Well, there are many eCover design software on the market, be it whether it is photoshop actions based or standalone virtual covers software, that will always get you the same result that most of us are looking for. However, the differences lie in how the software or the actions are being executed to get that result. Not all the software are created equal though. So there are many factors that we need to consider when deciding on investing and using these software. It pays to do some research first before you dive in to make that investment. Hence, I would like to take this opportunity to discuss on using Photoshop as a photoshop actions tool vs another stand-alone software called Boxshot 3D (sure some of you may have heard of) from eCover design point of view. The purpose of this is to bring to light, key but subtle differences in these 2 software, so that you can see for yourself which direction you would like to take, and ultimately benefit from your own decision-making. This I feel, is crucial if you would want to accomplish your task fairly easy and quick in a matter of hours instead of days.
Photoshop, The Grand Daddy of Image Manipulation Software
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To the design industry, Photoshop is not new. In fact, it is the de-facto No. 1 software that every designer has to know how to use as part of his/her arsenal set of graphic tools. But, outside this industry not everyone knows how to use it correctly and productively though. Of course, for that kind of prices that Photoshop is charging, it comes with all the bells and whistles. Practically, one can do a lot of things in Photoshop other than it’s actions. From the internet marketer’s point of view, this software can help tremendously in generating flat images and in some cases 3D dimensional images given the right input of photos and good content, to produce stunning or great looking visuals of virtual or pre-made products. See an example below:
Further, with a good amount of photoshop skills (if you can master the basics), you are free to manipulate any graphics on your own freewill, without having to wait for your outsourced personnel to make amendments for you while you wait. One could change your layout or design of your eCover product fairly quickly and hence can get the job done up fast. With other advanced features, one can look forward to better imagery and aesthetic designs on your eCover products.
As with all things, there are cons of using Photoshop. First, it’s expensive to own. At this point of writing, a stand-alone version of Photoshop will cost US$699 for one-time fee or a monthly subscription fee of US$49. Whichever, one has to cough money upfront to make such a purchase.
After the purchase, you have to learn how to use it in order to maximize your investment. To some of you, the software may be too complicated to use and that you may not have the time and patience to pick up these new skills. It may take a beginner to learn Photoshop a comfortable time period to truly use Photoshop with ease. For one, the interface of Photoshop can contain lots of features which are not are apparent to a beginner. Worst still, one can get intimidated with too many features and get lost in using them altogether.
Photoshop can generate super photorealistic images for eCovers. But, you need advanced skills and special techniques to achieve that level of realism that you’re looking for. Unless you’ve that passion to pick up these special niche skills set, you will face an uphill struggle to get your eCover image to look as real as a photograph-taken one. Indeed, there’s a learning curve required.
Huh, Who’s Boxshot 3D?
Next, let us take a look at this Boxshot 3D.
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Boxshot 3D is an independent desktop piece of virtual eCover generation software. It can operate with or without Photoshop. Actually, it is an eCover software renderer. It basically renders a flat 2D eCover into a 3D one. It will not allow you to layout or design any eCover, but it can enable you to import any 2D image and turn it into a 3D one. The good thing about Boxshot 3D is that it’s a one time investment of US$80 with guaranteed free upgrades in the future. One can do the 3D eCover entirely yourself without high learning curve. In addition, it is constantly upgraded with improved features and bug fixed over time. Example of features and interface is found below:
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As you may observe, the interface is relatively simple to understand and use. A fantastic feature that is only available in Boxshot 3D and not in others is that you can have photo-realistic eCover images (including realistic shadows) of your products, rendered in raytracing. Oh, you may ask – what does that mean? Boxshot 3D can basically perform physically simulation of light distribution and produce photorealistic images. Hence, the end result can be achieved more productively in terms of time and least effort. All the interface contains are menu tabs, drop-down list for selections, level drags for minute adjustments and tweaks which can found on the right side of the software’s interface. These tabs allow you to choose and adjust shapes, setup camera, lighting and environment and finally render your virtual cover.
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Another thing that I see which is advantageous is you can tweak and fine-tune the lighting environment (refer to above image) and a number of preset eCover options created for your use. Simply load any preset or customize it with your own imported image, explore with advanced materials such as bump and specular effects, and you’re set to have 3D eCover within the shortest possible time. Export the 3D model to standard formats such as jpg, gif or png after you rendered the image. Overall, it is easier to use and maintain this software.
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Then again, Boxshot 3D does have some limitations, though minor ones. One had to layout or design a flat image and import into it. It does not offer a proper feature to layout titles, content and graphics. One had to either do it externally in Photoshop or other 2D image program and bring it into Boxshot 3D for further tweaking. Furthermore, when comes to high-res image renders, you may have to wait several minutes for a typical 300dpi file to complete its rendering. It greatly helps if you’ve lots of RAM installed on your computer.
There you have it. If you’re keen to know about the exact differences between Photoshop and Boxshot 3D, check out the free resource here.
(Note: this discussion is largely based on my own experience and opinion as an user. No hard and fast rule. Just take this with a pinch of salt. Individual’s opinion defers.)
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