Alternative to Photoshop

**edyzmedieval** · 08-29-2006, 14:45

My trial expired, so I'm forced to search for an alternative for Adobe Photoshop, preferably free.

I'm mostly interested for the "pencil tool" from Photoshop, because it was extremely useful.

Any alternatives please? GIMP, for example?

**Geezer57** · 08-29-2006, 14:57

Check in the "The Freeware and Open Source Software Thread", in the same section as this one. There are several good suggestions in that thread.

**Master_Thief** · 08-29-2006, 17:38

Get Photoshop Elements. It isn't free, but it costs about a tenth of the price of the full version. Despite this, it is almost exactly the same. In fact it even has extra features. Admittedly it is slightly cut down, with fewer options within each of the available effects. However, it si still possible to make use of all of the effects that are available in the full version and cretae some damn good stuff. All of the usual file formats are supported and plugins, such as the DDS plugin for use in RTW skinning, all work perfectly.

**Xiahou** · 08-29-2006, 21:08

Definitely give The Gimp a whirl- you've got nothing to lose since it's free.

http://www.gimp.org
Be sure to check out the tutorials section to see how to do common tasks since the menus/placement is different from PS.

**Quietus** · 08-30-2006, 04:50

Originally Posted by edyzmedieval

My trial expired, so I'm forced to search for an alternative for Adobe Photoshop, preferably free.

I'm mostly interested for the "pencil tool" from Photoshop, because it was extremely useful.

Any alternatives please? GIMP, for example?

Aside from the GIMP, there's Inkscape and Artrage.

**Lemur** · 08-30-2006, 05:34

Originally Posted by Xiahou

Be sure to check out the tutorials section to see how to do common tasks since the menus/placement is different from PS.

I'm pretty sure there's a plugin for the GIMP that makes its menus behave identically to Photoshop ... you know, remove the pain from the transition ... I'll post a link if I find it.

[edit]

Never mind, found it. Clicky the pikky. One problem -- it's currently compiled for Mac OS 10.3, so if you want it for PC, you'll need to compile the source code, which is not the instant-gratification fix I was hoping for. I'll keep looking, see if someone has a pre-built GIMPshop for PC.

Here's the windows version. What a runaround.

**edyzmedieval** · 09-03-2006, 15:52

thanx guys. That should prove very useful.

One thing and I shut up.
I went to GIMP.org, and then I wanted to download it, but it got me to the server, with tons and tons of files available. Which is the right one?

**Quietus** · 09-03-2006, 18:08

Originally Posted by edyzmedieval

thanx guys. That should prove very useful.

One thing and I shut up.
I went to GIMP.org, and then I wanted to download it, but it got me to the server, with tons and tons of files available. Which is the right one?

You have to go back to the main page and click "Gimp for Windows", then "automated installer", then download the GTK 2.8.18 and Gimp 2.2.13.

Install the GTK 2.8.18 first then the Gimp.