Deluxe Paint - What can it be used for, and how?

[leytond]

Originally Posted by Predabot

Indeed. I'm looking to make a pretty historical thing... to colour a comic-book page within an Amiga-environment, and the best to do so... seems to be with Deluxe Paint 5.

The question now is... will it be capable of it?? The last version came out in 1994, which was indeed several years after Photoshop 1.0 (1990) and Kaliedoscope (1988, I think) that was used for the first digital comic-book colouring in the world, on the English edition of the manga Akira.

Now, how much meat to its bones does Deluxe Paint have? Does it have layers like Photoshop 3 (1994), something similar to Adjustment Layers like Photoshop 4 (1996), and what is its colour management like? Does it follow the sRGB1966 standard decently, and can it understand the CMYK printing colour-system?

I'm going to guess that it doesn't understand CMYK, since that is fairly rare even to this day.

Any info on the capabilities of Deluxe Paint 5 would be appreciated lads, and of course also on what kind of Amiga that would be "KILLER" to run it on.

I want a super-smooth experience, with the best possible Amiga emulated worthy of the task!

Well of course there's a need for speed as well... so as not to bog down the computer too much, so I suppose one can't go completely wild.

Here's what I'm thinking the config should look like:

A1200 Kickstart 3.1
68060 Cpu
2Mb Chip, 1.5 Mb Slow, 8Mb fast, 64 Mb Z3 Fast Ram

A total of 75.5 Mb Ram!

RTG Graphics Card 32 Mb memory, 8-bit(*), 24-bit.
Max Size HD ( as a folder on me real PC comp, natch)

Can I use the 15/16-bit setting for the G-card instead of the default R5G6B-whatchamacallit? Seems better, but I don't know.

Also, does anyone know where to get all of the Deluxe Paint discs? I can't seem to find them on PLanet Emulation.

And... I don't have to install Workbench and the program itself, do I...? Delving into the murky world of Amiga OS and installed apps is something I have tried to hold off for as long as possible.

ooohhhh my god dood, to seriouse, get a real amiga and have some fun, sod all that emulation rubish, it aint worth it,
(my opinion)

[Predabot]

I'd have to disagree there LeytonD. Emulation seems to be a far more affordable, takes far less physical space, and is a great way to get some understanding of the Amiga.

[TCD]

Originally Posted by Predabot

I'd have to disagree there LeytonD. Emulation seems to be a far more affordable, takes far less physical space, and is a great way to get some understanding of the Amiga.

Touché!

[Predabot]

I think I might have to make an all-new thread, since I'm going ahead with shifting to AdPro instead of Dpaint.

Anybody remember that companion Photo-editing software that Akira mentioned btw? Seems like something that would be quite necessary for colouring actually.

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by Predabot

Anybody remember that companion Photo-editing software that Akira mentioned btw? Seems like something that would be quite necessary for colouring actually.

Other "Soft-Logik" applications:

... Art Expression
... Direct Templates
... PageStream
... TypeSmith

Maybe it's one of the above that Akira is referring to? If you need anything just ask

[tin]

Originally Posted by cv643d

In terms of userfriendlines and usability, Dpaint blows Photoshop out of the water any day, and yes, you can see my usability/design grades any day too.

I have to agree, I got very much to grips with Dpaint, and while I have not run it for many years now, I use photoshop and GIMP regularly and can't get the bastard things to do almost anything!!

Maybe I am a bit thick.....

BTW to the original question - the move command....

[Photon]

Originally Posted by Akira

Seriously, you got to stop right there.
What you say is utter nonsense.
Are you a graphic designer?



I see you are not.
Also, I would like to see your PhD in user interface design and ergonomics, seeing that you mentioned that...

I use Deluxe Paint nowadays, and in real working situations [not in an avatar that even lacks antialiasing, or other hobby uses, like making lolcat pictures], but I am not a blind person, and my carreer allows me to talk about tools of the trade.


