# software like photoshop?



## spideranne (Jul 17, 2006)

Someone on here planned out their display using photoshop and I'm going to completely change my layout for next year so I thought that would be fun to do to try to visualize it. However, I don't have photoshop and was wondering if anyone knew of any software that was free or cheap that would allow me to do a simple 3D layout of my yard?

Thanks.


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

Hi Spideranne, that would have been me :-D and there is a freeware alternative to Photoshop thats called The Gimp.

You can download it here: http://www.gimp.org/windows/

-TM


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## spideranne (Jul 17, 2006)

Thanks!


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## lord_tici_taci (May 13, 2006)

I'm not sure if a Photoshop type of program would be best for layouts. Google Sketchup would probably work better (its a 3d modeling/layout thing).


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

I think spideranne is looking at doing what I did. Which was to take a photo of the front of her house then mock it up as though the decorations were up to kinda get an idea of what it would look like.

If we're talking floorplanning type stuff then a good Visio clone would do. I also used Visio to get a good idea of distance and placement of stuff including where I was gonna run lights and power.

-TM


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## Revenant (Mar 17, 2007)

Ticitaci's dead on about Sketchup... it's like CAD but LOTS easier. You can build some wicked 3D layouts with that and you can learn it pretty quick. It's free and they even have lots of tutorial videos to get you started.


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## spideranne (Jul 17, 2006)

Thanks for the idea about sketchup. I've played with both now. Gimp lets me put in the photo of my house and then I'm trying to add in the different areas I want to try in my yard next year. I'm having some trouble drawing in the tombstones, fences and stuff, since I don't really know how to draw. Sketchup has been a little easier to learn, but I have to start from scratch to put in the dimensions of my house first so it will probably take longer.

Thanks again for the ideas.


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

spideranne said:


> I'm having some trouble drawing in the tombstones, fences and stuff, since I don't really know how to draw.


When I'm trying to do a quick mock-up I usually don't most of that stuff from scratch. Instead I hit the image search on google to get the various assets. I found a ton of tombstone pictures for various Halloween stores. I just edited out the backgrounds and resized them to fit in my photo where I wanted them.

-TM


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## happyfunball (Nov 19, 2007)

plus I might at you can hop on google maps and get a pretty decent res of your abode from the satellite imagery unless you live in some out of the way spot. then pull a screenshot into an image editing app and paint away.

I haven't messed with gimp much but if anyone has photoshop questions I can probably answer them. I've been using it for a long, long time.


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