Photoshop Elements and CS3 versus PSP

[CindyT]

What are the differences between Photoshop Elements and CS3 (pretty sure those are the 2 programs)? Which one do most of you use? I have Paint Shop Pro and have started taking some classes. (Never got a chance to finish the Montage class.) But it just seems that there are so many more great tutorials out there for Photoshop and/or Photoshop Elements.
I am thinking about switching before taking to many more classes! Any thoughts would be appreciated!

[Lauren]

Elements is the cut down version of Photoshop - its great for the average user - if you are seriously interested in design then get CS3 -

[Amanda]

PSP is a great program too, for every day use. You won't go wrong with it and there is plenty of support for it as well. Some designers use PSP, but most go for Photoshop. If you aren't interested in design, then I'd just stick to what you know.

[Maggie I.]

I have Tons of tutorials from all over the web for PSP, but I did make the switch to CS3, and I'm glad I did. I never played with Elements, but from what I understand, it does almost as much as CS3, and it is tons less expensive.
I took a couple of classes here on PSP, and they were very helpful! I really think that they helped me transition to CS3 but I sure wouldn't say that if you know one program, you'll be able to muddle through another! There is always going to be a steep learning curve.
PSP was just fine for creating layouts and designing elements-it's a powerful program and costs much less than the Adobe programs (I got PSPX for under $40.00)
but for me, it was just simply a case of the grass being greener on the CS3 side. And since I paid so bloody much for it, I darned well will love it, no matter what!
HTH. (I really need to change my signature...)

[JuneC]

Can I ask a question about this? I use PSP and if I did make the decision to jump ship I am assuming that Adobe won't "read" my PSP files. What would I do about that?

I am coveting Elements.

[Lauren]

No PSE wont read PSP files unfortunately - well I believe it will open them but not in layers .

[Maggie I.]

Not sure why you'd want Elements to Read your PSP files---Unless you have a lot of unfinished PSP layouts that you're planning to try to convert to Elements to finish...
Certainly if you have finished layouts that you've saved as Jpegs, you can view them in any program, as well as elements you've created in PSP and saved as PNG's.

[Emma]

you can save your PSP files as TIFF to preserve the layers, but many of the effects like blend modes or layer styles in PSP X2 won't work properly. But you could put those back on in PS. And you'd only need to open in PS or PSE if you needed to make changes to it, like correct errors or redo something. If it's just a kit with photos, that would open pretty well. PSP can open any PSD files too, with minimal loss of some effects.

As for learning if the grass really IS greener, get the free trial. Download it for 30 days in a month you have a lot of time to devote to it, like a crash course. Take an Intro class here for it, do every tutorial you can find, scrap a lot of pages. The next month download the other trial and repeat. At the end of that you'll know which you prefer, and if the grass is the same color everywhere!

One thing I would not recommend is just going and buying something because you think you might want it. Free trials first, then purchase something if you find you prefer what you tried.

[ScrapMel]

JuneC - don't go from PSP to Elements - for one thing, Elements doesn't have paths and some other things. If you really want to go Photoshop - go with CS- that way you keep what you had in PSP AND gain things! Just my opinion of course!
But I had Elements 3 and 4, got PSPX for a song, never learned it, but I know it does more than elements does. Then I bit the bullet and got CS2 (a HUGE sale!).

[debbers]

I used PSP for years.

From what I've seen, PSP will do more than PSE (note ELEMENTS), but as mentioned by several people already, Photoshop is still the mother of all graphics programs. That said, I never used PSE, only PSP and PSCS2.

So, first about your archived and saved PSP images:

1. Don't throw PSP out, there are things you'll find that PSP still does easier than even CS3. And there'll always be some odd file you just didn't re-save that you need to get to - or a technique, script, brush ... SOMETHING.

2. Remember than PSP *DOES* output a PSD (Photoshop) file. It won't save your vector layers or Art media layers, but it does save it in completely layered files, and MANY of the same blending modes are in PSP and PS.

Let me go find the thread I started during a PAINFUL month of learning Photoshop. If you decide to switch, it might help. If you just want some funny reading, it'll entertain you. If you're just thinking something looks better/easier in PS .... you may want to think again. :)

http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19911

There's a few of us who have made the switch from PSP to CS2/3 hanging around, so we will understand your screams if you decide to tackle it.

