Recommend me a free alternative to photoshop

2

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  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 38,300

    richardandtracy said:

    Gimp irritates me. Again and again and again, in fact every single time I see the 'Script Foo' and 'Python Foo' menu items. I'm disgusted by the childishness that thought it was appropriate to publish a program with such menu item names in it. Beyond that, I find Gimp better for transparency and moving items than PSP5, but on balance I prefer PSP5.

    Foo is not the worst term

  • IvyIvy Posts: 7,165
    edited January 2023

    Torquinox said:

    It was mentioned. I recommend looking for a sale with another retailer and there is a bundle with Premiere Elements. The two together are worth the $$.

    I am Sorry Torquinox   I must have missed it when scanning through the comments . Its a real shame everything seems software related to be going cloud subscriptions route or stream it... I guess they have a captive customer base if people want to use the software. 

    Post edited by Ivy on
  • TorquinoxTorquinox Posts: 3,370
    edited January 2023

    Ivy said:

    Torquinox said:

    It was mentioned. I recommend looking for a sale with another retailer and there is a bundle with Premiere Elements. The two together are worth the $$.

    I am Sorry Torquinox   I must have missed it when scanning through the comments . Its a real shame everything seems software related to be going cloud subscriptions route or stream it... I guess they have a captive customer base if people want to use the software. 

    Oh, dear! No apology needed Ivy ! It's all good. angel  I agree about cloud. Not my idea of fun. I still only buy perpetual license for software. The Elements items are the only Adobe products I've touched since the whole subscription thing started. That also makes Affinity a good pick... If I could ever get it to load and run on my system. surprise As it is, I'm currently using Gimp and Krita. I was going to buy Affinity until I hit the load problem on the trial version. I may end up going with current PS Elements after all. It's never easy.

    Post edited by Torquinox on
  • ArtiniArtini Posts: 9,507

    Foo word is often used by programmers - quick search gives such an explanation:

    Foo (pronounced FOO) is a term used by programmers as a placeholder for a value that can change,

    depending on conditions or on information passed to the program.

  • richardandtracyrichardandtracy Posts: 5,731
    edited January 2023

    Whether it's used by programmers or not (I do program a few things, not least of which being a full 3d finite element modeller that I used as the source of my income for two years, and I don't use the term),  it is very childish to include it in the user facing side of the program.

    (From 2.10.24) And by what other name could you call 'Goat-exercise' other than as a piece of self-indulgent childishness?

    There are sensible alternative names: 'Python Scripts' and 'Native Scripts' And delete all references to thier unhealthy goat fetish.

    Regards,

    Richard

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    Post edited by richardandtracy on
  • TorquinoxTorquinox Posts: 3,370

    richardandtracy said:

    Whether it's used by programmers or not (I do program a few things, not least of which being a full 3d finite element modeller that I used as the source of my income for two years, and I don't use the term),  it is very childish to include it in the user facing side of the program.

    There are sensible alternative names: 'Python Scripts' and 'Native Scripts' And delete all references to thier unhealthy goat fetish.

    Regards,

    Richard

    Even so, It's harmless, isn't it? I've seen silly weirdness in other programs, even paid programs. Until you mentioned it, I never noticed it was there. It hasn't been a factor in anything I've needed to do with the program. If it's a deal-breaker for you, I understand. But in the grand scheme of things, it's nothing.

  • Harmless or not, it irritates the heck out of me. Irrationally I know, but it does.

     

  • BlueFingersBlueFingers Posts: 904
    edited January 2023

    I use GIMP and am very satisfied with it. I would recommend installing the G'MIC plug-in as it adds tons of features, Resynthesizer plug-in which adds a feature similar to (but by some regarded as better than) Photoshop's Content Aware Filter, Luminosity plug-in which adds a luminosity filter that isolates similar tones of an image into layer masks (shadows, midtones, highlights). And if you want a similar layout to Photoshop you could install PhotoGIMP to emulate Photoshop's GUI. There are quite a few tutorials on the web (YouTube) how to install these.

    There is a general focus on ethics and morals within the open-source community with how developers treat their users which is a reason in itself for me to use GIMP as GIMP is open source.

    And if you currently use Photoshop brushes, they will work just fine in GIMP.

    Post edited by BlueFingers on
  • richardandtracy said:

    Whether it's used by programmers or not,  it is very childish to include it in the user facing side of the program.

    There are sensible alternative names: 'Python Scripts' and 'Native Scripts'

    Not disagreeing with you, but a minor point: Note that the menu items use "-Fu" not "Foo". The latter being the typical programmer placeholder but I believe "Fu" is used in the sense of "Google-Fu" and similar expressions to indicate skill or mastery of the subject area. All of which was originally derived from "kung-fu" to best of my knowledge.

