do any of you pros use third-party plug-ins?

[vibetuner]

Should I look at getting some third-party plug-ins or are they just for amateurs that don't know what they're doing? Reason I ask is because I'm halfway thru:
http://photoshopgurus.info/intermediate/glass-buttons/real_glass_buttons5.shtml

Well, there are about 1,000 or so steps \:] involved in creating the thing. But the end result is beautiful. Should I continue down this gruesome path? Right now my brain is looking for an upgrade to even remember half of this.

Is this the way all u pros learned?

 

[Tron]

Lots of steps on that tutorial alright but most of us have done it 10 or 20 times for practice and to fully understand the techniques used.

I don't know your level of expertise with Photoshop, but if you are having trouble following this then I would suggest you do the tutes in the Beginner Section first. I'm sure this would help a lot.

As for the use of plug-ins, I think we all use them from time to time, but they won't replace your understanding of basic techniques.

Learning Photoshop is all about Practice, Practice, and more Practice. And having Fun 8))

 

[vibetuner]

Nice tip, thanks Rick. Yeah, my PS experience is all over the place. I have some ok knowledge of some aspects, but almost none in others I'm learning haphazardly, hehe. Mostly if I have something that needs doing, I try to get a tutorial on the same thing and do the things on an "as needed" basis.

Learning bits here and there, but I think this tutorial I'll need to go over a few times after I've finished it to soak it all in. The end result is really droolicious, so it's keeping me somewhat motivated to go on. Sometimes the faith is tested tho

 

[Welles]

I love plug-ins! I'm of the opinion that they are great fun through your beginner and intermediate stages of learning. At a certain point many of them become rather less valuable because you learn how to accomplish the end result better by knowing how to use Photoshop's tools yourself. However, many plug-ins are good quick labor saving devices. I've just experimented with the two AV Bros. plug-ins, Puzzle Pro and Page Curl and am mightily impessed.

PS My attitude is not shared by many Photoshoppers who pride themselves on their depth of skill and a disdain when seeing the same plug-in effect over and over until it becomes obvious. My attitude is based on creating images. How I get there doesn't matter. You will hear some denigrating "3rd Party Plugins." As I didn't do anything to create Photoshop, it's a "3rd Party Piece of Software" to me!

 

[Josh]

Well vibetuner, that's just a very detailed tutorial and yes, there are a lot of steps involved, but that tutorial is not just about glass buttons, it also teaches you a lot of different techniques that can be used in a lot of other areas.
It also has to do with how much time you want to spend on something like this, depending on the needs. For example, does it have to be such a perfect looking button or will one layer style do just fine:

http://robouk.mchost.com/tuts/tutorial.php?tutorial=aquapill

And I don't think that any plugin can make such a nice looking button like Mark's. Not only that, do you really want to use a plugin to create a button that looks exactly the same as the button of 100,000 other people? :\

 

[Tron]

I'm learning haphazardly, hehe. Mostly if I have something that needs doing, I try to get a tutorial on the same thing and do the things on an "as needed" basis.

A good way to get started, but keep in mind that tutorials are intended for you to learn techniques not an end to the finished product.

After you have learned enough you will find yourself doing things that will amaze you without even thinking about looking for a tutorial.

I agree with Welles on the Plugin issue.

I use them and as well I will use any other programs I can to achieve the result I'm after. I am a great fan of Vue d'Sprit, Poser and Terragen and use them all the time to create scenes that I then load into Photoshop for post work :}

 

[Josh]

PS My attitude is not shared by many Photoshoppers who pride themselves on their depth of skill and a disdain when seeing the same plug-in effect over and over until it becomes obvious.

That's not always true. Beginners who avoid plugins will learn how to use Photoshop much faster, than those who avoid every obstacle and immediately grab a plugin.
I can understand it when you write "My attitude is based on creating images. How I get there doesn't matter", but there are people who don't have that same attitude. Third party plugins or the ones in photoshop, actually it's the way you use them that makes a difference. If I see people using the same plastic wrap filter over and over or the same polar coordinates distortion... then I get bored looking at those images too.

Knowing that I get bored with it, I try to avoid to make the same mistakes. So for me it's not so much a question if we should use plugins or not, it's how we use them. That's why I would never use such an obvious plugin like page curl; it brands an image with a manufacturer name. It's the same with some Photoshop effects that are highly recognisable as being Photoshop related; I avoid this.
I?m not saying that everybody should work like this, it?s my idea about art and we all know; art doesn?t have rules.

 

[Welles]

So for me it's not so much a question if we should use plugins or not, it's how we use them.

Absolutely! KPT Page Curl did become the most notable plugin cliche. (Shudder).

 

[vibetuner]

Thanks for ur thoughts guys.

Josh, u make some excellent points. Thanks for the link to the other tutorial, it makes me appreciate the end-result on this one much more.

I have finished the button tutorial, and it looks fabulous, but I will need to do heaps more for me to become "one with the tools"

...then those crazy ideas inside me will start flowing out, I presume

Right now I'm semi-comfortable with most tools, a bit confused with blend modes, and still having trouble interpreting my ideas into PS techniques without help. I'm sure a lot more practice will put that right. Thanks again all.