What graphics software would you use as a Web developer?

[beer]

Let's say you were to use a single program for graphic development:

Adobe Photoshop 6
Macromedia Fireworks
Microsoft Photodraw

Which one would you use and why? I need to learn a new graphics program (company discontinuing my current product); which is the easiest to use, and is best suited for Web development?

 

[rootaxs]

No doubt about it i'd go for Photoshop as the primary choice. You can very well do anything with it except illustrations... well, actually you can but it's going to be tough.

Fireworks is a good vector based program for putting things together while having it easy when it comes to illustration tools. Not to mention Fireworks has a very good export-set. My only complaint with it is it doesn't support CMYK, with the Web and Print world becoming one and together today it would really help if FW had CMYK support within itself. Think of Fireworks as a "all-in-one" tool... it's like having a little bit of Photoshop, a little bit of Illustrator and a little bit of ImageReady rolled into one.

If you can't afford all of it at least go for Photoshop. My recommendation would be Photoshop + Illustrator (or if you prefer, Macromedia Freehand)

Relatively speaking they're all easy to use, it's just a matter of getting used to it.

 

[IamDavid]

Photoshop is a must.

 

[Modeps]

E007:
there really is no contest. Photoshop all the way. fireworks is good for working with small images w/few colors.. however Photoshop has much more flexability. I would touch photodraw with a 20 meter cattleprod.

 

[Workin']

I use Corel Draw and Corel Photo Paint just to be different. Plus I got them for free.

edit: I also have Photoshop but it is too much work to learn it when I already have Corel mastered.

 

[Drekce]

Photoshop 6 all the way!

 

[ProviaFan]

GIMP (for Windows or Linux) is fine when you can't spend anything, and want a good, featureful graphics program. But it's very hard to use. So I suggest that if you have a good-sized budget, go with Photoshop.
--
Josh

 

[hubbs]

Photoshop 5.5 + Eye Candy = Extremely Awesome.

 

[fattywaddle]

ImageReady 3.0 (comes bundled with Photoshop 6.0) is the best web-specific image editing program I've worked with. The latest version of Fireworks emulates ImageReady's 4-view optimization window which is really handy. ImageReady is also a really nice platform to use for animated .gifs.

I usually work exclusively in ImageReady, but bounce over to Photoshop when I need to use Channels or Curves for color management. You can work on documents simultaneously between the two as well.

 

[sgopal2]

I do a lot of image manipulation for web stuff. I have used the following: Adobe Photoshop, Corel Photopaint, MS Photodraw.

IMHO Adobe Photoshop 6.0 would be your best bet to learn. Photoshop is a professional tool, and is quite difficult to master. I suggest that you buy a book on it. The online help features really suck. Also get 6.0 instead of 5.5 + eye candy. Version 6.0 has many SIGNIFICANT upgrades that will be well worth the expense of learning.

Corel Photopaint is a good program that can pretty much do everything Photoshop can. Photopaint is a bit easier to learn, since everything is object oriented.

I've never used Macromedia Fireworks, so can't comment on it. Microsoft Photodraw sucks big-time....don't even bother consider using it.

Good luck.

 

[SendTrash]

photoshop, since it has imageready as a part of it

 

[srvblues00]

Photoshop all the way! However, I do use Paint Shop Pro for some things. Some times I can quickly and easily do in PSP what would be hard and lengthy in Photoshop. I'd say get both of those and you'll be in business.. Rely mainly on Photoshop.