Which program would you say is better for illustrators, sai or photoshop?
I’m not sure I could say definitively either way--they both have their pros and cons, and are both perfectly capable of facilitating work of a professional caliber!
SAI is lightweight, simple, and cheap (<$60 USD). I find the default brushes and stroke quality to be better than Photoshop’s, and despite it’s small size, it offers a lot of basic PS-like functionality (layers, blending options, clipping masks, as well as saving in PSD format). It really only functions on a PC, however, and I find the support for the newer Windows operating systems to be lacking. It’s also really not geared towards editing and polishing, nor is it particularly good with large files. I think it’s a great option for people just starting out or who have a very limited budget, as well as folks who work more painterly and with fewer layers. It’s still my favorite program for sketching, though I haven’t been able to use it much lately.
Photoshop is often considered the industry standard (despite not technically being geared towards drawing and painting--the default brushes leave a lot to be desired), and it is certainly a powerful and robust program. I’m able to create and edit massive files, both in dimension and layer content, and it facilitates mockups, drafting, and rapid iteration much more effectively. But for all its capabilities, its complexity can be very intimidating, and budget computers might have trouble running it smoothly. Plus, it’s subscription based, which really adds up over time and can totally screw over lower income artists. PS is an advanced tool that can work magic when you know how to use it, and something you should be proficient in if you’re looking to get certain industry jobs.
I’ve also heard great things about Clip Studio Paint, which is another PS/SAI alternative, but I haven’t used it enough myself to comment on its functionality yet.
