Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!caen!uwm.edu!ogicse!ucsd!nosc!crash!hrlaser From: hrlaser@crash.cts.com (Harv Laser) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.graphics Subject: Re: What is the best paint program ? Message-ID: <8081@crash.cts.com> Date: 19 Mar 91 08:05:22 GMT References: Distribution: comp Organization: Crash TimeSharing, El Cajon, CA Lines: 82 In article lord_zar@ucrmath.ucr.edu (wayne wallace) writes: >That's what I want to know. >DP III is $150 or so, and according to NewTek's ad in the back of .info, >Digi-Paint 3 is $99 and far better. > >Are there good paint programs besides these? > >For qualifications, let's see recommendations for professional and amateur >work. Amateur work is probably what the program will get used for, but a >friend is considering getting an A2500 (for 68000 compatibility) and has >a friend who is a good artist..... So it'll be running on a fast machine if >that makes a difference. > >Wayne How NewTek can manage to base an entire ad campaign around the "fact" that their DigiPaint 3 is "better" than E/A's Deluxe Paint III is beyond me. The two programs' output couldn't be more different. Deluxe Paint IIII whoops III doesn't work in HAM mode. DigiPaint 3 *ONLY* works in HAM mode. Now if you want to get technical (ha!) about it - Deluxe Paint III also has "4096 colors" - except you can only SEE or USE from 16 to 32 of them at a time :-) but for the "compleat" Amiga artist, you're going to need a paint program that can handle HAM and one that can handle all the other non-HAM modes. There are only two such paint programs of which I'm aware: Impulse's "Diamond" which is very inexpensive but has one of the goofier interfaces around (although some people claim it's wonderful.. I dunno, it just never grabbed me much) or E/A's Deluxe PhotoLab "Paint" which can also do HAM and non HAM modes but at this point in time it may or may not be discontinued (although still available but may or may not have to be bought in a taped-together bundle with their Deluxe Video III or not). Admittedly "Paint" always looked to me like a very powerful package, although I hate its file requester (again, a religious issue, since some people claim to love its file requester... well it takes all kinds I guess). Personally, what I use for most all of my artsy fartsy work are a combination of: Deluxe Paint III (for non HAM modes) Photon Paint 2.0 (for HAM modes) and Art Department Professional (to convert just about any Amiga format picture into just about any other Amiga format picture and do about 5 million other nifty things/effects to pictures too). I think with the combination of these three programs and a few freely distributable tools (like if you want to make and modify icons and fonts and such) you can hardly lack for any features you may need. Photon Paint 2.0 (Microillusions) has just metamorphosized into OXXI's new Spectra Color paint program. Same authors (the BazboSoft guys from Israel), same feel, same kinda tool box, but SC adds animbrushes and better animation support to what PP2.0 had. These are not, of course, the only paint programs out there. The late PAR software's Express Paint had some unique features such as hundreds of levels of UNDO, virtual paging, and godknowswhatelse; Lake Forest Logic's Macro Paint works in hi-res "dynamic" mode and it multitasks, Digital Creations' DCTV Paint is one of the slickest pieces of software I've ever had the pleasure to use but works only with their $499 DCTV external "box", folks who buy Black Belt's HAM-E box get ITS exclusive paint program and image processing stuff with it, and on and on and on. So it all boils down (doesn't it always?) to the factors of: 1. Whaddya wanna do? and 2. Howmuch ya wanna spend? (and I didn't even mention Impulse's FireCracker 24 board and their "Light" paint program (which I understand just got shown in Beta form at AmigaWorld Expo, NYC (although I wasn't there and didn't see it)) and MAST's ColourBurst thingy and whatever software IT will come with (whenever it makes it to dealers)). Hell.. if your painting needs are very simple you might even be able to get by with the ol' GraphiCraft or Aegis Images programs which you could probably find in a bargain bin for $5. Harv Laser {anywhere}!crash!hrlaser "Park and lock it. Not responsible." People/Link: CBM*HARV