Graphic Software For Startup

[Karl82]

Hi All,

Right then this might have been answered in other threads but I have read everything I can in here and elsewhere online and I am still confused and don't want to waste any money. I am about starting to buy my equipment to start my business in the new year and the whole CorelDraw vs Photoshop topic is blowing my mind. I know the basic difference, 1 edits photos while the other is more for drawing (logos etc). One is Raster, One is Vector but can I only use one for Sublimation and Vinyl printing? If so either or is one going to be better than the other for the main chunk of my business? Can Corel edit pictures and can Photoshop draw?

It seems people have favourites and in doing so they tend to diss the other one so you have 6 of one, half a dozen of another. Can I buy Corel and PS Elements or Corel and use GIMP instead of PS. Or I pay monthly for PS and leave Corel?

It's hard enough trying to figure out what computer I need to buy to make sure the hardware can cope with either software package but I need to get this sorted so i can move forward with my other purchases. Corel is £450 in one go, Photoshop is £45 p/m approx now I still have a fulltime job so my general wage could pay for Photoshop whereas Corel would come out of my business budget which is £4500 to get me up and running.

Any advice you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

[logobear]

if I could only have 1 it would be Corel graphics suite. can do the lot, but i do still love photoshop, - having said that, we now use Elements, - not as great but a fraction of the price.

[Brixhamboy]

I have used both Corel and Photoshop since it was invented (!) and by far prefer to employ Photoshop and its vector counterpart Illustrator and even, on occasion InDesign. One way of getting around the monthly cost is to go for the CS (Creative Suite) version 6 which is still supported with updates and available on ebay and similar places. You are highly unlikely to require anything more complex or advanced for many years yet to come and Adobe is the industry standard which can be of great advantage at times.

I know many who use Corel and it is a good piece of software too so it is very much down to personal choice in the end.

[KathG]

I'm also a fan of CorelDraw but again also love Photoshop. You can get CorelDraw on subscription for about £180 a year, this also includes Corel Photo paint, which you can use for your photography if you wished. It seems expensive but when you consider that you never need to upgrade again and all the extras that come with.
Here is the link to what's included.
Also if you wanted to use Photoshop the subscription for Photoshop and Lightroom is only £8.57 a month.

As for which is the best, for me it is just which program I prefer to do certain things in. I'm finding that all my work with Vinyl is done in CorelDraw and most of of my sublimation work. I also prefer CorelDraw for when I am working with text. I go to Photoshop when I am working with photos.

You can get a free version of Adobe Illustrator, CS2 though it is an old version but still works.

Also just wanted to add that I also use The Rhinestoneworld Stone Wizard Macro which is for rhinestones and vinyl and to a lesser degree can be use for sublimation. This is a great Macro that is just going through a major update. This program is another reason why I will stick with CorelDraw as you need it to run the Stone Wizard Macro.

[Karl82]

Thanks all, much appreciated.

Kath I was thinking I was going to need to pay £45 a month for photoshop and then maybe buy CorelDraw but if it is only the £8.57 subscription I need with Adobe I can easily do that and Corel and hopefully then I have everything I need. £25 p/m for both is a reasonable amount and if I find I need more or less I can adjust as I go. Sorted!

Thanks again

[k21john]

Thanks all, much appreciated.

Kath I was thinking I was going to need to pay £45 a month for photoshop and then maybe buy CorelDraw but if it is only the £8.57 subscription I need with Adobe I can easily do that and Corel and hopefully then I have everything I need. £25 p/m for both is a reasonable amount and if I find I need more or less I can adjust as I go. Sorted!

Thanks again

Just a thought but if you have a family member in full time education i.e. at school, college or Uni then Adobe do some great educational discounts which could save you a fortune on Photoshop. Myself I use Photoshop CS6 which does everything I require as a photo editor and graphic drawing program. There is also thousands of good tutorial videos for photoshop on the net which I still use to learn new techniques on a regular basis.

hope that helps but if need more don't be afraid to ask.

[Justin]

Corel X4 all the way for me

[bigj2552]

we using 3 at mo...
PS CS5 - COREL X7 SUITE and the other one that is really understated to say the least - XARA PHOTO & GRAPHIC DESIGNER

photoshop and xara are the 2 we use on daily basis......but check dont dismiss the xara software....more powerful than you think

[mags1892]

I use the Adobe suite but ive been as Brixham boy using Illustrator since 1.1 and Photoshop since v1 (yes im old) that was way back in Apple Mac OS6 days . I also loved Aldus Freehand and preferred that but alas its no more.
If you know anyone in education or have kids of school ages then get education version its a damn site cheaper

[Brixhamboy]

Aaah, Aldus Freehand - I remember it well. And Pagemaker too. Them were the days!

Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.