Which Photoshop is best for designing chips?

Ranman · #1 (**permalink**) 10-19-2005, 12:50 PM

I'd like to try my hand at designing a custom chip(s). I am Photoshop "challenged" in as much as I have never used it. I have done some work with much smaller less powerful programs but seeing the results achieved here I want to take a step (or leap) up.

Since I am pretty much a clean slate I want to learn with the program best suited to do chip design. I also build custom guitars and would use this for grapics and decals for them.

I know Photoshop is a huge powerful program that is probably beyond what is necessary to do this.

I would like to end up with a design that is ready for submission to the mfgr. I have seen "Illustrator" mentioned as well. Would this be a better choice?

I have tried to download the trials for these but they don't work when I try to install them.

Just wondering what anyone might recommend.

Sorry if this has been discussed but I did a search and got a lot of hits but not quite the answers I am looking for.

Thanks

austin5string · #2 (**permalink**) 10-19-2005, 01:08 PM

Well, I use Photoshop, mostly because I haven't taken the time to get well-versed in Illustrator. For graphics, Ilustrator is strong because it creates vector graphics a little more smoothly and much more robustly than Photoshop. If you are using actual photographic images, you'll find Photoshop more smooth and more robust than Illustrator. Fact is, they're both excellent programs.

My post isn't really helping out much, is it? LOL I would say if you're starting from scratch as far as learning a program, it would make sense to go with Illustrator, as there is more of a graphic design element to chip design. Illustrator is on my list of things to learn. I've recently done a few different chip designs, and I'm going to attempt to recreate them with Illustrator for practice.

Hope that helps.

~John

JM · #3 (**permalink**) 10-19-2005, 01:20 PM

I tried using illustrator and couldn't get past how to make curved text. Tried photoshop and found it to be much friendlier and easier. Picked it up pretty quick and had my designs down in a few hours. You don't need the $800 package, the one for $169 or thereabouts seems fine.

Poboy · #4 (**permalink**) 10-19-2005, 01:25 PM

I just wrote up a Photoshop tutorial for the basics. It's being critiqued now.

Illustrator would be best for the guitar work provided you're not using actual photographs.

JM, not that it matters to you now

, but in Illustrator you make curved text by making a circle and then using the Type Path tool and click along the circle you made.

Se7enCardStud · #5 (**permalink**) 10-19-2005, 01:29 PM

.....

JP · #6 (**permalink**) 10-19-2005, 01:31 PM

I know the subject says Photoshop, but I wanted to let you know that the easiest program I have used is Paint Shop Pro. I tried Photoshop CS and Illustrator CS, but they didn't come close to the ease of use that I found with PSP. There is a free trial using the link above if you are interested.

Ranman · #7 (**permalink**) 10-19-2005, 01:44 PM

Thanks for the quick reply's. Appreciate the input.

Poboy, I look forward to your tutorial.

JP, downloading the Paint Shop trial now.

Thanks again all

Ranman

FullMonte · #8 (**permalink**) 10-24-2005, 01:40 PM

For something you are going to print, a vector graphics program like Illustrator should be your best option...

That being said, it also has a higher learning curve than raster programs like Photoshop.

megabit · #9 (**permalink**) 10-24-2005, 03:33 PM

I like Corel Draw personally. I don't think that chip design is a problem that bitmap programs are best suited for. Vector programs are the way to go. So Corel Draw is the easy budget answer while the pro's choice would likely be Illustrator or Freehand (if it is still around).

Mike

PocketRocket · #10 (**permalink**) 10-24-2005, 03:55 PM

You're joking, aren't you? If you aren't, that's probably the worst insult to the intelligence of any designer (I'm not one) or computer techie (I might fall partially into that category) around. First of all most lasers these days can print at 600 DPI. How can Photoshop have "to much pixilation"? Photoshop is capable of producing raster files at resolutions well in excess of any of the commonly available laser printer for PCs, and is regularly used to edit photos in the print media and for photographs (as in photograpic quality suitable for printing); you would need a software package is restricted in print resolution to about a dot-matrix level to cause what you describe as "pixelation". Illustrator and Photoshop are just two tools that are part of the Adobe Creative Suite, each has it's specific purpose and use. Also, you'll probably want to be aware that while Illustrator is a highly effective tool for the industrial graphics designer, it may not be the best tool for a home user is may be acquiring artwork from various resources and just wants to manipulate it for their own design.

That having been said, there are a couple of packages from Corel that may be easier to use, both Paint Shop Pro and Corel Draw, are probably easier for the first time user, and does not entail the expense of components of Adobe CS.

And yes, I do use Illustrator and Photoshop, but there's nothing that I currently do with those applications that I couldn't do in Corel Draw.

And yes, graphics designers everywhere are most likely to use Illustrator on a Mac, not just those who do work for the Vegas gaming corporations.

I forgot, laser printers are raster printers (as are inkjets), even if you send vector images to them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Se7enCardStud

Illustrator is the only way to go. Because of the small space and since the printing is at 300 dpi, photoshop has to much pixilation. Illustrator is what all the designers for vegas use.