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Listed here are the 'big guns' general programs that can be used for many different tasks. More specialised software is listed separately in each section. Several programs will appear in more than one listing.
If anyone knows of any good programs I have left out from any section and they think they should be included - please get in touch - see 'contact'. |
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| Photoshop - now in version 7.0 |
| Maker - Adobe |
| Contact - Web site www.adobe.co.uk or www.adobe.com |
| THE ONE PROGRAM I could not do without - so top of the list! I use it every day for creating graphics, altering them, combining them, changing formats, compressing for Web use, etc. Many third party 'plugins' have been produced and some of these, such as 'Eye Candy' (see below) are also invaluable. Commercial product |
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| CorelDRAW 10 |
| Maker - Corel |
| Contact - Web site www.corel.co.uk or www.corel.com |
| A vector graphic program capable of many creative possibilities. Can save in various bitmap formats for Web. Good for extruding lettering and bending it about, etc. Not the easiest program to master. Incorporates a good texture generator. Commercial product. |
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| Eye Candy 3 and now 4000 - see site |
| Maker - Alien Skin |
| Contact - Web site www.alienskin.com |
| This is a plugin for Photoshop (and other programs which will accept the Photoshop format). I use it all the time. It includes many useful facilities such as carve, inner and outer bevel, drop shadow, glow, etc, as well as others that will be used less often. Now, however, Photoshop 6 with its shapes effects seems to do most of it itself and makes these look expensive. Commercial products. |
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| ImageReady |
| Maker - Adobe. Now bundled with Photoshop |
| Contact - Web site www.adobe.co.uk or www.adobe.com |
| This program will prepare any kind of image for the Web so that it is best optimised for size and fidelity. It also contains an excellent animated GIF editor, which it will also optimise to smallest size possible, and rollover and slicing facilities. Free with Photoshop 5.5 upwards. |
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| Painter |
| Maker - Metacreations but now owned by Corel |
| Contact - Web site www.corel.co.uk or www.corel.com |
| Another superb program especially suited to painting in many types of realistic looking media such as oil paints, watercolours, charcoal, etc. Will also paint with pictures, called nozzles, for instant one second art! The special effects possible are limitless and include such goodies as bevel maker, liquid metal, kaleidoscope, et al. It can make textures out of anything. Will also produce animations! Commercial product. |