Emma's advice is the best ... go download the demo. But even then, be prepared to invest 30 SERIOUS days of learning it. It sounds odd right now, but you're going to look at the Photoshop screen and feel completely and utterly lost.

deb

[Maggie I.]

Yup! What she said!
Huge learning curve, but I do love my CS3! My laptop has been in the shop for almost a month, and I've had withdrawal. If I didn't have to shovel out my house today, I'd surely be playing and getting reaquainted! (don't mention all the time I spend on the internet or playing sudoku)
In fact, I tried doing my recipe card with PSP, and decided to wait for my Photoshop.
Like they used to say in the old day, "Try it, you'll like it", but you need to try hard.

[danzinst]

I have a huge problem(to me anyway)I have pse5 and pspx2 installed as well as pspx.
I have been a long time user of pspx (I started out with psp8)and recently upgraded tp pspx2.
Pspx2 will not let me drag and drop an element or a bg paper into a layout.
When I select/copy/paste as a new layer it comes up on the page huge (and I mean huge)I normally scrap at 8X8 but have tried 12X12 and get the same results.I can then resize but.. it takes forever.I have 2 gigs of memory installed and that is enough for pse5 and pspx to move right along.Drag and drop was my favorite thing in pspx.
I did manage to make a couple of pages but could not get them to resize for the web so I tried to open them in pspx to resize and now pspx says it does not recognize the format.What gives with that?
I had planned to take pspx off my computer when I got pspx2 up and running but now it looks like pspx2 will be the one to go.
Can anyone help me or direct me to a place to get more info? Corel is only interested in fixing photos. I can do that and do it well in pse5.
You would thing pspx2 would do what pspx can do and more.

[debbers]

I didn't upgrade to PSPx2, so here's just a couple general things that will help until someone comes along with more information about the new version.

PSP files are not backwards compatible. That said, you CAN determine which VERSION of PSPIMAGE file you want to save in.

So you can open all PSP X files in PSP X2, but you can't open a PSP X2 file in PSP X unless you open them back into PSP X2, choose SAVE AS... and then click on the little options button to set the PSPIMAGE version of the file before you save it.

I've never dragged and dropped into a layout, so I've no advice there. I've seen lots of messages about people missing this feature, tho.

When a copy/paste as new layer goes into the new image too large, have you checked to make sure that the image size/resolution are the same between the source image and the destination image?

I'd freak out if that kept happening to me, too! I've been using PSP since version 4, before there were layers, and the *only* way I use it is copy and paste. I sure hope you find this setting, that'd make me nuts.

As for resizing for the web, surely X2 can still resize the whole thing to 600 x 600, SAVE AS, choose JPEG, hit Options to adjust jpeg compression, and then give it a new web filename?

deb

[danzinst]

thanks,deb,
for some reasom I can only save at 400x400 or as one file saved at 1400.(way huge)
blew me away.I am going to play some more with that setting today
I set my new file to 12X12 at 200dpi to be the same as DSP's background and it goes way off the page. It takes forever to keep dragging it up into the layout.
8x8 is out of the question for the same reason.
What is driving me up the wall is why,even if I copied and pasted in pspx it would auto resize to whatever I chose for my template and will not do it in pspx2.
I appreciate the info in saving files. I will go back and resave the ones I made.I don't want to lose them if I have to uninstall.
Not being able to ever drag and drop would make me drop pspx2 in a heartbeat.

[Emma]

in PSP X2, you drag and drop from th layers palette rather than the Organizer/Browse palette, so when you drag/drop from the Browser it just opens the file. then from the layers palette you click and drag the thumbnail of the layer you want onto your new image.

What it sounds like to me is that you have a Zoom issue rather than a true size issue, hopefully, because that's an easy fix. If you open the file, and it's at a higher zoom than the layout image, it'll look huge, even though it's not. If you actually paste/drag that layer onto your layout, you'll see it's the same size as the background (making sure you are using 12x12x200 pixels per INCH and not centimeter).

Check the layers palette to make sure you have the background paper dragged ontot he layout, that you have 2 layers (background or raster 1, and the paper layer). Then let us know if there's a size differential. If so, on both images, go to File>Size and see if the Original Dimensions at the top of the dialog do in fact match.

