Anyone has experience with GIMP or paint.net ...

... or any other of the free picture editing programs? In fact I would pay a decent fee as well.

I've lost my trusty old program due to computer replacement. Now I'm looking for a substitute that is easy too learn.

Working with layers is essential.
Option to make layers semi-transparent is essential.
(Transparent background would be a bonus - I usually need semi-transparency for the second or third layer)

EDIT: Oh, and I need to be able to save WIP with several layers ... and continue working with the layers when I open the file again.

Anyone has suggestions or even experience with a suitable program?


I don't think photoshop would be appropriate. As far as I know it's far beyond my needs and would require a VERY long learning curve. I doubt that I would ever use half of its options. Admittedly the price is not encouraging as well.

Help, please?

No time atm, cause I'm in a hurry but why should a SW be lost just due to a new HW? SW can be transferred, usually.
Either way stay away from Adobe products. They're highly proprietary and you only rent them as far as I see it. All that SaaS and Cloud madness doesn't need your money and support.
I also wouldn't bet on anything that comes from Microsoft.
So GIMP is a good thing, though it also surely has its learning curve and offers more function than most people will need. But it is free (as in freedom and free as in beer) and offers layers. It works with pixel graphics. Some people like Krita (same here). My personal experience covers Inkscape, but Inkscape is meant for vectors.

What's the name of your trusty old program? What's your new comp running on?
Maybe someone can suggest a way to get your old trusty program running on your new comp, or a close alternative, with this info

I use GIMP all the time. Layers and saving in a million different formats are all on there. Paint is rubbish XD

Thank you all for your support and feedback!

I need to trust my tech support, jaRf. The comp was really old and the program as well ... never updated due to the issues with the comp. Apparently it is not compartible with Windows 7 - they had the original CD and told me it cannot be installed. *sigh*
The compyny does not offer a a current version anymore so I connot buy it anew. And for the downloadable last update they couldn't get a licence. That's what I basically got from the guy's explanations ...

My trusty old program was called ArtSoft Photostudio, fae, and came with my scanner. Even as it was new it doesn't seem to be well known. Canon (=Adobe?) adandonned it a while ago and switched to another one that looks quite different. I cannot call it the best program ever but it turned out to be the best one for me at this time. Easy to learn and complex enough to offer enough functions and tricks to allow developement.
I hope to find a substitute that I will call the "best program for me now" after some training period.

Right now I try to arrange myself with paint.net, Nibblet. It seems to be more complex than the simple PAINT and offers the essential basics (at least mostly). But it turned out to have less functions and possibilities as my really old one already offered. Wouldn't allow a learning curve and "artictic developement" at all. And it looks like the programmer's brain and my brain are wired very differently - it's hard to get a hang of it for me and feels cumbersome. I remember the same problems when I tried to deal with PAINT in the very beginning.

Well - I've ordered GIMP today. Both of you have recommanded it and it seems to be the next logical step. I don't mind a certain training period as long as it promises to be worth the effort! And I can pester Nibblet when I'm stuck as a bonus. ^^

Embala wrote:

My trusty old program was called ArtSoft Photostudio, fae, and came with my scanner. Even as it was new it doesn't seem to be well known. Canon (=Adobe?) adandonned it a while ago and switched to another one that looks quite different. I cannot call it the best program ever but it turned out to be the best one for me at this time. Easy to learn and complex enough to offer enough functions and tricks to allow developement.

OMG! That was my trusty old program too! I copied it onto several new computers, finally giving up on it the last time I got a new computer. But it's the one I knew inside out and used for all my drawings and dolls and such. And I'm looking for a replacement too, so let me know how it goes.

http://www.arcsoft.com/photostudio/
"This product will be no longer maintained and updated."

Looks like an EOL product. They still seem to sell PhotoStudio 6 in volume licenses but that doesn't make sense. Well, free(dom) software is better anyway.
For GIMP you'll find also a lot of people using it, forums, howtos, and also books and commercial trainings on DVD. Or on some community events they also offer workshops for GIMP. Even some VHS offer GIMP courses occasionally. So you'll find plenty of info, but of course, you'll need to invest a bit of time to get beyond the basics.

Aunt Edith says: explanation VHS = only in Germany, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folk_high_school

Thank you for taking a look at it, jaRf! And for the tips as well. Sounds like I will need one or the other online offer ... latest after I've figured out the basics.

Got GIMP today and took a VERY short look. It will definitely need time to get used to it. No surprise ... that's what I've expected. But it seems worth to take the effort this time!

*starts the 5-months-countdown*

By the way, what means you ordered it? You are aware, that you are allowed to download it for free? I'd rather dowload and donate directly to the project.

I know, jaRf, and I got it free by the company (Firma) I've bought my comp - installed and ready to work with by the tech support guy.
I... I'm so helpless with downloads and such, I'd get stuck at the second step latest. I can learn to handle the programs but not how to handle the comp itself.