PaintShop Pro? PhotoShop?

[Knight of the Cross]

Alright, I'll probably get burned for asking this but I'd like to know your opinions about Paint Shop Pro, PhotoShop, etc. I'm looking to get a digital art program but really don't know anything about it.

I've done a search of the forums and have only found out that they are fairly equal all around; they just have different quirks that are more fitted to different people's needs. If this is true, what are these quirks? It'd be a help to know the pros and cons of both. Any advice will be much appreciated.

Thanks

[SeraphSword]

Budget-wise you're looking at quite a difference, since Photoshop is probably at least $400 more than Paint Shop Pro, and also a bit more than Painter. I don't have any major digital art programs, right now I just use OpenCanvas. Since I think every pro out there will tell you that Photoshop is the best, I would go with that if you can afford to. Painter is another biggie, but more if you're looking for good natural media effects. And really, that's what's most important. What are you looking to use the program for? If your aims (and budget) are modest, you might go with PSP or OpenCanvas. If you want to do top quality, then you go with PS or Painter.

[Knight of the Cross]

Thanks a lot. I'm certainly not top-notch and my budget is definitely modest (15yrs old and unemployed? I consider that very modest...)

It's much appreciated; I didn't really know anything beforehand. I'll keep looking into it. And, of course, I'll always have pencil and paper... that's pretty hard to beat I guess.

[goldenavatar]

The best thing I could suggest, short of getting the software via p2p is to download the trial versions of Photoshop and Paintshop pro and install them when you know you've got ample time to test them out and decide for yourself if either one will work for you. I'd comment more on p2p, but I don't know what the admin policy on such things are, so I won't say more then that.