OpenCanvas - Or Something Else?

[Aqua-chan]

I'm in dire need of a new digital art program. I recently completed my trial of OpenCanvas and utterly fell in love with it, but when I attempt to buy the program the purchase form is utterly impossible. See, OpenCanvas' distribution site is based in Japan, and after registration it subsequently requires a Japan address to advance in the buying process. Being American, this leaves me at a loss. I've looked everywhere on the site for help, but what isn't in Japanese is barely decipherable.

So here I am, feeling just a bit downtrodden and wondering what my alternatives are. I have toyed with the idea of Photoshop, but I'm afraid it won't be very user-friendly. For the price of it I want to ensure that it will last me many, many years. Does anyone use this? Is there a particularly good version I should look at?

I currently can default to the old old old Jasc Paint Shop Pro 7 in the mean time. Does anyone have any other recommendations of products out there that I'm not aware of?

[Tricky]

Gimp has made its way from Linux to Windows. I'm a long time Jasc PSP 5.0 / 7.0 user myself, and I had no problems adapting to Gimp. It's Open Source & free.

GIMP - The GNU Image Manipulation Program

[Moonbiter]

Gimp is good. Photoshop today requires at least a year of intensive education, at which point they'll release the new version...

[Aqua-chan]

Tricky, I could kiss you. My big issue with other free software was the fact that they weren't pressure sensitive (and after having bought a very expensive Wacom tablet to get that feature, I thought I was going to be SOL), but you have done me a service.

The persistent interface bothers me, seeing how the menus will stay on screen even if I minimize the program, but that's a small tradeoff for getting the thing for free.

[Tricky]

My pleasure. Show us a drawing sometime.