22 July, 2009

An illustrator's godsend?

I've been fortunate enough to get a new computer (Mac)....the downside was that some of my key proggies no longer worked as the versions were too old, the biggest loss being photoshop and at the price even an older copy is, I couldn't afford it. About the only thing I use PS for is RGB-CMYK conversions and greyscale-bitmap conversion and batch processing of same. So.....the hunt was on for a viable alternative.

Enter Graphic Converter. It's a PS-alike shareware programme for Mac. It's come a long way in usability since I last looked at it years ago and the manual is heaps better. It does all the photo-editing stuff but best of all it does the CMYK, it does the bitmaps and if you actually buy it (€29) you get the batch processing too. I've been trialling it out and it seems perfect for my needs. I used to keep it on the old Mac as a trial version because it also opens just about any file you care to mention. (It does still struggle with painter riffs tho') and has saved more than one tricky situation.

Anyway I have shelled out the necessary and bought it. For anyone here Mac-based, who needs a PS alternative, I'd recommend a look at GC and no, I'm not being paid to say this! LOL!

http://www.lemkesoft.com/xd/public/content/index._cGlkPTE5Mw_.html

Thought it might be useful info as I know some of us are often asked to provide bitmap linework as well as cmyk and many can't afford to go the PS route.

I hope everyone's busy!