stay with fireworks, really!
Did you find PS too difficult to work wit too? I feel I’m missing out on great tools in PS.
Photoshop is not a web design tool. You can use it to make graphics for web pages, but don’t try to use it as a web tool. Fireworks was optimized for web work, which Photoshop was optimized for pre-press and photography work. ImageReady was tacked on to compete with Fireworks, but is a poor imitiation.
ID said it: I agree. Stay with Fireworks.
Hi John,
There are PLENTY of good tutorials around (one of my favs:
http://www.photoshopcafe.com/tutorials.htm) , and AI works perfectly with PS. I’m a Webmaster and I’ve been using PS for years to both comp out web sites, and build them. Any program which is unfamiliar requires a learning curve, but if you’re familiar with the concepts behind Fireworks, than the switch to PS shouldn’t be too difficult. The Adobe version of Fireworks is ImageReady, which comes with PS and is specifficaly for use in web production (without all of the advanced PS stuff that you might not need right away.)
Scott
On Oct 23, 7:31 am, wrote:
Hi There.
I’m thinking of making the switch. Are there any good tutorials around? I find it almost impossible to design webpages in PS because of the Vector/Drawing limitations, or style. I just can’t get my head around it. I consider using Illustrator in conjunction with PS but that may not be ideal for web design either. You see, I want the Illustrator and PS features (that’s why i used Fireworks for 7 years) but to be able to design for web without headaches and complicated work flows.
Fireworks is marvellous but I feel I’m missing out not using AI and/or PS.
Thanks
John
Can I use any of the photoshop tools and brushes etc in FW? It’s just that my work is very much drawing/shapes, colour and tone based. I never really do anything creative with raster images.
Can I use any of the photoshop tools and brushes etc in FW
No, but you can work on an image in Photoshop and then open in it FW to complete the design of the web page.
I’ve used PS for many years, I don’t use a fork when I need spoon.
Hi ID.
So you think Photoshop is better for Web Design?
Or: you’re used to it’s drawing limitations – and those limitations are made up for by the raster editing tools?
wrote:
Fireworks is marvellous but I feel I’m missing out not using AI and/or PS.
Why do you feel you have to use one to the exclusion of the other? Each program has their own strength. One instrument alone does not a concert make.
Well, I dread going back to using the two in tandem. I know that sounds pathetic but I’m 38 and have limited patience and time for computers etc. (Oh dear, shouldn’t have said that…). I’d hoped to have expertise in say, Photoshop and a bit of Flash for Design and that’d do me. FW has served my needs excellently for years and years and thankfully I haven’t had to use Flash much.
I reckon it’ll take ages to learn PS again after so long and it’ll only do so much that I need. Sorry, I know this sounds a bit weak as an argument but i can’t be sat at a PC outside of working hours too.
Sorry that really does sound daft, as i’m a designer.
If you were a carpenter, would you try to build a house with only a hammer. A saw might come in handy every now and then. And perhaps a screwdriver or a level.
In this business we also need to use a variety of tools when they are appropriate.
Re: "So you think Photoshop is better for Web Design?" No, wouldn’t use it for that purpose: I use Dreamweaver, have for many years!
I wouldn’t use PS to create a flyer either, while possible, it is not it’s intended purpose: I use InDesign with links to the PS file, then output to a PDF.
I do use it for creating business cards on a regular basis, but this is within a specific workflow.
I having been working in print for thirty years so PS is the program that I use for photo retouching and pre-press work, although I do optimize graphics for the web from PS.
I have a client who uses Fireworks to create a front-page PNG file with roll-overs with monthly updates, my job is to output it to HTML and integrate it into the site’s index page.
As Don was pointing out, you need more than one tool to create a good web site.
As I said "I don’t use a fork when I need a spoon".
Well of course, I use Dreamweaver and pure CSSlayouts and styling. But I can’t do anything until I design the site in FW.
you need more than one tool to create a good web site.<<
Yep, Textpad an an image editor (PS) in my case!
Oh you big show-off! Actually I do my coding on a marble tablet with a hammer and chisel 🙂
Yeah, but can you guys do "copy con program.exe"?
Fact is, Joe, I can. But why would I want to. There is edlin too, I hated using that beast. As for Len’s suggestion of Textpad, I used Notepad for ages, until I discovered Homesite … it is great for hand coding pages.
<Fact is, Joe, I can. But why would I want to.>
Don, my question was totally tongue in cheek. I would be quite impressed if I were convinced that you are intimately fimiliar with native machine code and know PSP structure well enough to create even a "Hello World" program with "copy con program.exe"!
Don: We like Homesite for PHP!
I learned in notepad years ago. Now, if someone wants me to add a link to a page I do it in DW – in the Design and Code views. I can’t be arsed typing
If you can recommend good apps for doing HTML and CSS simultaneously with a Page Preview included I’d be very grateful. DW is pretty good but perhaps there’s something that makes it even easier to scroll through all that code and CSS.
Of course – I’m not doing any programming as such.
We like Homesite for PHP!
I like it for that too. It can also do ASP, ColdFusion and more.