It's NOT a tool for any sort of publishing either, that's why I said, if you are still with this idea for WHATEVER reason, use ART DEPARTMENT PRO and/or its companion photo editing software which name escapes me. The Art Studio? Something like that. Whatever.


You are basically suggesting to use a wrench to eat your dinner.
Seriously.


The right tool for the right job. But if you have no idea of the job, please, do not suggest tools. Do you diagnose people diseases even though you are not a doctor?

I diagnose you as unhappy without a doctor's degree.

You're admin, and this is your board, so you can be a troll of the third degree if you like?

Either tell him it's not possible, from your experience as graphic designer and Amiga buff, or tell him what he needs if it's possible.

The way I see it he needs minimum 32MB RAM, a paint package that can use it (at high res he'd need to zoom at different levels also), and a cpu than can run it. I have no experience of such Amigas, so I can't say if it's doable.

Dpaint is the most enjoyable paint program - for pixeling screen-resolution stuff.

[Predabot]

Damien: Thanks for the list mate! Art Expression sounds the most likely. I'll look into that.

Photon: Very valid points about the RAM and the zooming there. Anybody know a paint-package that can use either extended RAM or a graphic accelerator? That would be golden...

[DamienD]

Hey Predabot,

Just in case, the following files have been uploaded to The Zone! for you:

ArtExpression v1.04 (1992)(Soft-Logik Publishing).rar
... ArtExpression v1.04 (1992)(Soft-Logik Publishing)[HD].adf

ArtExpression v1.0 (1992)(Soft-Logik Publishing).rar
... ArtExpression v1.0 (1992)(Soft-Logik Publishing)(Disk 1 of 4)[HD].adf
... ArtExpression v1.0 (1992)(Soft-Logik Publishing)(Disk 2 of 4)(BME and Trace)[HD].adf
... ArtExpression v1.0 (1992)(Soft-Logik Publishing)(Disk 3 of 4)(Fonts1)[HD].adf
... ArtExpression v1.0 (1992)(Soft-Logik Publishing)(Disk 4 of 4)(Fonts2)[HD].adf

Art Expression v2.04 (1996)(Soft-Logik Publishing).rar
... Art Expression v2.04 (1996)(Soft-Logik Publishing)(Disk 1 of 3)[HD].adf
... Art Expression v2.04 (1996)(Soft-Logik Publishing)(Disk 2 of 3)(BNE)[HD].adf
... Art Expression v2.04 (1996)(Soft-Logik Publishing)(Disk 3 of 3)(Fonts)[HD].adf

I've also uploaded them to Magix's FTP Server under the path \User\DamienD\ for future requests

[Predabot]

THANKS DAMIEN! I'll have a look at these once I've gotten some more Amiga knowledge.

[marcfrick2112]

Hey Predabot,

First of all, good for you! I have this crazy idea to set up an Amiga render farm for Lightwave.... the question isn't about practicality, etc. it's doing what you want to do....

OK, my .02.. while I like DPaint5 very much, on my '060/50Mhz 128MB RAM, it bogs down at times. I like the fact that DPaint5 can supposedly do 60FPS .anim's ... but it takes at least 2x longer to do than on DPaint4....I would do some testing first....
Dpaint doesn't do layers, but ImageFX does, and will even load/save Photoshop layers if you must....
Maybe a combination of programs will work for you. (for my own pathetic artwork, I do this alot, e.g. render a scene in Lightwave, do a starfield background in ImageFX, and draw smoke/vapor trails in DCTV Paint...)
As for CMYK, color separation for printing, right? Well, I know TurboPrint V.7+ has some facilities to do CMYK, not sure if the individual files can be saved (which would be needed to send to a printer, right?)

Cheers!

[Predabot]

Hey Marc! Thanks for your input and tips mate!

Does ImageFX work in a similar way as ArtExpression then? Sort of a program similar to Photoshop, where it has some kind of brushes or some such?

I've decided CMYK separation isn't all that important, since the fanzine it might be printed in, uses print-on-demand and there they use technology similar to Inkjets, which means everything is printed in RGB anyway.

