Layers magazine? - SBB Digital Scrapbooking Forums | Scrapbook-Bytes

shelleyrae · #1 (**permalink**) 05-16-2006

Does anyone subscribe to Layers? http://www.layersmagazine.com/index.php
Is it worth it - do you find it useful? I cant find a copy to look at it in Australia so I am interested to know since its international subscription is reasonably priced.

~Carrie Stephens~ · #2 (**permalink**) 05-17-2006

I am itching to know too!!

i am realy thinking about subbing as well. just need the kick to do so.

4guysandme · #3 (**permalink**) 05-17-2006

but I got my free copy and I was delighted. Actually, I got 2 free copies.

I am more interested now that I can get a double bang for the buck since Adobe bought Macromedia. For the price of the subscription, I wouldn't have considered it before since I am a web designer by trade, a graphic artist by hobby.

Overall, I think it is a decent magazine. It has a range of articles -- they try to cover each of the products to some degree. The May/June issue had an article on font management. The March/April issue had an article on switching to digital photography. They give some tricks on how to do certain things in the programs, etc. They also do product reviews as well

If you don't use the entire Adobe suite, the magazine might be overkill, though. You're "tips & tricks" will be limited to just a few and the rest will be stuff you might not ever use. I have both the Macromedia suite and the Adobe suite so for me it is a good coverage without having to subscribe to 3-4 different magazines.

I believe there is a magazine called Photoshop User. I am not sure what the price is though. It supposedly deals just with Photoshop.

There is also a magazine that is strickly for Photoshop Elements. Again, I don't know what the pricing is on it. I believe it is called Photoshop Elements User.

If you don't have the entire suite, I would certainly check out the others first.

Ok, I went looking. . . the Photoshop User magazine you have to join the NAPP and that's pretty pricey. The Elements magazine is about $50 in the US.

DeeDoo · #4 (**permalink**) 05-17-2006

I subscribe to Layers and Photoshop User (Photoshop User automatically as a member of NAPP). As was mentioned previously, Layers deals with all the Adobe products, while Photoshop User is, as the name says

, for the Photoshop user. Unless you have one of the other Adobe products like After Effects, Illustrator, GoLive, and such, Layers is probably not the magazine you are looking for since Photoshop coverage is pretty limited. Photoshop User, on the other hand, is an excellent resource if you only have Photoshop.

BTW, NAPP is well worth the money if you are serious about your Photoshop and the graphics profession.

HTH,

4guysandme · #5 (**permalink**) 05-17-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeeDoo

BTW, NAPP is well worth the money if you are serious about your Photoshop and the graphics profession.

Yes, I am contemplating it. I just don't know though. Is the membership fee annual? I noticed that they do have a student membership which I would qualify for as I am a student at the local community college. Maybe I'll be able to justify it soon enough, but right now it is pretty pricey ya know?

If our company did more graphic work it would be a different story as I could write it off as a business expense but for now it is just not enough to make that justification to wait to see how it will benefit us come tax time. It is all about the money.

*sigh* I wish I could preview the magazine (Photoshop User) as it might be the deciding factor, ya know? I have looked into membership before. It is just a lot of money when there are other things too.

I was thrilled when I saw that Layers was gonna cover the entire range of products including the web design side of things as it meant that I no longer had to justify the really expensive web design magazines.

DeeDoo · #6 (**permalink**) 05-17-2006

NAPP's fee is annual.

The Barnes and Noble book store here carries individual copies of Photoshop User. You might see if there is one in your area that does.

HTH,

4guysandme · #7 (**permalink**) 05-17-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeeDoo

NAPP's fee is annual.

The Barnes and Noble book store here carries individual copies of Photoshop User. You might see if there is one in your area that does.

HTH,

I'll have to go look. I've never really paid any attention to it. I have to go sometime next week so I'll have to look.

debbiel · #8 (**permalink**) 05-17-2006

If you want a magazine that covers just Adobe Photoshop stuff there is a wonderful one!! It is called Photoshop Creative and is from England. There is a CD with each monthly issue. It has tons of downloads of brushes, patterns, gradients, stock photos, etc. I have purchased 3 and am thinking of subscribing. It covers techniques for so many different things. Making stained glass pictures; using textures;how to use the sharpening tools; there are so mnay things in this magazine. Each month there is a whole new bunch of techniques and tips. The articles all have stept-by-step pictures and screen captures so they are easy to follow.