Post by: LR827 on March 17, 2012, 09:46:34 AM
I've just installed PS Elements 10, and now I'm wondering if I did not purchase the right item. Is this just for photographs? I designed book covers and other original art items on my PS software (that no longer worked with OS Lion). Can I do the same on Elements? I may not have asked the right questions or read thoroughly the information about it. Advice, please???
As always, Thanks,
Lorraine
Post by: Xairbusdriver on March 17, 2012, 11:40:23 AM
<PS Elements Village>You might also get some help from others here, certainly those who create some of the nicer TS banner images.
<Adobe Elements forum>
<Essential Photoshop Elements>
Post by: kimmer on March 17, 2012, 01:54:58 PM
Seriously, there is very little that you did in the full version of Photoshop that can't be done in Elements; and for many things clever folks have come up with add-ons to make things work.You will find that the menus are totally different, and that can be frustrating for a time; still it's a great program for the price. What exactly are you trying to do in Elements? And Jim has great links to sites where "experts" abound.
Post by: LR827 on March 18, 2012, 12:39:24 PM
I use PS to design book covers for myself and others. Also, banners. I don't think I can do that with Elements, although I haven't checked all the links Jim sent. Anyway, there is a Photoshop for teachers and students which is a fraction of the cost of full PS and I think that's what I had before. I plan to return Elements, and if the reseller won't take it back, sell it myself on eBay. The other possibility is that I still have my old PS working on my PowerBook. I can dust that off and use the PS there. Thanks for your input.
Lorraine
Post by: Xairbusdriver on March 18, 2012, 03:24:22 PM
"Design book covers" may be completely descriptive of your needs but I have no real idea what is involved in that. Certainly you would be using text, Elements 10 has several new text capabilities. I would assume you would make use of layers for gradients, images, text, masks, color tweaking, painting, drawing, distorting, rotating, colorizing/de-colorizing, etc. and apply some of the thousands of effects to any of them. But without knowing exactly what you need, I can not even now how you would do it in Photoshop.
While both apps were designed with photo editing in mind, they are certainly not limited to that.
Post by: kimmer on March 18, 2012, 03:32:09 PM
Also, Adobe recently changed their teacher/student requirements and they are pretty steep and require verification. Sneakers used to qualify for that discount, no longer does due to new requirements. So check into those before you return Elements.
Post by: Xairbusdriver on March 18, 2012, 03:38:41 PM
QUOTE
Sneakers used to qualify for that [student] discount
But, surely, being a husband qualifies one for being a student! After all, our wives are always telling us what to do and how to do it since we're too stupid to know anything!!! 
Maybe the majority at Adobe are single?!
Post by: Paddy on March 18, 2012, 04:38:10 PM
http://prodesigntools.com/difference-betwe...-lightroom.html
I'm a Lightroom 4 and Photoshop CS 5 user - though we own PSE 9 as well for some of the other family computers and for its "fun" features that PS doesn't have.
Post by: LR827 on March 19, 2012, 06:24:58 PM
Post by: Xairbusdriver on March 19, 2012, 07:22:10 PM
I will admit, I don't think there are more than a few hundred brushes in Elements, pre-installed, at least. But I have added several dozen free sets and I know there are many, many more non-free sets. Elements uses exactly the same files for brushes as Photoshop does. And, of course, you can create your own...just like in Photoshop.
They are the same xyz.abr files you'll see in PS.Elements also uses abc.atn files that are also found in PS. Without sounding more like a broken record or an Adobe shill (which I am definitely not!!!), I still don't understand what you can't do in Elements that you did in PS. I'm not saying there is the same menu item; it may take several steps in Elements than a single action in PS. And you may see only a simplified Dialog in Elements than one that combined several functions into one in PS. I have never owned PS, nor have I ever needed it. I don't even use Elements to its fullest capabilities!
Frankly, it sounds like you would be more likely to be using Illustrator (assuming it is still around) to create vector art rather than PS/Elements which are pixel oriented painting apps.
I think you might as well sell Elements for whatever you can get for it and buy whatever it takes to get the "real" Photoshop app and quit worrying about what you might not be able to do. Life's too short to worry so much about something that may never occur! You've obviously used PS and know what it can do and I'm sure the latest versions can do even more. Buy it and don't look back!
Post by: LR827 on March 20, 2012, 07:46:24 AM
Yes, Elements seems to have everything I need to do my simple graphic work. In reading about it, though, in my pathetic defense, I must say, all it talks about in the introduction areas is "all the things that you can do with your photos," which is not what I need. The little I do with my photography I can pretty much do with Preview and iMovie. Nothing fancy.
Thank you all for your help! You saved me a lot of time and worry. As always!
I hope everyone is having a beautiful Spring.
Lorraine
Post by: Xairbusdriver on March 20, 2012, 08:55:38 AM
QUOTE
I hope everyone is having a beautiful Spring.
That's a great redundant phrase! 
:sneeze-cough: 