And if it won't end up in the fanzine, it'll only end up as JPEG's on the web, so RGB is fine for the moment.

[marcfrick2112]

Predabot, I guess you could call ImageFX the 'poor man's Photoshop' You have brushes, various painting modes, filters, effects, layers, etc. I think it's on the file server,
If you want to try. Make sure you get the update, and patch the ImageFX program too.... But, to clear up one point.. You probably know that Art Expression is a vector drawing program, not a bitmap drawing prog. like PS (mostly) and ImageFX, right? I just mention it, because they save different types of files, and converting them can have some odd side effects... But, I am just going by memory, atm...
You may just want to get a hold of every paint/drawing program you can, and experiment.
Finally, I'd advise that you covert the pics to JPEG as the very last step... after you've sized, and double-checked the pics... remember, JPEG is a lossy compression...

$64,000 Question: Who knows what JPEG stands for?

[wobbly]

What does JPEG stand for? - Blurtit
JPEG is the abbreviation for Joint Photographic Experts Group. It is the original name of the committee that developed the standard.

[Predabot]

Marc: Sounds like a neat little program. And it runs on an Amiga?? Layers and everything.

But I'm going to guess that it absorbs an awful lot of resources for an Amiga, yes? Is it possible to work with 300-600 dpi images on a tricked-out A1200? I figure, you need about 128 MB's of Ram to do it, and that should be possible to set up.

I'm pretty used to using both vector and pixel-programs on the x86 platform, so I think I can juggle them. Didn't know that Art Expression was vector tho, thanks for the intel mate.

Hmm... the first comic-book colouring on PC and MaC was actually Vector, and then the black lineart overlayed as pixels on top. This was because the PC wasn't powerful enough to do it all like pixels, and get the book out on time.

Jpeg - Oh, oh..! I know this one...! It's Joint Expert Group something... what was it..?

*reads Wobbly's post*

Oh, yeah that's what it was.

For bloody shame that the Jpeg-2000 format didn't break trough. :\ It's completely superior to Jpeg in every single way. It's just that office-suites and internet-browsers didn't support it, so it never got the footing it needed. I blame Microsoft here... (original, I know) If they had implemented support into Internet Explorer 5.5 or 6, the format would surely have broken trough.

[blade002]

Nuuurse!! ... oh Nurrrrrrse!!!, patient Akira has gone off his nut again, injection needed in Ward 6

[marcfrick2112]

Ding, ding, ding... Yup, wobbly is tha winner!

Predabot, I won't lie to you... if you want to use ImageFX to its' fullest, you need a rather high-spec Amiga.. I've mostly used various '060 / 64MB RAM or better miggies for the newer ImageFX's (V. 4.1 or so)
(just fired up IFX 4.1 to refresh my poor memory )
I can't say for sure what ImageFX's max. resolution is, I can say that I have scanned some pics at 300dpi on my scanner, and edited them in ImageFX... IFX can use virtual memory if needed, but it slows things down a LOT ....
I've been messing with IFX for a few years, and I still don't know that much..... really, all I can say is that experimentation is the key-

I'll try to give more info, but I lost a lot of my IFX pics, etc. due to a hard drive failure a while back... still trying to catch up... Feel free to PM me.
Uggghhh, need to sleep now......

[KONEY]

Maybe you should try Personal Paint from Cloanto, I remember that was a little more advanced that Deluxe Paint and shared a very similar GUI!

[kriz]

For layers on the Amiga, try TV Paint - For free:

http://www.amigau.com/c-graphics/tvpaint.htm

If you read some German:

http://www.amiga-magazin.de/magazin/a09-98/cartoon.html

[blade002]

Originally Posted by KONEY

Maybe you should try Personal Paint from Cloanto, I remember that was a little more advanced that Deluxe Paint and shared a very similar GUI!

I never played around with these 2 much back in the day but what about Brilliance and Photogenics? They both seemed pretty professional to me