Comparing 'sumo paint', 'GIMP' and 'Aperture 3'....

It is very true that there's an awful lot of image editing software available to the artist and photographer these days, and it would be true to say that such programmes often leave the individual confused as to which one to use.

A few days ago I came across 'sumo paint' and I can honestly say that it fits in perfectly with what I've been looking for. I'm happy to admit that I'm no 'tech geek', so whatever programme I use has to have a certain ease of use, and that whatever learning curve there is, it is not too steep.

Having done some research about sumo paint, it seems that many users prefer it to 'Photoshop' and have commented that it's better than this particular programme. I can't say that I know this is correct, as I've never used Photoshop, but I can say that sumo paint does all the things I would expect an image editing programme to do, and more besides.

What makes sumo paint stand out is that within a few hours you will have accomplished a level of understanding which will enable you to successfully begin 'painting' pictures. The interface is uncluttered and whilst there are a lot of advanced features available, each one is fairly easy to understand as regards its use. The 'Help' section is fairly intuitive and goes into as much or little details you need without overwhelming you with technical jargon. I'd say that all the information you get is geared towards the end user, rather than being written for the 'geek'.

Apart from its ease of use, its most compelling feature is the cost; which for the basic package is free. To upgrade to the 'pro' version it cost me €19, which for the extra features and able to use the programme 'offline' is more than reasonable, along with the added '+' that all upgrades, additional software improvements etc are free for the first year of use.

As I also use GIMP 2.6, the latest version, I can say that sumo paint is much the easier to use. GIMP's problem has always been its lack of integrated 'painting' features, although they can be added as a separate 'add on'. However, sumo paint's versatility and use across OS platforms leaves GIMP struggling in its wake. I can use the same sumo paint programme on both my pc and mac, whereas with GIMP I have to download a different version for pc and mac.

In terms of cost GIMP offers a lot more because it comes as a single package and is free. But GIMP is more 'expensive' because of the time needed to get to grips with its steep learning curve. I have nothing but admiration for GIMP, not only is it an advanced image editing programme that continues to evolve, but it is also a comprehensive editing suite and never rests on its laurels.

However, I've noticed that I'm using GIMP less and less, and instead have turned to 'Aperture 3' as my preferred photo editing programme. I can honestly say that, based on actual use, I can do more refined image editing in Aperture than I can in GIMP, although in GIMP I can do more in terms of image manipulation. For example, if I want to work with layers then I use GIMP, but if I want more control over the image itself I use Aperture. There have been numerous photographs that couldn't be 'rescued' in GIMP, yet I managed to considerably improve the quality of the image in Aperture.

As we can see above, sumo paint, GIMP and Aperture 3 all do different things, and that's no bad thing as it gives me a lot of flexibility when working on different projects. Each has a weakness, but understanding what they are means my attention is focused on the work I'm doing and not on the software programme I'm using. The biggest advantage to using sumo paint and Gimp is that they are virtually free and will take care of the majority of the 'artistic' needs encountered by individuals.

As a final word on the subject, whilst I would recommend all three programmes, if I had to choose between them and could only use two, then I'd go with sumo paint and GIMP on the basis of cost. In terms of editing control I'd go with sumo paint and Aperture. If you wanted cross platform use, in its truest meaning of the word, then I'd only go with sumo paint, the reason being because sumo paint is done mostly in the 'cloud', so you are able to access your work regardless of the operating system you are using. Luckily I don't have to worry about which one I use, and so I'm fortunate in being able to use all three depending on the task in hand.

Photographs and Aperture 3...+ ....YouTube

Some good news for those who do photography editing, the Apple App Store is selling 'Aperture 3' at a much lower price than in the Apple Stores. I got mine for €62 (full version) compared to €199 in the Apple Store. Now Apple has the App Store up and running for those of us using their laptops and desktops, I hope to see prices coming down to more reasonable levels. My biggest grumble, and thousands of others, is that Apple products are overpriced and putting people off buying them.

I'm finally going through the photos I took a year ago whilst on holiday in the USA. I never realised how much of a pain it is editing nearly 4,000 pictures, divided into black & white and colour. The repetitious nature of getting each photo in the best shape possible, to my eye at least, is very time consuming and a tad tedious. Yet, as I'm sitting there adjusting the tones, sharpness, cropping and all the other wonderful activities that need to be done, I keep coming across photos that turned out better than I remember; maybe it needs a year to view your own work more dispassionately and critically to understand why you took this or that photo at the time you did.

The one thing I've really appreciated in my poor efforts is the love I have for B&W photography. I'd forgotten the joys of seeing every colour of the rainbow in a B&W photo. A strange thing to say perhaps, but those who enjoy the delights of monochrome will understand what I mean. In a way there's a reminder of Fox Talbot and Maybridge every time I press the button on the camera. And with digital, it's become ever more easier to turn a poor colour shot into a much superior B&W photo. At some point the finished shots will be uploaded and you can let me know what you think.

YouTube is a godsend and as I'm too busy to read through endless manuals there's always an answer on YouTube, it's become the favoured learning centre and saved me endless time. From time to time I'd like to point you towards a certain channel when it comes to anything to do with art. You might disagree with my choice but there are some youngsters out there who do sterling work and often make life a damn sight easier. So the first recommendation I'm going to make is for 'iTalkApple' and you can find her channel here. Check out her channel, there's a lot of tech stuff with Apple products that makes the creative experience easier to navigate. The channel might not be for everyone, but I'm sure there will be something of interest to most of you.

Take care, and keep smiling!
Toni