Graphic Design

Reggie Duncan · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 19 Nov 2012 8:41 pm

I have a recording studio and have been paying for graphic design and duplication. I have the company's templates and they use Photo Shop. I'd like to get a program to design these myself. Which Photo Shop would I need to buy? Will other programs work just as well with their templates?

Thanks guys...you are the best!

Reggie

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 19 Nov 2012 10:48 pm

I use Corel's Paint Shop Pro (currently at X4), which sells for way under a hundred bucks. You can probably find a fresh box on eBay for under 50 bucks, fully license-able. PSP opens, edits and saves in all image formats, including the Photoshop .psp multi-layered templates.

Cal Sharp · Post by **Cal Sharp** » 19 Nov 2012 11:20 pm

Photoshop Elements, a low cost alternative to the $699 real Photoshop, works pretty well. Under a C note.

Michael Maddex · Post by **Michael Maddex** » 20 Nov 2012 7:40 am

You might want to check out the GIMP, GNU Image Manipulation Program:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_gimp

http://www.gimp.org/

It's free and very full-featured. I've been using it on Linux since 1998. HTH.

Reggie Duncan · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 20 Nov 2012 7:44 am

can you use jpg and pdf templates from a third party is these programs?

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 20 Nov 2012 8:18 am

Reggie Duncan wrote:can you use jpg and pdf templates from a third party is these programs?

As I said earlier, PSP opens all image formats. As for templates, what image templates arrive in .pdf format? That file type opens in Adobe Reader or Acrobat.

When I get home tonight I'll look to see if PSP can actually open a .pdf (I doubt it).

PSP does open Adobe Photoshop .psp templates, which contain multiple layers, masks, hues, focus changes, etc. You can also run some Photoshop actions in PSP.

People who really need the actual Photoshop program will find a way to purchase a copy, even if it is an older version. I have Photoshop 7 and still find it useful.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 20 Nov 2012 8:46 am

As an alternate for creating your own CD Labels and Jewel Case inserts check out "Discus". Its what I use and you can create some professional projects.

http://www.magicmouse.com/

I do my own audio CD burning (up to about 50 copies) as I have a bank of 5 CD/DVD burners that will burn audio CD's at 8X (my standard) and an Epson printer to print labels on discs. I use Taiyo Yuden CD-R blanks.

Reggie Duncan · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 20 Nov 2012 8:59 am

GREAT ADVICE....please don't hesitate to add your input to this topic. Thank You!

Cal Sharp · Post by **Cal Sharp** » 20 Nov 2012 9:00 am

The companies I do print graphic design for, like Amazon's CreateSpace, LightningSource and Discmakers, provide a template that may be a .pdf or .png or an InDesign file, among other formats. This is placed in a page layout program, like InDesign or Quark. The artwork is done in Photoshop or the Gimp or whatever and placed on top of the template. When it's finished it's outputted for the printer as a 300dpi .pdf. But if you're just doing this at home then Jack's suggestion might work for you.

Jim Priebe · Post by **Jim Priebe** » 20 Nov 2012 2:36 pm

I would recommend Photoshop Elements as it will do what you are wanting (once you learn it ! - graphic design is not for the faint hearted). It is aimed at the part time user - like 99.9% of us.
I have Photoshop 7 but it won't run/load on a 64 bit OS - bugga. It was capable of all that I needed.
I tried the GIMP but although it does it all and it's free it's a totally different 'language' (to Photoshop) of terminology - a big learning curve.
Paintshop Pro also does it all but once again another "language" to learn.

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 20 Nov 2012 8:41 pm

Earlier, I mistakenly referred to an Adobe Photoshop layered file type as a .PSP. It is actually a .PSD file type.

I looked through the file types I can open in Paint Shop Pro X4 and I indeed found .PDF listed.

While PSP has a learning curve, it is smaller than Photoshop or GIMP. The price is much nicer than Photoshop.

Dave Potter · Post by **Dave Potter** » 21 Nov 2012 9:09 am

Jim Priebe wrote:I have Photoshop 7 but it won't run/load on a 64 bit OS

Are you certain? Really?

I own Photoshop CS5 (version 12) so I've forgotten most of what I ever knew about v7, but a coupla' thoughts come to mind.

1st, you didn't say which OS, but my Win 7 64 bit OS loads and runs both 32-bit and/or 64-bit apps transparently to me. There are 2 "Program Files" folders, and the 32-bit one is called "Program Files (x86)".

The other thing is, have you tried playing with the OS "compatibility modes" to get Photoshop to run? Sometimes that compensates for older software that the OS won't run natively.

Cal Sharp · Post by **Cal Sharp** » 21 Nov 2012 9:41 am

I'm glad you mentioned that, Dave. I use a Mac most of the time, but I have an eMachine 64-bit with Win 7, and Photoshop CS5.1 never would run very well on it. Much to my surprise I just noticed that I have 2 versions of PS, one being 64-bit, and that's the one I've been using. When I tried the other one (32-bit I assume) it seems to run fine. Cool beans.

Reggie Duncan · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 21 Nov 2012 10:21 am

great info guys. All I want to do is submit to my duplicator print ready graphic design for my cd projects. I pay anywhere from $75 to $150 for graphic assistance and I'd like to take care of that myself.

That being said, I downloaded Photoshop Elements on a trial basis. My printer sent me jpg templates to use. Now if I can only figure out a quick way to learn put it all together.

Any fast start tips welcomed!!! I think if I can muddle my way through one design, I'll have it!

Jim Priebe · Post by **Jim Priebe** » 28 Nov 2012 8:07 pm

Dave

Re: Photoshop 7 on a Windows 64 bit system.
You are correct up to a point - the reason I posted this is that for some unknown (to most users) reason it won't load on some loads/computers - if that makes sense. I have only had about a 50% success rate on various work stations (I see & service dozens of them). I just did one and it went on perfectly - so there you go!
So to avoid disappointment for the average user (not one of us techs that will try every trick in the book) I would stick with what I said previously.
(Explanation) Depending on the windows install system version (used on the installation particular CD etc. you use) used it (may or) may not recognise Win 7 as a valid OS 'cos it's been made way before that time and so the problem can arise. Running in compatability mode will not fix this issue unfortunately.

Reggie Duncan · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 28 Nov 2012 8:15 pm

great info from the pros!! Thanks!