New Software

[just-pjz]

Hi!
I'm (finally) in the market for new software and thought I'd come here for some expert advice and opinions! It has been a couple years since I have been actively scrapping, but thanks to a year-long school project my high school senior is required to do, I've got the itch again.

I have only ever scrapped with Corel Photo-Paint 8. It was a dated version when I first found digi-scrapping, but it was software someone had given me when I first bought a computer so it is what I went with. Towards the end of my active scrapping period, the software was beginning to give me problems and tools and effects weren't always cooperating. Not really sure if the blame is the software, my dated computer, or me. My old faithful computer finally bit the dust and I have recently replaced it with a nice shiny new one. I tried installing my old Corel, but my computer and software don't seem to want to be friends. SO....I'm looking to purchase either Corel PhotoPaint Pro 2018 (or newest version) or Adobe Photoshop Elements 2018 (or newest version). I was initially leaning towards Corel because that's what I"ve had, but given the fact my version is such a dinosaur to what is available now, I don't think it matters. I know either is going to be a big adjustment for me. I had always hoped when I first started scrapping that I would learn to design my own product, but that never happened and likely won't. I just want as much flexibility and options to edit and manipulate my photos and be as creative as I can with them and my layouts.

Any thoughts, opinions, feedbacks, suggestions for either product?

thanks in advance!

 

[roxyrenders]

Both Paint Shop or Photoshop Elements are excellent programs. While considering your options you might want to search Google and You Tube for tutorials. There are tons for Photoshop and Photoshop Elements but I am not sure about the support for Corel Paint Shop-(or whatever they call these days) Way back when (2005) I started out in Paint Shop Pro 9 - most of the tutorials were blog based. I eventually made the switch to Photoshop Elements 4 and stuck with PSE. Maybe do a search comparison Corel Paint Shop vs Photoshop Element for Digital scrapbooking and photo editing. I use PSE 2018. But would love to step up to the full Photoshop one of these days.

 

[just-pjz]

Thank you Rochelle!
I have been reading and watching a lot of youtube reviews/tutorials/comparisons but I think they are all just making my decision harder to make, lol!
I have come across many reviews/complaints regarding problems using/opening/running Elements 2018 with Windows 10...did you experience that?

 

[roxyrenders]

Initially - no -- but after one of the Windows 10 updates PSE 2018 got some glitches. When you would bring in a new paper or element into PSE 2018 it would open and fill the area of the workspace. After the Windows update. All files would open up as a postage stamp sized window in the upper left corner of the computer screen. You have to press Ctrl+0 to get it to the normal size. Pretty annoying at first but I have gotten used to is simply because I wanted to scrap and had no choice. At the time I googled fixes but nothing suggest worked. One suggestion I did not try was to uninstall and reinstall the program. Haven't taken the time to try that fix although many said it didn't work. I haven't checked recently for any updates or fixes. That is the only problem that comes to mind.

 

[just-pjz]

Thanks Rochelle...again! :kisses

 

[Heidi1472]

Hey Paula - I'm just seeing this thread so maybe this will bump it so more people see it.

I use PSE and always have. I find that there are so many tutorials out there that if I run into something I want to do and can't figure it out, there is a tutorial for it. My Win10 runs PSE 15 fine. I got a new monitor a bit ago and it messed with the resolution of the program but it wasn't Win 10 or PSE's bug. Just don't try to use a 4K monitor with PSE.

Good luck with your decision.