what application/tool to use to create icons?

[beachdog]

This is going to sound like a horrible newbie question (it is), but given that I have to create png files for my tab bar icons etc, what tool on the Mac OS X should I use? Does said tool allow me to create the kinds of icons that also have text labels embedded, as many tab bar icons do?

[Trajectory]

I use Photoshop.

[DipDog3]

GIMP (it's free)

[theagentx]

Does anyone here use PhotoShop (or GIMP) to develope the UI components or does everyone use IB for everything? I see screenshots from devs that have photoshop up and are designing UI, but does that file somehow make it into the actual app? or is it just for Mock-ups of the "end result?"

[Delirium39]

I use Photoshop for all my graphics.

[kainjow]

Does anyone here use PhotoShop (or GIMP) to develope the UI components or does everyone use IB for everything? I see screenshots from devs that have photoshop up and are designing UI, but does that file somehow make it into the actual app? or is it just for Mock-ups of the "end result?"

I worked with a designer on an app and he'd just send me the PSD files and I'd incorporate them into IB however appropriately. I don't think I'd ever let a designer make my nibs ;)

One of the icon designers I've worked with used Illustrator first for basic layouts of the icon (to support higher resolutions) and then for details would use Photoshop.

[theagentx]

TO get the png files into IB? Is this done by importing the different PNG files into Xcode and using the plists and such to point to the images?