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Recommended
Graphics Editors for your Web Site
Bitmap graphics editors
Adobe's Photoshop
This is the mother of all graphics editors. Its power is undisputed.
Unfortunately, it's also rather expensive, tough to learn, and
particularly user-unfriendly. Use Photoshop if you're already familiar
with it.
Jasc's Paint Shop Pro
This is one of the most popular graphics editors in the world, due in
large part to its magical combination of low price and powerful features.
You can download trial versions from jasc.com.
Ulead's PhotoImpact
This graphics editor is the best balance between depth, relative easy of
use and price. PhotoImpact is an all-in-one solution for web page design,
web graphics and image editing. With a wealth of tools at your fingertips,
there's virtually no limit to the images you can create for great-looking
and efficient Web pages and other projects. It offers features usually
found only in programs costing 5-8 times as much...
- Edit images and create complete Web pages.
- Full array of imaging and painting tools.
- Vector 2-D and 3-D graphics.
- Over 60 exclusive special effects and filters.
- Visual Web page layout and one-click HTML output.
Whether you want to edit photos and put them online or create original Web
graphics and animations, this economically priced package offers an
appealing mix of power, with an interface that's truly easy to use.
Vector graphics editors
Macromedia
Fireworks
This program is designed specifically for web, and integrates seamlessly
with Macromedia's WYSIWYG HTML editor, Dreamweaver. Fireworks lets you
create, edit, and animate Web graphics using a complete set of bitmap and
vector tools. Export controls enable you to optimize images, give them
advanced interactivity, and export them into Dreamweaver and other HTML
editors.
Macromedia
Flash
This is the key to designing and delivering low-bandwidth animations,
presentations, and web sites. Integration between Dreamweaver and
Macromedia Flash enables users to easily integrate vector animations, MP3
audio, and interactivity to produce high-impact, engaging Web pages.
Macromedia
Freehand
This graphics editor is the professional solution for designers publishing
for print and Web, offering sophisticated illustration tools, time-saving
productivity features, and tight integration with the Macromedia Web
publishing software, including Flash. Use FreeHand to create extraordinary
illustrations, design and organize Web site storyboards, and layout
graphics-rich documents in a unique multi-page workspace. You can easily
produce superior Flash movies, and test them right inside of FreeHand with
the new Flash Navigation Panel.
Corel
Xara X
This program comes complete with everything you need to create both print
and web graphics. Xara X is so simple to use that literally anyone can
produce professional quality vector or bitmap images within a matter of
minutes. The program is fast, powerful, and features a clean, simple
interface that makes it great for new users, and design power and
flexibility that's great for professionals.
Web graphics editors
If you find creating your own graphics with a universal editor to be too
daunting, or if you want to save time and avoid the technical stuff, you
can use specialized web graphics tools that make creating
professional-looking banners, buttons, fancy text, navigation menus, logos
incredibly fast and easy. Here are some of them:
CoffeeCup
Software
Great collection of Web design software (both free and shareware),
including many graphics tools.
Buttonz
& Tilez
This is software package that includes 2 applications, "Buttonz!",
which creates buttons of various shapes, and "Tilez!", which
renders seamless textures. The package comes with dozens of preset
textures and buttons for you to use and modify.
ZPaint
This editor lets you easily paint colored and textured 3D objects like
buttons, rings, boxes, or add those effects to existing graphics.
Free graphics editors
EyeBrowse
This is an advanced graphics program, featuring screen capture, support
for many file formats, batch file management, animated GIF support,
undo/redo, favorites and print preview. EyeBrowse Update utility can
update EyeBrowse to the newest version available.
PaintStudio
Lite
This is a simple and easy to use program. With PaintStudio Lite you can
enhance the look and optimize the size and appearance of images for use in
documents, presentations, web pages and others.
The GIMP
This graphics editor is a project of the GNU/Free Software Foundation and
is a 100% free, open source code program. Basically the GIMP
packs 95% of the features of Adobe's Photoshop into an easy to use and
highly polished graphics program. You can also use Photoshop plugins. If
you need to do anything from simple Web logos, buttons and miscellaneous
images to advanced high-tech computer art images, the GIMP is the program
you'll want. |
