good 2D graphics editor?

Community Forums/Graphic Chat/good 2D graphics editor?

Slomas(Posted 2011) [#1]
I use Adobe for work, but I never liked their clumsy clunky software, just crashed again for the millionth time and I almost took it out on my poor monitor!

for 3D; switching from $2000 AutoCad to free Sketchup was an enormous step up in performance and lowering of my blood pressure

Anyone know an equivalent good free 2D editor?

any help much appreciated!


TaskMaster(Posted 2011) [#2]
Gimp.


Slomas(Posted 2011) [#3]
Got it-

already far superior to Adobe-
now I can actually UNDO more than 1 action!!

many thanks


xlsior(Posted 2011) [#4]
Now I can actually UNDO more than 1 action!!


Does not compute.

I routinely undo dozens of actions in photoshop myself. Did you configure the # of undo states in the preferences?


AdamRedwoods(Posted 2011) [#5]
fyi, Adobe PShop multiple undo:
command-option-z (control-alt-z on pc)


Naughty Alien(Posted 2011) [#6]

already far superior to Adobe-


..somehow i feel, Adobe products were not used properly..


Pete Carter(Posted 2011) [#7]
Per pixel editing is kind of hard in photoshop as its not what its designed for. I found promotion to be a very good sprite editor or one of the many icon editing programs are quite good.


GfK(Posted 2011) [#8]
Per pixel editing is kind of hard in photoshop as its not what its designed for
Huh??? Use the pencil tool and set the brush size to 1px (or whatever), and its no different to any other pixel editor.

Not particularly aimed at you, but it really annoys me when folks slag off Photoshop and brand stuff like Gimp as "superior", when the bottom line is that they just do not know how to use Photoshop properly. Case in point; multiple undos (above).

[edit] Oh, and this is in the wrong forum.

Last edited 2011


Slomas(Posted 2011) [#9]
Just to follow up-

I couldn't do multiple undo's without re-configuring/crashing/messing around in Adobe. Gimp just works with the standard (Ctrl-Z) as you'd expect with any decently written software - no fuss. I just happened to mention one of a thousand bugs I ran into.

Sorry if it annoys Adobe fans, but I can already do a job with Gimp in a fraction of the time, and to me that's the embodiment of superior programming. I can write sloppy bug ridden software myself and blame others for 'not using it correctly'!

But maybe someone could help since I'm forced to use Adobe Reader,
there must be a way for an image handling application like this to export full-res as a jpg. etc, but again, it's too well hidden for me!


AdamRedwoods(Posted 2011) [#10]
Adobe: their programming skills are bloated, driven by marketing
Gimp: they are engineers, driven by code, not by UI design
To each their own...both are love/hate. I use Adobe products extensively, but no affinity here.

Adobe Reader: If you're saying just the reader, forget it. As far as I know, it's a sick dog and they want you to get the FULL version to edit or export anything. Usually it's under SAVE AS if you have the full version.

TIP: Adobe Illustrator (and Photoshop) can read in PDFs and then you can export as JPGs or whatever.


SLotman(Posted 2011) [#11]
I just love Paint Shop Pro *7* (9 may also work - but I still prefer 7). It's old as hell, but I know it inside out, and I'm 100x more productive with it than Photoshop - specially for pixel drawing and manipulating palettes - there's nothing like it.

One thing I actually liked - and I'm getting pretty used to, is Adobe Illustrator. Taking something I draw on paper and tracing over the image on Illustrator is really cool.


Paul "Taiphoz"(Posted 2011) [#12]
I like fireworks, its not really designed for it but it does the job.

But failing that deff gimp.


Evil Roy Ferguson(Posted 2011) [#13]
I think GraphicsGale works nicely for sprite/pixel art. Not sure if that's the sort of '2D' editor you're looking for, though.

Last edited 2011


Pete Carter(Posted 2011) [#14]
but it really annoys me when folks slag off Photoshop and brand stuff like Gimp as "superior",


GfK: I dislike it when people slag of photoshop when they don't know how to use it too. But with me thats not the case. I use Photoshop alot and yes it has the pencil tool etc, but its not geared towards pixel editing and lacks the feature set of say Promotion for sprites. I feel that rather than using photoshop just for pixel editing its better to use something made for it. ps I think Gimp is good for free, but is miles short of photoshop.

Ive also used Graphicsgale and its also nice.

Last edited 2011


WERDNA(Posted 2011) [#15]
I just love Paint Shop Pro *7* (9 may also work - but I still prefer 7). It's old as hell, but I know it inside out, and I'm 100x more productive with it than Photoshop - specially for pixel drawing and manipulating palettes - there's nothing like it.

lol, me too! I used Paint Shop Pro 7 for ages, then switched over to 9 a few years back
and have been using it ever since. Both version are great options :)


Pengwin(Posted 2011) [#16]
@Yavin

I also use Fireworks and I think it's perfectly suited to the job. You get the photo editing capabilities, and the pixel editing. I've tried looking for another graphics app, but nothing comes close, IMO.


