Best program to make original images with?

[Frosty]

Gosh darn it.
Does anyone know of the best program that i could use to make original images. I was going to try to use photoshop`s trial but someone said i shouldn`t waste my time downloading it to make images cause the free trial version doesn`t allow me to save any images i create in it. Is that true?

If you go to www.readyhosting.com how did the designer make that big blue image that the site uses at the top as a heading? What program could i use to make stuff like that? Didn`t the designer who made that use something like photoshop? I don`t know how to create my own logos and stuff.

:confused: :cry:

[akashik]

Yes that's true, the photoshop trial doesn't allow for export or saving of files. Having said that I find it the best program ever made for building graphics. It's not a very cheap options though.

You could look for Photoshop LE (which is a cheap cut down version of the whole package).. It's lacks some of the highend stuff of the full version but for making webgraphics is does pretty much anything most people are looking to do.

JASC PaintShop Pro is pretty well recommended. It's come a long way and now is a serious contender to photoshop in some people's opinion.

Macromedia Fireworks is another one a lot of people recommend these days. I hear ver 4 is a lot easier to use than the ver 3 I have, since they've changed a lot of tabs and panels in the latest version.

My own opinion is for photoshop though. Once you get to learn how to use it, there's very little available that even comes close to it for pure power. The learning curve is pretty steep though.

Regarding that site you mentioned? Any of the above programs could produce that, and possible a lot more in fact that are cheaper and smaller. It's just flat colored areas treated with a few drop shadows, and bevel effects. (about 15 minutes work)

Greg Moore

[Frosty]

Thankx,

I`ll try to download one of those you just mentioned. I searched at www.download.com for these types of programs (image making) but didn`t find too many. (I think i searched wrong).

I just want to make something really simple and kind of similar to readyhosting`s. Whoever made readyhosting`s didn`t do the best job though. The whole heading image is kind of not sharp and a little fuzzy. Oh well. Thankx
:) :)

[dome0011]

Saw our post that had mentioned Photoshop. Photoshop and Illustrator are great Adobe graphic design programs BUT they are highly advanced tools and if you are a beginner or just want to create some simpler graphics you should be using Microsoft Image Composer. It is an excellent tool and it does not take much to learn.

I believe it comes with Microsoft Frontpage or perhaps you could go to the Microsoft website and download it.

Daniel
Web Creations, Inc. (http://www.webcreationsnow.com)

[Frosty]

Thankx Dome0011,

I`m gonna go download Microsoft Image Composer and try that. I need to make this image thing fast so i`m glad you recommended something that should be easier to use than that photoshop stuff.

:)

[Martie]

Frosty...also have a look at Paint Shop Pro
You can download the free trial at
http://www.jasc.com
Good Luck

[dome0011]

Hey Frosty,

Not sure if Image Composer is available for download or not. If not we may be able to whip up some quick graphics for you and email them over to you. Just a suggestion. Please email at WebCreations@wi.rr.com .

[cupysmom]

I've found banner maker pro pretty easy to use for making banners for the top of my page and buttons and it has a free 30 day trial. http://www.bannermakerpro.com/