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How to create a Glass, Aqua, or Vista Icons PI 12 or should I do it in Xara Xtreme ?
Does anyone know how to make a glass, aqua, or vista icon effect in PI 12 ? I find that the lighting and transparency effects in PI do not give the effect I am looking for, like in Xara Xtreme, or from what I have seen in Illustrator. Or maybe I have not played around long enough in PI as I should.
Anyone have any pros or cons to using either graphics package ?
Also, is PI 12 a vector or bitmap graphics program ?
Thanks all !!!
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Re: How to create a Glass, Aqua, or Vista Icons PI 12 or should I do it in Xara Xtrem
If you don't know whether its a vector or bitmap application, why are you asking if you should draw in it. If you own and use PI 12 isn't the answer obvious? I don't use it, so I don't know ... but you should!
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Re: How to create a Glass, Aqua, or Vista Icons PI 12 or should I do it in Xara Xtrem
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ss-kalm
If you don't know whether its a vector or bitmap application, why are you asking if you should draw in it. If you own and use PI 12 isn't the answer obvious? I don't use it, so I don't know ... but you should!
If the answer was right there, or if it were only that simple to find out, the question would not have been posed.
I like what PI has to offer in goodies, but Xtreme has better light effects which it looks to give graphics better lookin aqua/glass/vista lighting effects (although it takes more steps to perform a similar function in Xtreme than it would in PI, thanks to its outstanding library of effects that PI offers, but when it comes to the end result, Xara Xtreme looks to outshine PI when creating graphics, my conclusion is because Xara uses different lighting techniques than what is offered in PI), and Xara Xtreme lets you know that its a vector program. I am having a hard time trying to find out whether PI is a vector or bitmap program.
If I am wrong about the lighting effects comparison between both applications, then would someone care to share on how they create stunning aqua graphics in PI ?
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Re: How to create a Glass, Aqua, or Vista Icons PI 12 or should I do it in Xara Xtrem
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Re: How to create a Glass, Aqua, or Vista Icons PI 12 or should I do it in Xara Xtrem
Thanks for the info !!! I feel like I am getting double talk when I see - although PI is a bitmap program, it has vector graphic shapes.
I like PI with the tools it has to offer, but I wish they would become a vector drawing tool along with giving the light and transparent effects needed to create an aqua/glass/vista graphics.
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Re: How to create a Glass, Aqua, or Vista Icons PI 12 or should I do it in Xara Xtrem
I have no experience of ulead photoimpact
However there are programs that are bitmap oriented with some vector tools, which I suspect this is
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Re: How to create a Glass, Aqua, or Vista Icons PI 12 or should I do it in Xara Xtrem
I am suspecting that PI creates the images in vector format, but converts them to a Bitmap Image when saved in non-UFO format.
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Re: How to create a Glass, Aqua, or Vista Icons PI 12 or should I do it in Xara Xtrem
All versions of PhotoImpact are bitmap editors that also can use vectors when in path mode.
I have used PI for a few years and enjoy it's capabilities but since finding Xara Xtreme, PI is rarely used.
Xara is now my main drawing program and PI is kept as the image editor.
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Re: How to create a Glass, Aqua, or Vista Icons PI 12 or should I do it in Xara Xtrem
Gel and Vista type buttons can easily be done in PI basically using the same techniques as Xara, using gradient , fadeout transparency, and soft edges. However you will find Xara’s gradient , transparency, and softedge tools vastly superior for this type of work.
In its price bracket, it’s my opinion that PI excel’s in two areas: Photo manipulation which I do not use very much, and its “Material Palette” which is the main reason I use this very under rated program. The Material dialog has a very good array of bevel, shading, light, reflection & bump map choices for vector format graphics. One can produce extraordinary photo realistic objects and surfaces with the ease of a few mouse clicks. Saving in PI’s ufo format maintains vector state.
Major drawbacks are its inability to export a usable vector format, and it has no Boolean capability to speak of. Fortunately it can import ai vector format, so I just use Xara if I require a more complex vector
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Re: How to create a Glass, Aqua, or Vista Icons PI 12 or should I do it in Xara Xtrem
eGreetings,
I have a couple of video tutorials available on my web site on how to do this. The videos are in flash, done with Camtasia.
They take a while to download, so grab a snack and come back.
Hope this helps.
Kind Regards,
Jerimg
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Re: How to create a Glass, Aqua, or Vista Icons PI 12 or should I do it in Xara Xtrem
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Re: How to create a Glass, Aqua, or Vista Icons PI 12 or should I do it in Xara Xtrem
Well done Jeri. Clear and easy to follow. Results look really good.
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Re: How to create a Glass, Aqua, or Vista Icons PI 12 or should I do it in Xara Xtrem
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Jerr
Gel and Vista type buttons can easily be done in PI basically using the same techniques as Xara, using gradient , fadeout transparency, and soft edges. However you will find Xara’s gradient , transparency, and softedge tools vastly superior for this type of work.
In its price bracket, it’s my opinion that PI excel’s in two areas: Photo manipulation which I do not use very much, and its “Material Palette” which is the main reason I use this very under rated program. The Material dialog has a very good array of bevel, shading, light, reflection & bump map choices for vector format graphics. One can produce extraordinary photo realistic objects and surfaces with the ease of a few mouse clicks. Saving in PI’s ufo format maintains vector state.
Major drawbacks are its inability to export a usable vector format, and it has no Boolean capability to speak of. Fortunately it can import ai vector format, so I just use Xara if I require a more complex vector
I completely agree with your comment.
PhotoImpact is often understimated and have some very good features (good materials management and quite good vector handling).
