GIMP vs Photoshop for logo design

I need opinions from people who have used gimp and photoshop about which product is more suited for logo design. Does GIMP offer everything one would need for logo design or is it missing something becuase of which one should buy $700 worth software?

 

They are both very different, but you can achive the same results with both is how I see it.

I just started using GIMP last week or so. I had to ween off of photoshop. I'm no graphics guy, but I can do in GIMP what I had used photoshop for. There is a learning curve if you know photoshop already.

I'm sure some experts will have better comparisons.

 

That is the view I currently hold noppid. Although I haven't used photoshop myself, I have been able to take any tutorial onilne and follow it using gimp to get the same results. Just thought what the experts have to say about it. Perhaps they could mention something you just cannot do with GIMP. And I don't mean "a different way of doing" something but something that just cannot be done. Many photoshop enthusiasts claim gimp can't do such and such a thing but upon close observation one finds that it can but just by using different steps.

 

Alll hands down photoshop have it, I think GIMP is an upgrade from Paint is nowhere near the things that photoshop can do or handle.

 

Wow, that's an interesting statement. :/

I like the scaling and save quality of GIMP better then PS myself.

 

Perhpaps you would like to pinpoint some specific examples from your photoshop work which cannot be reproduced with the gimp???

 

You should create logos with vector graphics!

For this purposes you can use programs like Illustrator or freely avaible Inkscape. You'll find more here.

 

Can GIMP feather, or do a mask, or do filters to increase the look and feel of your graphic design.

 

Go for photoshop. i never try using GIMP. Photoshop is the best tool for webdesigner

 

I would purchase photoshop time and time and time again.

I've used both GIMP and Photoshop, but I feel much more comfortable with Photoshop and I feel like I can do so much more with it.

I also feel the community support is better for Photoshop.

I wrote up a Photoshop CS3 review while back.

 

Yes it can feather, mask, and has a number of in built filters. Any other example?

 

As someone else already said, vector based graphics (such as logos) are best handled by a vector-based program, such as Illustrator or Inkscape.

I will say this about Photoshop though. While it's great for making images, it stinks when it comes to saving them for the Web - especially where fonts and transparent backgrounds are concerned (or so that's been my experience anyway). And don't get me started with image optmization (reduction of the file size without sacrificing quality) either. Paint Shop Pro ($80, Corel) has Photoshop and GIMP beat, hands down, in that department.

 

you can't get basic smooth outline around shapes or text

i use ulead/Corel photoimpact,gimp and photoshop.
for webdesign i think photoimpact makes life just so much easier because it works like a Vector/raster based application all in one but it has its weak points on the other hand Gimp in my opinion is way behind, but its getting there only a matter of time. photoshop with out a doubt is probably the best image editing application other there the the powerful tools it has is un-matched i'm not talking about filters here.

 

Is it just me, or can no one else deal with floating toolbars?

I like fireworks for web graphics.

 

I don't prefer either of them actually.

I use Macromedia Fireworks.

 

As said.. they are quite similar and if you know one you will easily achieve the same effect with other.

 

Photoshop is better! GIMP is somethink like Future Paint

 

I get easily tired of people comparing Gimp to Paint. What a load of ****. Try learning to use GIMP first. If you need to ask "why isn't there a line tool?" then sit quietly.

To actually answer the question of the OP, here are the reasons you would maybe not use Gimp to make logos:

Are you printing this logo? Gimp does not (and won't for the 2.4 release) have CYMK support. Sucks ass, but only if you print.

Are you manipulating photos from a bazillion-dollar bazillion mega-pixel digital camera? Thus, do you need more than 8-bit colour depth? The new Gimp 2.4 does have nicer colour management, but sitll 8 bits. Frankly, I have trouble telling the difference, but many graphics and photomanipulators see it easily.

Photoshop apparently has a limited vector support (for text?), and because it's part of the Adobe suite, you can do some things with importing between Illustrator and Photoshop. Now, I have taken rasters made in Gimp and imported them to Inkscape, but my inkscape skills suck, so I can't gauge what all options are lost on that route, but Inkscape's actually still beta. I'm sure they intend Inkscape to be a free rival of Illustrator soon.

Gimp isn't a vector programme, and it can be just as smooth as Photoshop, which also isn't vector. Use apples for applejuice and oranges for orangejuice. Try using the one for the other and...

Those are the important things. Lastly, Photoshop has some patented magic stuff that I've only heard about. If you're used to using certain algorithms (people can patent algorithms??? US law is freaky!) on Photoshop, Gimp may have a way to emulate the same effect, but you have to find it.

Otherwise, use whichever you know how to work. Besides the things I mentioned above, you can make the same images with the same features on both. But you already knew that : )

 

Very true. Seems like they are biased.

 

Oh and as an add-on to the print thing-- I've made a few logos in Gimp and my boss has sent them to a packaging company to have the logo not only on the return forms but also on the packing tape (neat idea).

The packing company probably sent the job to a printer. They apparently had no trouble matching the few colours I had (original had red, dark red, light grey, dark grey, white and black). Thus, if a logo is only occasionally being sent out to a printer, they CAN do the colour conversion themselves. But if you are a printing company or work closely and often with them, you want cymk.