Paul "Taiphoz"(Posted 2011) [#17]
pengwin yeah, I have to agree, i got it initially through web design but then got into the habbit of using it for game sprites and now I cant seem to use anything else.

Stuff like photoshop and other pure image and photo editors might come with loads more bells and whistles but a lot of the time you really dont need all that extra mess in the ui, think thats why i like fireworks so much, its clean slim and not overly messy.


YellBellzDotCom(Posted 2011) [#18]
lol, I still use Paint Shop Pro 5, bought it about 16 years ago for $100, still use it to this day.

I use Photoshop the most though, never had any problems with per pixel editing or undo (Always used the history window to delete actions).

I did like Gimp alot too, just didn't care for the interface.

Overall, I'd have to give my vote to Photoshop though.


xlsior(Posted 2011) [#19]
lol, me too! I used Paint Shop Pro 7 for ages, then switched over to 9 a few years back
and have been using it ever since. Both version are great options :)


I use Paintshop 7 from time to time -- like it better than Paintshop XI that I have at the office.

My favorite is still Photoshop, though.


Richard Betson(Posted 2011) [#20]
I use Paint.Net. It's free:)

http://www.getpaint.net/index.html

L8r,


Kryzon(Posted 2011) [#21]
I still use Photoshop 5.0 to this day, and it has everything I need.

Here's a helicopter rotor texture I made with it (click for the normal-sized version):




grindalf(Posted 2011) [#22]
I use Pixia and normal old paint and I do use gimp on occasions.
my problem is Im to lazy to learn a new tool(even if its not going to take long)


ImaginaryHuman(Posted 2011) [#23]
Paintshop 7 or 8 is good, but after that it doesn't feel as good. I'd say avoid 10.


Yan(Posted 2011) [#24]
...And this years 'Skully's Shoehorn Pimpage Award' for the most random pimpage in a forum thread, goes to...

Kryzon!




Neuro(Posted 2011) [#25]
I was using Paint Shop Pro 7 for years until i upgraded to Paint Shop Pro 9 and have been using it ever since. I've been trying to get accustom to Gimp since i can't seem to find a decent equivalent of PSP9 on the Mac, but its just doesn't quite flow as well :).


John G(Posted 2011) [#26]
For vector graphics, I've just been trying Inkscape which seems to have great cross-platform potential. At only version 0.48, it seems to have a few bugs. Does anyone use Inkscape?


D4NM4N(Posted 2011) [#27]
+1 for gimp (ok you got it) +1 for photoshop (i use both depending what i am doing)
+1 for paintshop pro which i used to use till gimp got much better.
+1 for inkscape for vector stuff
+1 for Xara (for illustratory stuff)
+1 for Dia (for Visio stuff)

edit: you did say free so i will roll with:

Gimp (2D)
Inkskape (vector)
Dia (diags)
Open Orafice (docs/dtp)

There are loads but these do for me.

Last edited 2011


MadJack(Posted 2011) [#28]
I use Photoshop CS4 at work as it's the industry standard. Sounds like the OT may not have the hardware to handle what he's asking PS to do - or there's other problems?

I use Gimp and Paint.net at home. I don't much like Gimp's interface - although I've not spent the time properly learning it. Things like scaling a layer seems unecessarily fussy. Another irritation is that it seems I can load an image only to have Gimp hide it behind other images straight away. Several times I've loaded an image, assumed I'm working in it by default, only to realise it's hiding!

Still, it's free so fugeddaboutit!

Last edited 2011


_PJ_(Posted 2011) [#29]
Undoubtedly, Adobe PS CS has a more comprehensive and intuitive feature list with much more available as plugins. However, depending on specific requirements, it may be well overequipped and unnecessarily bloated for certain tasks.

Gimp is probably one of, if not the, best free solutions for alll-purpose image processing, with an iompressive feature-list of its own.

However, the more software is capable of, the more complex it becomes and therefore, the harder it gets to achieve desired results for more complicated work. This is natural: making a space shuttle entails a lot more work, knowledge and details than making a raft, but if you only want to have a few wooden planks to float on, you're not going to need an aeronautical vessel, nor might you really want to have to learn about heat shielding and amospheric pressurisation.

Both programs are capable and useful in their own rights, but don't overlook the obvious, MS Paint is PERFECT for quickly creating pixel-drawings or basic sprite shapes. There are also many vector-drawing programs around.

At the end of the day, consider what you want to achieve, and select the best tool for the job. Havving a multi-function swiss army knife is great for surviving in the wild, but less practical and somewhat overkill for buttering a slice of bread!

Lastly, some people will prefer or are more used to/find it easier working with one product over another. Regardless of the reasons why, this is their own perspective and whilst they may make valid points regarding why they believe x is 'better' than 'y', it doesn't necessarily stand for all scenarios or users.

@ JohnG - I had good experience with Inkscape for some simple cartoon-style drawings a couple of years ago. Didn't get really in-depth with it, but didn't have any problems either ;)


@ slomas - Even MSPaint can export Joint-Picture Group image formats.