Advice on Graphic Design Program

Thank you, but that's way over my head.

I'd say some of the Admins would have opinions, if they are allowed to share.

They use language I don't understand lots of times when they talk about giga-flops and tera thus and such.

I have AutoCad© and can barely use that.

Good luck.

Thanks Lyn, I have access to autocad and I can draw lines and dimensions, not art. I think autocad would be overkill. I was thinking about Adobe Illustrator, but would like opinions before shelling out $$ for it. Kind of need something between MS Paint and Autocad...

Within AutoCAD^® is a SKETCH command that allows freehand work. At first it feels like an Etch-a-Sketch^®, but with practice you can get smoother. You can also Fitcurve or Spline the polylines that SKETCH actually produces. This could be worth a try, since you already have AutoCAD^® available.

Oh by the way, we are up to peta-flops now.

I knew that. I just didn't want to sound too pretentious.

Well I think most people use what they started on, and have used for years increasing their skills with the new versions that come out now and then over the course of 20 years or so....that being said, you probably don't want a complicated costly graphics program because the learning curve can be rather gradual....on the other hand you don't really need a complicated program to make a website, what you need is a webpage program....There is a ton of royalty free artwork for webpage background use available....my advice is to use this source and use a simple freeware graphics program to alter it and make it unique....

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13845_3-10023214-58/three-free-alternatives-to-pricey-graphics-software/

There is many ways of being creative. If you wish to be original why not paint something and scan it. Why not use a fotograph made by you from a sureal pattern and make this your art?

Maybe you can get a better result with a paint brush than with software.

I am not creative and no paint brush nor software would work for me so I can not help you with your initial request and I post anonym because I am not on your friendly list!

But I wish your wife all the best in the start up.

IS

The image you show here certainly looks like an Adobe Illustrator file. I have the Adobe master suite and just love it, and now you can get the whole shabang for $49/month. or $19.99/m for students and faculty members. I would be lost without Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat Pro, and even Photoshop. From concept to web or print, they have my back. I have used Quark and the Corel suite, but prefer the Adobe lineup.

Sir,
This picture I compiled on an Excel worksheet using shapes. The graphic represents a continuous water filtration unit used while marble sawing.
If one tries enough even Excel can provide you all tools to make a graphic.
Hope you can try visualize your frames first in Excel and then refine with help of other graphic tools.
Mahess

As always, I appreciate the advice. Due to the number of times that I have seen "The Gimp" is these replies, I am currently downloading it.

Thank's again.

I use Gimp (free) for the majority of graphics work I do outside of CAD, but I also own Paintshop Pro.

The X5 Ultimate version of PSP is only $69 and is equal in most areas to PhotoShop, IMO. Visit corel.com to see more about PSP. One especially good thing about PSP is that it can help optimize images for web use or printing or whatever.

Hooker

I use GIMP every day. I typically do simple photo manipulations (crop, scale, brightness, contrast, mask, overlay, annotation, etc.) and it may or may not do all you want. It is not "out of the box" as feature rich as some other packages but for free it is an wonderful package.

GIMP can be expanded with python and I believe another language too. Expanding its abilities might be out of scope for your "get a tool" task.

The ImageMagick & PerlMagick programs are very useful. Once again, they might not do all you want but they are very powerful and free. You really should learn about them and have them as a resource even if you decide that they do not do what you are currently looking for.

Note that many of the capabilities of ImageMagick and PerlMagick are available to both. ImageMagick is typically used from the command line (or batch file or script) and PerlMagick is typically used from a Perl program (very much like a Basic program). Sometimes you have to do some digging to find out that most of what can be done in one can also be done in the other.

One other suggestion

XaoS

It's a GNU (i.e. free) fractal generator/zoomer

Google XaoS image search

Google Sketchup is free and simple.

However, are you doing actual web site designs or are you looking to simply make sketches and use other software to publish with?

You can look at this tutorial here on publishing a sketchup design to see if it is something you like.

Serif has a variety of programs for graphic work, web page design, etc. Many can be downloaded free for evaluation purposes or basic work, and all are reasonably priced.

I agree with others: go with GIMP, Paintshop Pro, and Sherif.

Also, try Vicman's Photo Editor (free), Photo Pos Pro, and Photoscape to name a few. Each has strengths and weaknesses.

You will most likely use a couple of graphic software platforms, because not one program will do everything.

I'll go with Gimp, too, from my limited use of it. It's free. Looks like you want something that is best generated by an equation or combination, thereof. XaoS looks interesting. Don't forget that there is quite a bit of royalty free artwork on the web. Your wife might find something she likes from that pool, too. Of course, it wouldn't be unique, in that case.

Just wondering if you've come to any conclusions.

I received an offer on DrawPlus XV for £10 (about $15) this morning. If you or anyone else wants to PM their EM address I will forward on the E-Mail.