These are the two main graphics editing programs that I know about. If there are others, feel free to tell me or post them in replies.

Personally, I prefer GIMP for many reasons. First, it is a free program, which, at 14, is very necessary. Although I did have an illegal version of photoshop, I removed it because I knew it was wrong, and I really didn't use it anyways. GIMP is the better program in my mind anyways. Although the open time is very long, especially if you have brushes (more especially if you got bored and downloaded over 2000 brushes from Devianart,) GIMP is more accessible. Not only is it quick and easy to get used to, there are dozens of available tutorials.

Please, post here if you would like more information, or just to pick one over the other, but please include reasons to refrain from being a spam post.

Personally, i prefer Photoshop CS3 extended, and Paint.NET which is a simple free art program that is all over the web.

i liked gimp even though if i could id probably use my PS

I prefer Photoshop.  Just because I think that it is easier to use.  Because I tried GIMP, and I couldn't get used to it.  And there are also a lot of online tutorials for Photoshop.   And I think Coral Paintshop Pro is another imaging software.  Also Cinema 4 is another one I think.

Snowman1474

"I did have an illegal version of photoshop, I removed it because I knew it was wrong"

I lol'ed when I read that. I wouldn't feel bad having an illegal copy of a program thats 700$ at 14... Adobe is full aware that tons of people pirate it, they don't care at all because their market isn't single people like you or me, or most people. It's big companies. They make thousands and thousands of dollars per company. Imagine a company with 40 thousand employees and lets says half of them use atleast one 500$ adobe program. Lets say adobe cuts a company deal and does 400$... thats one company and they just made 8 million dollars. Now think of all the companies that have adobe. Every company. Every single one. My dad runs a grocery chain and even tons of his employees need adobe products.

Well I ran on with that but my point is that riping off adobe isn't a major deal as you are not their target audience and they never planned to sell anything to you anyways so basically there is no loss of money here, they thrive on big companies not single sales!

Well, the it being illegal, and also lagging up my PC. I figured I'd mention the feeling bad to not look as bad for doing it, but yeah, you're mostly right. It was only CS2 anyways, so yeah =/. By the way, I can't get on JaGgEdGe, so this is my new permanent account.

i use photoshop CS2 it can do about the same as CS3, with CS3 a bit more, but im used to CS2, and thus prefer it.

I find that GIMP is much better for graphics creation, and photoshop is better for graphics editing.  A copy of Adobe Photoshop 7 came with the software bundle on my computer, so I didn't have to pay $700 for it, but I still prefer GIMP when creating artwork.  I mostly used it for making sprites for a game called The Battle for Wesnoth.