All that said, I think that the gradient mesh tool is one of the hardest to master well.
And it looks like Inkscape may soon, too...
http://tavmjong.free.fr/SVG/MESH/Mesh_Inkscape.html
-Rob A>
My tutorials: Using GIMP to Create an Artistic Regional Map ~ All My Tutorials
My GIMP Scripts: Rotating Brush ~ Gradient from Image ~ Mosaic Tile Helper ~ Random Density Map ~ Subterranean Map Prettier ~ Tapered Stroke Path ~ Random Rotate Floating Layer ~ Batch Image to Pattern ~ Better Seamless Tiles ~ Tile Shuffle ~ Scale Pattern ~ Grid of Guides ~ Fractalize path ~ Label Points
My Maps: Finished Maps ~ Challenge Entries ~ My Portfolio: www.cartocopia.com
All that said, I think that the gradient mesh tool is one of the hardest to master well.
I rather doubt it will be soon. The Inkscape team generally don't include features that would cause an Inkscape file to render differently in another SVG renderer, which means we have to wait until this shows up in the SVG standard. At the moment it looks like it will be on the order of 2 years before that could happen with SVG 2.0.
2 years is soon for Inkscape (haha). Seriously though, it looks like the usual infighting is starting "why not diffusion curves"... blah blah. Every time I hear stuff like this in standards development it reminds me of...
standards.png
(from http://xkcd.com/927/ )
-Rob A>
-Rob A>
My tutorials: Using GIMP to Create an Artistic Regional Map ~ All My Tutorials
My GIMP Scripts: Rotating Brush ~ Gradient from Image ~ Mosaic Tile Helper ~ Random Density Map ~ Subterranean Map Prettier ~ Tapered Stroke Path ~ Random Rotate Floating Layer ~ Batch Image to Pattern ~ Better Seamless Tiles ~ Tile Shuffle ~ Scale Pattern ~ Grid of Guides ~ Fractalize path ~ Label Points
My Maps: Finished Maps ~ Challenge Entries ~ My Portfolio: www.cartocopia.com
Well, the latest post on the inkscape dev list was:
So my previous comment might have been too pessimistic.At last weeks SVG Working Group meeting it was resolved that meshes be
accepted as part of SVG 2.0. It was decided that meshes should be
treated as geometric primitives if defined outside a <defs> section and
as a paint server if defined inside.
...
-Rob A>
My tutorials: Using GIMP to Create an Artistic Regional Map ~ All My Tutorials
My GIMP Scripts: Rotating Brush ~ Gradient from Image ~ Mosaic Tile Helper ~ Random Density Map ~ Subterranean Map Prettier ~ Tapered Stroke Path ~ Random Rotate Floating Layer ~ Batch Image to Pattern ~ Better Seamless Tiles ~ Tile Shuffle ~ Scale Pattern ~ Grid of Guides ~ Fractalize path ~ Label Points
My Maps: Finished Maps ~ Challenge Entries ~ My Portfolio: www.cartocopia.com
Just as a mention, Adobe now allows monthly subscriptions for their software, either pay by the month, or for a yearly commitment with a smaller monthly subscription. You can do either the whole suite or each program. It might still be outside your budget but I thought I would mention it.
In the Adobe store when you get the product page for the app or suite, click buy options for the subscription rate, I don't recall off top of my head where it is exactly but its there.
Cheers!
I use Illustrator much more than photoshop. As a layout tool it is vastly superior in my opinion. I mostly use Photoshop for image editing and then place those images into Illustrator or InDesign. I personally don't like doing any painting type effects in Photoshop. I majored in painting in university and hate the Photoshop painting experience. For digital painting I am more inclined to use Corel Painter with a Wacom tablet as it is more analogous to painting with a real brush. Right now if I want a hand drawn look I often trace or scan a hand drawn piece and drop it into Illustrator.