    No doubt the programmers believe they're being cute or clever but yes, the joke does become tiresome. Your suggestions are also better since "Native Scripts" more clearly identifies the difference between those items and Python scripts.

    I'll leave the goat discussion for another day. wink

  • LinwellyLinwelly Posts: 5,956

    richardandtracy said:

    Gimp irritates me. Again and again and again, in fact every single time I see the 'Script Foo' and 'Python Foo' menu items. I'm disgusted by the childishness that thought it was appropriate to publish a program with such menu item names in it. Beyond that, I find Gimp better for transparency and moving items than PSP5, but on balance I prefer PSP5.

    Haha, what do you expect from a program that's called "the Gimp"  :P

    which I use for ages now and am very happy

  • RAMWolffRAMWolff Posts: 10,212

    cgidesign said:

    Quixel Mixer for painting on 3d models (alternative to Blender or Substance Painter).

    https://quixel.com/mixer

    Do you know if it can paint over seams and work with UDIM UV's?   

  • nonesuch00nonesuch00 Posts: 18,166

     I did have my avatar at one time as a goat and my name as a goat & then I found out what in the last 10 years or so gamers and atheletics started using the word goat for, G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time) and I just had to role my eyes. I did keep goat as my forum name at one place elsewhere though, in spite of my embarrassment at having so naively chose that moniker. Goat used to mean something completely different and comical in slang. I can fend off the harassment keeping it brings, I've been doing that since I was 5; when a goat chased me from one side of a swinging bridge to the other to avoid it's horns. 

  • nonesuch00nonesuch00 Posts: 18,166

    RAMWolff said:

    cgidesign said:

    Quixel Mixer for painting on 3d models (alternative to Blender or Substance Painter).

    https://quixel.com/mixer

    I don't know, but there is a playlist of 14 Mixer tutorials and another playlist of I think 54 Mixer videos on the YouTube Quixel channel. I installed it since it's free and I don't know how long until I can afford Marmoset since it's liable to be some time before Blender is so capable.

    Do you know if it can paint over seams and work with UDIM UV's?   

  • 3Ddreamer3Ddreamer Posts: 1,305

    I'm about tonretire soon and I have budgetted in a £9.99 monthly subscription to the Photographic Photoship/Lightroom since I'd have more time to use it. I have been using Photoshop since 7 and been using my Photoshop CS5 since it went subscription. But I have been picking up some of Ron's CC brushes with this upgrade in mind.

    So I went onto the website to look around just now - and it looks like the £9.99 plan is now Browser based and you can only save to your 20TB cloud account. It is a bit confusing as some pages say the software is downloadable but the payment ones implies not.

    I DON'T want a Web-base software, which looks like it doesn't do everything.

    I DON'T want to save online

    Can anyone who has this plan confirm what the options really are? Then I can move on and look at alternatives. Thanks.

  • RAMWolffRAMWolff Posts: 10,212

    I'm not sure where you are reading this but I pay the 9.99 a month and I have a PS downloaded and installed on my computer.  Do you have Adobe Creative Cloud application on your desktop?  If not I'd get that and look throught what all comes with PS for that rate you and I are paying.  Unless they have changed things.  If you have been paying that rate for a while now I don't see why you can't just keep using it on your desktop as you have been.  I see in the app that Adobe Express is browser only now but not Photoshop!  

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  • 3Ddreamer3Ddreamer Posts: 1,305

    Thanks RAMwolf - I haven't downloaded anything yet, just getting all my ducks in a row for when I retire. I'll probably leave it until I buy my new desktop in May but I think I'll download the 7 day trial and make sure there is a download. The website now says 'Photographic plan (WEB)' and then goes on about being able to access Photoshop in the browser with only a few things missing. I get the Browser versiion is an option but no where does it talk about local install. Which is did last time I checked it. last year.

  • ValiskaValiska Posts: 87
    edited March 22

    Krita for most purposes, especially brushwork. It's not quite a workalike for Fractal Design->Corel Painter. And if you install Krita, I strongly recommend downloading and donating for Rakurri's brushes.

    I have GIMP installed, but only for a few things, since I strongly dislike it. I usually use Krita instead.

    Post edited by Valiska on
  • Silent WinterSilent Winter Posts: 3,730

    I've been happily using GIMP for a long time. I needed something free way back when and this fit the bill. It can use photoshop brushes (.abr) (but sadly not layer styles - there's GIMPs own attempt at those but far more limited and not inter-compatible). I've had the opportunity to use Photoshop at work, but being more familiar with the GIMP setup, I find it quicker and easier for me.

