Hi all

I have a question about multi-platform use and gimp. I am learning here, a total newbie.....I learn by practicing and also peeking at some of the photoshop tuts. and try to modify them for testing out with Gimp. I notice a lot of great effects use Adobe Illustrator (something I used to have when I did graphics on the Mac).....of course, I no longer have access to Illustrator, nor Mac....so I was looking for a freebie alternative to Illustrator (which is not within my budget at present), to do things like extrude 3D text, etc. etc.

My question is, does anyone have guidance and opinions on Blender and Inkscape?? Do they work well with Gimp? is Blender a lot like Illustrator ?? I am so wanting to learn this wonderful graphics program (Gimp) and have these ideas, yet, I haven't the knowledge to achieve what's in my creative mind lol....

So, any feedback on this would be most welcome, I learn so much from you all, thanks for sharing here.

~diane

Try Google Sketchup for 3-D extrusion and text
Inkscape is awesome with path and SVG creation, and works great with Gimp
If you want a program like illustrator, Blender isn't what you will need.
Illustrator is mainly for desktop publishing - covers and pamphlets, books that sort of thing.
For something like that grab Scribus.

Inkscape is much more as Illustrator
Blender is more close to C4D, or Maya

Yes both run well togheter but you can't expect the same level of integration as between PS and Illustrator

This DVD viewtopic.php?f=12&t=1224&p=13989#p13989 is full of pratical examples and tutorial of integrated workflow between Gimp, Blender and Mypaint

Anyway MAC users are not much lucky even with multiplatform SW:
usually are not the main delelopers but advanced users to take care of the MAC , Win and Linux version
but Mac users seems not very active ...

So for sure there is Gimp for Mac ,and i suppose also Inkscape and Blender but maybe with much less add on and plugin available...and often there is bigger delay in the release of the last version

And maybe there is not yet a Mac version of programs as MyPaint and Alkemy

But if you used Photoshop on Mac you should have already noticed: most of the third party PS plugins can not work on Mac

I know was a mith about MAC be better for designer but if that mith had some true, that was many years ago

PS i see only now Rod reply
I never used Scribus so i can't comment but i found Inkscape quite close to Illustrator ..well less powerful...but as for car much depend on the driver

Thank you all ! this is so helpful....I don't want to be downloading too much stuff and then get frazzled trying to learn them all and integrate them.....I will try the inkscape and google sketchup......I'd never even seen the google one....sounds like what I'm looking for too....

you are all wonderful to us newbies, thanks so much xo

Inkscape is invaluable, I use it as much as Gimp, sometimes more. You can get a lot of tutorials for it and once you get used to it you can do really neat stuff. I tried Blender but couldn't quite get the hang of it. In it's defense, I didn't give it a serious chance because I really don't have much need for it. Like Rod said, sketchup is good as long as you don't need precision.

I'm a big fan of scribus, as mentioned by Rod. Creates very professional looking pdf files. And very easy to use. I use it almost daily.

Cool pic btw diane