laser if throwing a rock gets you the result you're after.

[Daniel Janser 2,251]

34 minutes ago, Triller said:

I use Photoshop for work and have been for awhile, mainly for texturing work for 3D but I got more into the graphics side when I started here.

 

I will say that though Photoshop performs certain tasks faster it still requires a good amount of time to do something good.  If your goal is to just make something quickly then I wouldn't bother with Photoshop.  No point in learning how to use a laser if throwing a rock gets you the result you're after.

I gave up trying to lift the rock from the ground

 

[Triller 1,697]

37 minutes ago, Daniel Janser said:

I gave up trying to lift the rock from the ground

 

Yeah, I am still trying to get better so the motivation is still there.  When I start phoning it in is when I am likely done!

[Rin 158]

13 hours ago, OrbitingDeath said:

For a free application, i would like to suggest photopea.com ; it resembles photoshop more 

 

Isn't Photopea entirely browser-based? Curious as to how it feels compared to other options

[Gustav 6,515]

53 minutes ago, Rin said:

Isn't Photopea entirely browser-based? Curious as to how it feels compared to other options

 

I've used Photopea a few times and I was always impressed by it for it being on a browser. It's close enough to Photoshop that you can actually import and work with .psd files there. It does hog lots of energy and it's practically unusable on my old laptop, but that doesn't mean much because I'd describe lots of things that way.

 

I also started on Gimp and from what I remember it's very accessible as well. I've been fortunate enough to get Photoshop mostly paid for by school, and I easily like it the best--but I think both of the others are great free options and both have lots in common with the actual Photoshop experience.

[Rin 158]

4 hours ago, Gustav said:

It's close enough to Photoshop that you can actually import and work with .psd files there.

 

GIMP also happens to support working with .psd files, which is part of the reason I know it exists. I'd entertain learning Photoshop proper, but I feel like it's too expensive to consider for just a small hobbyist thing. It's been a hot minute since I actually looked into pricing, though.

[Gustav 6,515]

8 minutes ago, Rin said:

GIMP also happens to support working with .psd files, which is part of the reason I know it exists. I'd entertain learning Photoshop proper, but I feel like it's too expensive to consider for just a small hobbyist thing. It's been a hot minute since I actually looked into pricing, though.

 

I don't think the difference between Photoshop and nothing is worth the price unless you were serious about it. Last I knew about it, it was something like $120 yearly normally--I justify it because I get it at a reduced rate of something like $30 and I also open it up for work reasons sometimes. I don't do a lot of sim league graphics anymore, so I would have canceled it by this point otherwise.

 

Both of the alternatives at least work in basically the same ways, so if you ever found yourself on Photoshop you would find that a lot of what you built up elsewhere transfers well.

[Rin 158]

5 minutes ago, Gustav said:

 

I don't think the difference between Photoshop and nothing is worth the price unless you were serious about it. Last I knew about it, it was something like $120 yearly normally--I justify it because I get it at a reduced rate of something like $30 and I also open it up for work reasons sometimes. I don't do a lot of sim league graphics anymore, so I would have canceled it by this point otherwise.

 

Both of the alternatives at least work in basically the same ways, so if you ever found yourself on Photoshop you would find that a lot of what you built up elsewhere transfers well.

 

Okay cool, that's about what I thought. I'll definitely poke around with both of these options then, surely enough of my paint.net knowledge will transfer over to those to make it an easier transition.

[BOOM 8,889]

I'm not advertising anything illegal, but PS is definitely available for $0.00 if you are brave enough.

[BOOM 8,889]

Allegedly.

[Rin 158]

2 minutes ago, BOOM said:

I'm not advertising anything illegal, but PS is definitely available for $0.00 if you are brave enough.

 

Not a bad point LMAO

 

I think, thankfully, some of the alternatives are good enough that the bravery isn't required. It's always on the table, though

[VattghernCZ 1,095]

My graphics are janky af, and I use GIMP for the bulk of work. PhotoFiltre for some minor stuff that can probably be done in GIMP as well, but I'm too lazy to figure out how. Fotor for some final touches.

 

The jankyness is due to my skill - or rather the lack  thereof, I had never done any gfx before the VHL - not GIMP lol

Edited January 23 by VattghernCZ

[OrbitingDeath 3,263]

4 hours ago, BOOM said:

Allegedly.

 

Without confirming or denying above statement, but this is the way.

[Triller 1,697]

6 hours ago, Rin said:

 

Not a bad point LMAO

 

I think, thankfully, some of the alternatives are good enough that the bravery isn't required. It's always on the table, though

I may know a guy.

[SleepyPlayz 75]

On 1/22/2025 at 5:55 PM, Rin said:

 

Isn't Photopea entirely browser-based? Curious as to how it feels compared to other options

I used Photoshop in school, I have to say, Photopea is an amazing equivalent if you know what you're doing!

[Rin 158]

Coming back to this with an interesting addition-- totally forgot I have access to Clip Studio Paint, which targets itself as more of a drawing software but happens to have a LOT of the features I'm looking for out of a Photoshop-like tool. I started dabbling with digital drawing late last year (and own a decent enough drawing tablet to supplement that), maybe I can marry two worlds and find something that really works out here.