Seriously you should check out gimp. For instance the process your describing of having to create a blue circle then transfer to a different program to remove the circle can be easily accomplished in gimp with one step.
And it’s completely free. 
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Our IT guy was onsite today and I got him to allow me to install GIMP. Havent had time to play with it yet though but im hoping its not too dissimiler to Photoshop. thx
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Corel Draw (because I’ve been using it for 26 years), but any vector art program should do - such as Adobe Illustrator.
With GIMP you need to go into settings and change it to one panel view . Anyone used Inkscape ?
I used Inkscape for a while but not anymore since the only 32 bits available for Mac is not supported by Catalina 10.15.2
I too use Gimp, though having used Photoshop (albeit many years ago)… Gimp is a nightmare in comparison >_< but hey, it’s free 
Photoshop is great but what they ask for it is insane.
I’ve been meaning to give gimp a go for a long time now but never get around to it. I have a very old version of photoshop, before all the subscription buisness, and it’s just so familiar. I was hoping gimp would have a bit of the newer bells and whistles that the current Photoshop may or may not have. I’ve not tried any of the newer ones.
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You could get a used version of photoshop, they run stable even on newer windows systems. I once tried gimp but left it immediately. I brakes out creative processes because of the complicated handling.
To be true, i more use the older Photoshop versions than the newest. Adobe didn‘t change a lot on PS the last 10 years. Slight changes, optic make-up, some new instruments. But the basic is still the same.
At this point I’m just too used to it. I would definitely move on to Photoshop if it was a recent-ish version, but something old that likely does the same or less (albeit probably easier) it’s just not worth it; the difficulty to pull off some effects/functions is somewhat negated by experience xD
All of that said, if anyone is thinking of moving to Gimp, I strongly advice against it lol, it really is a nightmare. To give you just one example, if you write out some text and want to try different fonts, you can’t even scroll through them easily to see what the text would look like on different ones, you have to either remember the name of the font, or click a dropdown of fonts that’s kind of obscured and click on the list, then the new font every time… Yikes.
Well, even an old version of Photoshop is far better than the newest Gimp Version imhO. It doesn‘t count if you are used to a thing when this thing isn‘t very good to use.
It counts in the sense that I know how to do everything I want on Gimp Grabbing Photoshop again I’d probably have to re-learn things, can’t really be bothered. Now if you told me Photoshop had some amazing features Gimp doesn’t, then fair enough xD the switch is worth it, otherwise, eh I’m alright o/ But yeah don’t go to Gimp unless you have to xD
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I won‘t use gimp again, for sure…
I tried Gimp, too, and didn’t like it, but kept telling myself that was because I didn’t know where everything was located and didn’t have the patience to unlearn one app and begin a new one.
Corel’s PaintShop Pro is very similar to PhotoShop, and many PhotoShop files are compatible with it. The negative is that ever since Corel bought it from Jasc, if you are not careful, even though you might pay almost $100.00 for it (depending on when and where purchased - boxed or download), the other “price” you pay is getting an upsell ad once in a while. Bottom line there is that it meets Malwarebytes criteria for a PUP. There are ways to fix that but it’s annoying that we have to do that. I doubt Corel will ever change that because they know the only app that is comparable is PhotoShop at a more expensive price.
You can find a 2020 30-day trial here if anyone wants to play.
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Just tried out Paintshop Pro yesterday… after i found the hidden preferences i could really tune it in something nearly similar to photoshop.
The workflow is by far nicer than gimp. It’s a very good program for this price!
Nevertheless i will stay with Photoshop. It has more features, a better handling and… i am used to it.
Greetings and Merry Christmas, GAUSS.
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Sometimes you can find ways to mimic those extra features with workarounds, but you have to know the program pretty well in order to translate between PhotoShop and PSP. Most of the veteran users have several versions of PSP installed so they can keep the best features of all and get old plugins to work. Currently, I’m using files from 3 versions of PSP and compatible PhotoShop stuff. I’ve been using it since 2000 and still have to watch the tutorials once in a while if I want to try something new…
Ah, i know that stuff with Photoshop as well… A lot of older plugins do work in the newer versions. Same with predefined pattern, Action scripts, layer properties and customized brushes…
GIMP, you really need to change it onto single window mode in preff. It’s much easier to use then
Infinity Designer and some Photoshop.
I’m really shocked no one mentioned photopea.
https://www.photopea.com/
Completely web based, very close in many ways to photoshop. But no install…no hassle.
I have inscape, and gimp. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. One thing I like about photopea, is I can access it anywhere, it’s ALWAYS available, and it’s always the same version.
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