Photoshop vs. XaraX

[wfcentral]

O.k., let me get this straight first...

I AM NOT TRYING TO START A FIRE --- I don't want to hear any slams against one program or the other...however, I have a situation and would like some input from people who have experience with Photoshop AND Xara.

I have 4.5yrs experience with Xara and about 15 minutes experience with Photoshop. I have just taken on a new job as webmaster for a University. One of my staff members is an excellent Photoshop artist. We are about to start an overhaul of the website and will be creating hundreds of graphics. I would like to be using the same program as my staff member.

My choices are...

1. learn Photoshop
2. have my staff member learn XaraX

I don't want to force anyone to give up a tool that they have tons of experience in... however, if I can come up with some concrete reasons why Xara might be a better choice then I'll suggest it...

Robert

[wfcentral]

O.k., let me get this straight first...

I AM NOT TRYING TO START A FIRE --- I don't want to hear any slams against one program or the other...however, I have a situation and would like some input from people who have experience with Photoshop AND Xara.

I have 4.5yrs experience with Xara and about 15 minutes experience with Photoshop. I have just taken on a new job as webmaster for a University. One of my staff members is an excellent Photoshop artist. We are about to start an overhaul of the website and will be creating hundreds of graphics. I would like to be using the same program as my staff member.

My choices are...

1. learn Photoshop
2. have my staff member learn XaraX

I don't want to force anyone to give up a tool that they have tons of experience in... however, if I can come up with some concrete reasons why Xara might be a better choice then I'll suggest it...

Robert

[mgeduld]

If I were making this decision, I'd think a lot about the type of graphics that are going on the site. I know this is a gross oversimplification of the capabilities of both Xara and Photoshop, but...

-- clean, geometric shapes --> Xara
-- nuturalistic/painterly or photographic based --> Photoshop

Also, think about if there's anything else you need to realize the site design besides creating the graphics. For instance, many of my sites involve complex slicing of images (and separate optimization of each slice). This is really a job for Photoshop (or Fireworks) and not Xara.

Oh, and if you can spare the time, you would do yourself a world of good if you mastered Photoshop. And your assistant would greatly benefit from learning Xara. I use BOTH on both sites.

Why don't you teach each other?

Marcus Geduld
{ email me } { visit me }

[gidgit]

1) considering that you both have considerable experience with graphic apps it should really be no problem to get by with each other's chosen app, while using your prefered app to truly let your creative forces shine... [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

2) when it comes to slicing and optimizing images/pages and then saving as html the best choice IMHO would be Ulead's PI v7...slice right on the canvas, optimize in the pop up, and save as html...it automatically provides the image subfolder for ya... ( you don't need to learn the whole program for this, just use the built in image browser, drag and drop, slice, optimize and save... ( you could learn this task within an hour and save yourselves a whole lot of time from there... [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

3) when compiling your files for the web, IMO there is no easier WYSIWYG web editor than Namo Web Editor, and even if ya hand code....Namo's photo gallery creator is outstanding, well worth checking out...

good luck in your endevours



[img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[dalel]

Perhaps that would be beneficial, but not necessary. I would think both of your using the same HTML editor would be more advantageous.

Your staff member could train on Xara X gradually, while you train likewise on Photoshop, and meanwhile you can both contribute to the redesign. Designing is mostly creative and in the mind, and the app only makes it real.

You can learn the parts of Photoshop that would be most used for web design with Lynda Weinman's book: Photoshop and ImageReady HOT(Hands on Training) for the Web(Peachpit Press), and you would not have to immediately learn the many functions of Photoshop that don't directly apply to web design. I was able to go through this book in a couple of weeks part-time, and get down the basics of creating images/graphics, optimizing, slicing, etc.

I was a 99% Photoshop user before I got Xara X, and now I use Xara X for about 80% of my web graphics, and mostly use Photoshop for manipulating bitmap images, slicing, and some optimization.

http://www.eyesitewebdesign.com/dale.gif

Why, I’m afraid I can’t explain myself, sir, because I’m not myself, you know...
- Lewis Carroll

[Erik Heyninck]

Gidgid and Dale are right: joining forces of two experienced artists, each with his own preferred tool makes you much stronger as a team. And the learning of eachothers apps will come smoothly by looking at eachothers work with open eyes and mind.
I wish you a lot of succes in your job, and lots of fun too. I am not a specialist in either app (still prefer my pencils and brushes...) but I never felt as if they couldn't work together. Xara is mostly drawing, PS is more painting and darkroom.
Indeed, using the same html app might be more vital...

http://www.photoshopgurus.info/forum...ine=1019851685

[roman]

You can do everything in Xara.

I only muiss much better control over pixel exact graphics (everything is rendered, it's especially anoying on pixel-exact-like fonts). There is no possibility to retouch, or pixel manipulate bitmaps. From other quite important things I would like to mention stroke. Xara can't make outer stroke which is especially anoying on text graphics which is needed in banner editing and web design quite ofte. Photoshop also has quite welll working layer-work organisation, much better that Xara.

Still if you want to create (whether it is fire or anything) use Xara. If you want to manipulate, use Photoshop ;-).

[gwpriester]

Someone said in this conference a few months ago,

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> If all you use is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I love that thought.

Anyway, why not teach your colleagues Xara and let them teach you Photoshop, and then you both can decide when to use Xara and when to use Photoshop, or any other appropriate application?

I have done some very delicate and accurate slicing in Xara without a hitch and would use it anyday for this. The images and buttons on RL=http://www.gwpriester.com]My Home Page[/URL] were all sliced in Xara and assembled in NetObjects Fusion.

If you need to do bitmap editing, then Photoshop has many more tools.

So it should not be one or the other, it should be both.

Gary

Gary Priester

Moderator Person

<a href="http://www.gwpriester.com">
www.gwpriester.com </a>


XaraXone

[Clements]

My strong belief is that you should attempt to learn PhotoShop and your colleages "learn" Xara X. And I say this not necessarily from an artistic standpoint but from a "management" standpoint. I think your colleages will have a greater respect for you if they know you are willing and want to learn something that is important to them.

Besides, this could be a synergistic type thing. Using Photoshop may inspire you to use Xara in new ways and vice versa for your associates using Photoshop.

I had a similar situation years ago when I was put into a position of supervising an engineering change control group (technical documentation at Tektronix) where I had to learn, of all things, word processing. It was my first experienced with computers and it is what started me down a new career path. I was told by higher level management that a "manager" does not have to know how to do everything ... just know how to lead, BUT I felt I could not direct a group of co-workers unless I was as knowledgeable as they were with the application (even though I was very experience in the other processes of the job). So I studied everything I could and in the end became an "expert" ... although I still can't type worth a damn. : )

[This message was edited by John S. Clements on May 07, 2002 at 07:37.]

[behzad]

Learn both, you will harvest the results later on.
Each program has something to offer.
[img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]