Hope that helps!

[danzinst]

thanks for the response.
First there is no differential difference in the zoom.The background and raster layer are the same.I don't know if they were different yesterday or not but the background paper is now fitting to the new layout,but this is the only way I can get the papers into the layout.
After hours of sitting here this is what I am doing now:By clicking on the file in the browser(because that is where it shows up) it opens full size on top of my layout.It shows up as a single layer in the layers palette,(by itself).I cannot drag it from the palette to my layout because my layout is not showing now.I copy, then close the file and my layout show back up in the layers palette by itself. I then paste as a new layer and that is when it shows up in the layers palette on top of the background layer.
What am I missing?How can I get the files in the layers palette so I can drag and drop or is that not possible with pspx2?
I am doing what debbers said about saving my files as a pspimage,thats what I am doing but they will not open in pspx.Error message says "this is not a valid file".
All my pspimages I made in pspx will not open in pspx anymore and I am sick.
I feel like I am beating a dead horse to death.

[Emma]

sounds like you're now pasting it as a new layer, which is great, and that's why they're the same size. When you open the file, it opens in a new window all alone, and if the window is large it will cover up the windows under it. click and drag the corner handle in the lower right to make the window smaller so you can see both that window and the layout window peeking from under it. Then grab the layer from the layers palette and drag it onto the other window.

also, be sure to check out DSU 130 PSP Intro to Digi Scrapping: even though it's an intro class, it covers all these types of issues from getting your files onto your layout and customizing them, etc.

As for saving for lower versions, you have to go into the file preferences to set which version you want to save it for. PSPIMAGE is the format you want, but if it was created in a higher version, it won't open in the lower version. If you set the version in the file types preferences, it'll save it for that version on up.

[wuvie]

WOW! It is almost like you could see in to my mind. (btw, if you found my grocery list in that mess, send it out for me plz):think:

I have been a psp user forever. The free beta download was my first, and I had every version till PSP9. Then I stopped. I think it had a lot to do with the changes that happened in 8 and 9. Also I noticed after Jasc sold out to Corel, customer service got a little lacking. They seem more interested in selling new versions and other products than helping with the problems of old versions. They also started focusing on Photos.:(

I didn't start using PSP to fix photos, I started using it to create, color, paint, and enjoy. I have been thinking a lot about trying PS, but my gosh :eek: , I have not got that kind of money to spend. I might try the free trial, and I will keep drooling over all the wonderful creations that I see, but I don't see a lottery win anytime soon in my future.

[debbers]

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.

I don't expect PSP X2 to do a SAVE AS PSPIMAGE format choice any differently than this - it's worked like this for many versions, so these screen shots should be close enough to getting you there! If not, hopefully someone has some screenshots from X2.

File -> Save As

Step 1: In your file dialog, pull down the little file type doowhickey at the bottom of the box
http://www.debandcompany.com/tutorials/1-2_SaveAs.jpg

Step 2: Select the PSPIMAGE filetype from it.

Step 3: Click on the Options box to the right of the file type doowhickey
http://www.debandcompany.com/tutorials/3_pspimageOptions.jpg

Step 4: In the Save AS box, click to pull out the selections
http://www.debandcompany.com/tutorials/4-5_ChooseVersion.jpg

Step 5: Choose the version you want

Click OK, then give it a filename and save the file.

Then test in your older version of PSP.

deb

[danzinst]

Wow! debbers, I think I love you! At my age I need pictures.That worked perfect.
I have never clicked on that options button ever before now.To be totally honest I never even noticed it.Thank You, Thank You.
I am still working on the drag and drop thing.Still can't drag from the layers palette. I get a circle with a diagonal line across it.
I may have to settle for the copy and paste,I just need to get a little faster at it.

[debbers]

You probably are trying to drag a layer that's a background layer, instead of a raster layer.

Which is one more step.

My fav part of PSP was how easy copy and paste was.

1. Click on picture image

2. Right click on title bar to the picture, choose copy

3. Click on layout image

4. Move to wherever in the layers I need the picture to be

5. Right click on the title bar, choose Paste ... as new layer.