Adobe Photoshop vs. Illustrator

[Warthog]

What is the difference? I have looked at their website but couldn't figure it out. Photoshop is more expensive. That's about all I know. Also any opinions on the software is welcomed.

Warthog

[I_AM]

Illustrator is for Illustrating. Photoshop is for manipulating and colour correction. If you get to know photoshop well you can design with it to, But it's mainly for spicing things up. you really can't have one without the other but if you can only get one, I'd make it Photoshop.

[OuTpaTienT]

Illustrator is for use with vector graphics. Line art. The type of graphics that you see in Flash or Shockwave animation. Best thing about this type of graphics is the scalability of it and the quickness at which the computer can process it.

Photoshop is for use with your regular bitmapped type images. This includes pretty much all the image types that you probably know; bmp, gif, jpg, tga, etc.

They are two completely different programs for completely diffent tasks. You need to know what you are going to be using the program for before you can decide on which on to get.

One will NOT do the others job very well, if at all. For example, if you wanted to do precise technical design you wouldn't buy a box of crayons and some water colors, would you?

And conversely, if you wanted to do abstract freeform expressionism you wouldn't use mechanical pencils, straight edges and slide rules,...would you?

These product are so expensive you DO NOT want to puchase the wrong one.

[OuTpaTienT]

BTW, I was checking out Adobe's site noted the following:

Photoshop 6.0 - pricetag of $609.00
Illustator 9.0 - pricetag of $399.00
Photoshop 5.00 LE
-Limitid Edition - pricetag of $95

That PS5.0/LE looks like a pretty darn good deal. I guess Adobe is FINALLY waking up to the fact even though their products are superior, not everybody wants to pay (or is capable of paying) over half a grand for some software.

[Richard_Cranium72]

Wart-10, what are you wanting to do ?

For photos, I like Corel Photo Paint 8.

Corel Draw has Photo Paint in the package too, and has much more than a regular ole photo-bug needs.

Photo Paint 8 can be had for $60.00 or so since 9 has come out..

The manuals for the "upgrade" 8 are like 7" high, all 5 of them.

One is about 700 pages,, much more stuff than a little dropping of paint that I do..

DrVette

[randy48]

Paint Shop Pro is another great product and IMHO is the best of both! And the price tag isn't bad either!

[NDC]

Yep, Corel Draw is very handy program for doing page layouts and increasing the size of an image without heavy deterioration in image quality! I give Corel Draw a 9.99999999! LOL

PS6 has many new features, features that I'm sure you should find very useful. Adobe seems to have concentrated mostly on TEXT on this version. When you open previous Photoshop version images, it asks you if you want to make your text vector based which makes size increasing not deteriorize since it is a vector image, you have the option to "upgrade" the image format as soon as you open the image file. And it has more pre-set options to make your images to appear more attractively, such as wave, arc, buldge, fish, squeeze, twist, fish eye, etc.

[skai]

OuT Photoshop 5 LE probably doesn't have the filters and tools the full version has ,check it out you might waste your money otherwise ,I like Photoshop for editing scanned images,lots of tools.skai

[NDC]

Isn't Photoshop LE a free version? I have a version of Photoshop LE that came bundled with my Epson Photo 750 Printer. When they said "LE", Adobe meant it! It really is a limited edition! Limited features that is.... http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/biggrin.gif

[This message has been edited by NDC (edited 11-16-2000).]

[Warthog]

Doc - I'm not really sure what I want to do with them. I think I will eventually be doing web work with them. I think Photoshop is the program for me.

For example, see the title graphic at the top of this webpage? http://roguespear.3dretreat.com

You could do that with Photoshop, right? See, I want to "sort of" custom design graphics (like that one), but nothing like what an artist would do. You guys understand what I'm talking about?

Oh yeah....some photo editing/touch up work also.

Warthog

[OuTpaTienT]

Yeah, of the two programs you mentioned, Photoshop is what you want. But understand, you don't need Photoshop at all. There are plenty of MUCH more inexpensive programs that will suite your needs. Even loads of shareware & freeware programs that'll get the job done.

I'm of the frame of mind that no individual EVER needs to purchase something like Photoshop (at over $600!!!). Because if you are doing work on such a caliber that you need Photoshop then you should have no problem getting your company to buy it for you...either the company you work for, or your own corporation.

[Warthog]

I have tried both PSP and Photo Impact. They are both pretty good programs. I just wanted something with "a little more". Maybe I will dl the demo to see what kind of things I can create.

Thanks!

Warthog

[Gutter Ball]

I would NOT get the LE version! We have that version at school and it's sooooo watered down. Photoshop LE can't:

Animation, Javascript rollovers, image slicing, image size optimization, color separations, advanced extraction tools, channel editing, advanced color correction, vector path tools and most important of all NO HISTORY PALETTE FOR MULTIPLE UNDO!!! That's what sucks the most! You go and do about 10 steps and then realize that you messed up step number 8..too bad, you can't undo more than once! ARGH!!! Gotta go and start the project over. Unless you're perfect and don't make mistakes http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif Then LE would be great!