Photoshop on the cheap

Post by **aliantha** » Wed Feb 08, 2012 7:42 pm

Sooo...when I bought the new computer, I lost the bootleg, horribly outdated copy of Photoshop that resided on Magickmaker's old laptop. I used that to design the book cover for the dead-tree version of the last novel. Now I'm kinda stuck. I don't really know any students any more, so buying the student version of the full Photoshop is out.

Here are my questions: If I were going to do layout, and not just retouch redeye in snapshots and stuff like that, can I do that with Photoshop Elements?

If not, is there another program out there that costs less than the full version of Photoshop but does pretty much the same thing?

And also: I was looking at some stock photos last night, and learned that there's a Photoshop plug-in called Fractalius (or something similar) that will fractal-ize a photo for you. The effect is really cool. I found some fractal animal pics at a cheap stock photo place (dreamstime.com) that will work for my purposes, but eventually I'm going to need a pic of a buffalo done the same way and I'm not seeing any.

Thanks for any advice y'all can give me...

Post by **wayfriend** » Wed Feb 08, 2012 8:45 pm

I think that GIMP is a pretty good replacement for Photoshop if you need more sophistication than Paint. Price: free. Cost: learning the new ways to do the old things in the new app. GIMP

GIMP supports plug-ins, so someone probably has made one to fractalize a photo, although again it may not be absolutely identical.

If you need something that does exactly everything Photoshop does in the same way Photoshup does it -- I have no idea.

Post by **Savor Dam** » Wed Feb 08, 2012 8:58 pm

ali: it would be a massive understatement to say that I am intrigued by what you propose to fractalize and why. Will you say more, either outright or as a cryptic hint, or is this RAFO for your next novel?

Post by **High Lord Tolkien** » Wed Feb 08, 2012 9:10 pm

What version of PS did you kinda have?

Post by **aliantha** » Wed Feb 08, 2012 9:33 pm

High Lord Tolkien wrote:What version of PS did you kinda have?

5, I think? That's just a plain 5, not CS 5. We are talking ancient.

SD: They're pictures of animals. (Shoulda known the buffalo thing would get your attention.

) Here's an example: www.dreamstime.com/stock-photo-owl-eyes--image4451170

WF: Thanks! I will check it out. Since I know next to nothing about Photoshop (Magickmaker had to explain layers to me), there would be very little for me to unlearn with GIMP.

Post by **Savor Dam** » Wed Feb 08, 2012 9:37 pm

Understood...but why do you require a fractal bison? Do they figure in your forthcoming book?

Post by **aliantha** » Wed Feb 08, 2012 10:05 pm

Maaaaybe...

It's not the fractal so much as the legend of White Buffalo Calf Pipe Woman. The fractals just make a cool effect for the cover art. It's gonna be a series of books (at least, that's the plan anyhow), with a different animal on each cover. I've found fractals of all the pertinent beasts at Dreamstime except the buffalo (white or otherwise).

Post by **wayfriend** » Wed Feb 08, 2012 10:21 pm

You can run the Fractalius (or other Photoshop) plugins in GIMP.

www.flickr.com/groups/fractalius_friday ... 757674036/

That is, if you believe what people on the internetz say.

Post by **aliantha** » Wed Feb 08, 2012 10:55 pm

I believe what you guys say, and you're on teh intarwebz...

Thanks again, way. That was going to be my next question. It looks like some fractal options are resident in GIMP, but this particular look is what I'm after. I think I'm gonna try this tonight. Will let you know (or will post a picture of my bald head after I've pulled out all my hair...).

Post by **Savor Dam** » Wed Feb 08, 2012 11:37 pm

Will you fractalize that picture, ali?

(sincerely hope this question turns out to be moot!)

Post by **aliantha** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 2:11 am

Savor Dam wrote:Will you fractalize that picture, ali?
(sincerely hope this question turns out to be moot!)

If I can't get it to work, then no.

Heading into the breach now...

Post by **Obi-Wan Nihilo** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 3:06 am

I'm a huge fan of Gimp. It's a good program as WF mentioned.

Post by **aliantha** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 5:01 am

Me too, Ex, as of right now.

Turns out there's a plug-in for GIMP called G'MIC that has a fractalizer similar to Fractalius (it's called Rodalius). Here's my kitty, fractalized.

Thanks for the advice, you guys. I think this is gonna work.

Post by **Avatar** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 5:22 am

Maybe it's just me, (I've always used Paintshop Pro (yes, even after Corel bought it) ) but I thought GIMP had a seriously steep learning curve.

Maybe I was just too used to what I use, and not willing to devote the time to it. *shrug*

--A

Post by **aliantha** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 5:37 am

I used to use Paintshop back in the old old old days, back when the graphics were *all* pixelated....

I don't know that GIMP's learning curve is any steeper than Photoshop's. Looks to me like the features are pretty much the same. (Still haven't figured out what paths are for. Had to ask somebody the definition of rasterizing. Yeesh....)

Post by **Obi-Wan Nihilo** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 6:03 am

Don't feel bad aliantha, I'm in the same boat. Wikipedia is our friend.

Post by **Avatar** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 6:16 am

Paths are usually for custom lines, or for aligning stuff.

So if you have a curved path, you can attach text to it that will follow the curve of the path.

--A

Post by **aliantha** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 1:11 pm

Aha, thanks, Av! (See that, Ex? Who needs Wikipedia when we've got the Watch?

)

Post by **wayfriend** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 2:06 pm

I'm happy it's working out for you ali. Keep us in the loop.

Post by **aliantha** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 5:16 pm

Will do!

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

Photoshop on the cheap

Photoshop on the cheap