    For most things, GIMP does just as well. At least for what I need.

    I am tempted by Affinity Photo (and maybe the rest of that suite too) as it looks great. Maybe I'll try it when I have the time.

  • csaacsaa Posts: 824

    Sfariah D,

    I highly recommend the Affinity products, as well as Clip Studio Paint.

    Cheers!

  • ed3Ded3D Posts: 2,215

    And  Paintnet  ( Free )  Wins Only   +  Thanx

  • Sfariah DSfariah D Posts: 26,368

    RAMWolff said:

    I'm not sure where you are reading this but I pay the 9.99 a month and I have a PS downloaded and installed on my computer.  Do you have Adobe Creative Cloud application on your desktop?  If not I'd get that and look throught what all comes with PS for that rate you and I are paying.  Unless they have changed things.  If you have been paying that rate for a while now I don't see why you can't just keep using it on your desktop as you have been.  I see in the app that Adobe Express is browser only now but not Photoshop!  

    I might be able to do that if my spending funds go up after I move (hopefully to the place I want) 

  • joannajoanna Posts: 1,549

    It's not free, but it's a one-time payment (and they have 30% off at the moment): Affinity Photo. A lot of stuff is similar to Photoshop, any Photoshop brushes will import nicely (but not styles and actions), and if you feel lost in the software, they have plenty of videos: basic tutorials, advanced tutorials, and "artists show you how they do it" videos (these are on Youtube).

  • 3WC3WC Posts: 1,110
    edited March 24

    For some reason Affinity Photo crashes on me every time I try to open an image file. Windows 10.

    Love Affinity Designer, though.

    Post edited by 3WC on
  • joannajoanna Posts: 1,549

    3WC said:

    For some reason Affinity Photo crashes on me every time I try to open an image file. Windows 10.

    Love Affinity Designer, though.

    Oh wow! That's annoying. I wish I had a solution... :(

    And yes, Affinity Designer is great. I use both extensively. 

  • gcjellyfishgcjellyfish Posts: 65

    I heart GIMP. smiley

  • RAMWolffRAMWolff Posts: 10,212
    edited March 29

    3WC said:

    For some reason Affinity Photo crashes on me every time I try to open an image file. Windows 10.

    Love Affinity Designer, though.

    Have you touched base with the customer care/tech dept at their website and see if they can help you suss that out?  I used to have that very problem back when Serif had Photo Plus, it was very crashy on my system but Affinity seems very stable for me.  Now that they have been aquired by another company maybe with new eyes on the code it will be improved.  

    https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/press/newsroom/canva-press-release/

    Post edited by RAMWolff on
  • Silent WinterSilent Winter Posts: 3,730

    RAMWolff said:

    3WC said:

    For some reason Affinity Photo crashes on me every time I try to open an image file. Windows 10.

    Love Affinity Designer, though.

    Have you touched base with the customer care/tech dept at their website and see if they can help you suss that out?  I used to have that very problem back when Serif had Photo Plus, it was very crashy on my system but Affinity seems very stable for me.  Now that they have been aquired by another company maybe with new eyes on the code it will be improved.  

    https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/press/newsroom/canva-press-release/ ;

    For some reason, hitting space after a link in the forums adds that semi-colon to the visible text and a bunch of symbols to the link which stop it working. Hitting enter instead keeps the link intact.

    https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/press/newsroom/canva-press-release/

  • RAMWolffRAMWolff Posts: 10,212

    Weird.  I fixed my post.  I have a bad habit of hitting the space key when I'm done with pasting a link.  I guess I need to TRY to remember that here is not a good idea!  LOL 

  • TorquinoxTorquinox Posts: 3,370
    edited March 29

    For a lot of the utility stuff, Gimp wins. For painting, I prefer Krita. Both have the ability to import .aco palettes as well as import some PS brushes. I won't do the subscription, but getting PS Elements and even the PSE/Premiere Elements 2-pack (if you want video capability) is well worth the money. There are periodic sales from major online retailers, too. This is especially true at the holidays. Also the Elements+ plugin is reasonably priced and recommended.

     

    Since I mentioned video, a lot of folks love Davinci Resolve. That's also free, and they have a studio program that's ~$300 - Not free, maybe not a deal-breaker. But I guess this thread is not "name all the free software that is pretty cool for Daz and 3D people."

    Post edited by Torquinox on
  • IceCrMnIceCrMn Posts: 2,130
    edited March 29
    Post edited by IceCrMn on
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