Graphics software
 

I'm dumber than a tree about graphics software (and lots of other stuff in general, but I digress...) and their capabilities. For example, do programs exist that will allow me to take a scanned sketch (i.e., my avatar) and add color or alter scanned drawings in other ways?

What about programs that would allow me to create sketches directly to the computer?

Enlighten me, please.

There is Adobe Photoshop & Adobe Illustrator, but those will cost you both arms and half of a leg. I however recommend GiMP there are installers available for Windows.

Adobe has a less involved version called Photoshop Elements (only costs half an armhttp://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...on_mrgreen.gif) ... it would be much easier to learn than regular Photoshop for a beginner.

For sketching directly into a computer you can use a Wacom tablet, which could also get kinda pricy. I'm not sure which kind of software would be best to use with it, though.

I cannot recommend Wacom highly enough! Their product is superb, and they have a patented technology that allows their pens to be battery free. A while back, I bought a no-name tablet because it was $50 cheaper then the Wacom brand. I figured a tablet was a tablet. Boy was I wrong! After only 5 minutes of using it, I returned it to the store and got a Wacom, which I still have, and use to this day. That was about 5 years ago, and I spent around $112 on it. Now you can get them for less then that. Pretty much any painting program worth its money will support a Wacom fully, that is, with pressure sensitivity, and the eraser working as an eraser. That being said, GiMP, the free Photoshop alternative, also supports a Wacom.

You really can't go wrong with GiMP. It does have one drawback.. It's learning curve can be a little steep. Photoshop is no different, but I use PS on a daily basis, and GiMP still gets the better of me at times. Still, its free, so there really is no reason not to try it out.

But if you decide GiMP is too much, you can also give Paint.NET a try. It is basically MS Paint on steroids. It has better selection tools, supports layers, and has a better toolset. Unfortunatly, Wacom tablets are only partially supported in Pain.NET, and that is only in Vista (yuck). It isn't nearly as powerful as PS or GiMP, but if you don't need raw power, it might be right for you. And it is also free, so really, no reason not to try it out.

I have tried GIMP... I need one of those "for dummies" books thoughhttp://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...milies/mad.png