Any advice please ;) Adobe Illustrator v11 or Xara X ?????

[RAMWolff44]

I love that name!! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif Welcome to the forums, hope to see your work as it progresses!!

Gary is the King of XaraX and is the main WebMaster for most, if not all, of Xara's web sites, at least I think I have that one right!! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif He is SOOOO right about the difference of ease of use between XaraX and CorelDraw!! NO comparison what so ever.

Good luck and happy tutorialing, it's a wonderful program!! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

Richard http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

---Wolff On The Prowl---

[gwpriester]

Just the Xara Xone and the sites related to the Xara Xone, Richard. Xara Ltd. has their own web staff.

Gary

Gary Priester

Moderator Person


Click to make The Xara Xone #1

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

[ashpurple]

Gary, Christine, Richard and John:
What a happy family and in such a short space of time. Helpful replies to which I an very grateful and even the happy event from Christine's Grand-daughter, thanks for sharing your happiness http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

QUESTION: Does this mean the end to CorelDraw '?' with Xara X taking over as version 12 so to speak for CorelDraw?

OK, this is how I would like to aim: As my profile: Full-time Audio Visual Design then leaving that for Air Traffic (a total tangent), with freelancing for 'Coopers & Lybrand' in Desk-top-publishing (CorelDraw & Lotus Freelance). The two jobs at the same time to stay with the Graphics. (Shift work enabled this). Then a gap after seven and a half years after 'Price Waterhouse' merged with Coopers & Lybrand and 'Good bye the Freelance Graphic Designers'!!!. Keeping my hand in with Computer Graphics as a hobby now. Aiming to transfer within 'National Air Traffic Services' to their Multimedia Department to utilise my Graphic skills which would include Multimedia Graphics using Flash, Photoshop and CorelDraw. Either a positive move eventually, or (redundancy, you never know these days), so Web Design being the modern thing it would seem the best field to get into. Now, with no programming skills behind me (htlm or whatever), Dreamweaver MX would seem the best way to create the web sites as it is Graphic oriented rather that programming.

>>>> OK the bottom line >>>>

With the goal to move into Multimedia Graphic Design and Web Design, have I picked the best software to get into: Dreamweaver MX, Flash MX, Photoshop, Xara X and not forgetting CorelDraw >>>> (or should I forget CorelDraw metaphorically speaking ?). ???????????????

Ashley

PS - For John who liked my name ... (ashpurple = user name) [A S H = short for Ashley; A S H = My initials = Ashley Stephen Haddock, and the Purple, well, it is my favourit colour LOL http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

[RAMWolff44]

http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

No I don't think it's the end of CorelDraw at all.

In my experience and what I know from this whole thing is that Corel aquired Xara and renamed it CorelXara (I still have my copy just for old times sake http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif ) and then in that time, during the merger of the two, Corel took (stole, whatever http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif ) Xara's model and made it their own. So that's why Gary says that if you decide to go with Draw there is some familiarity but the ease of use is not there and it's klunky and will cause hair loss (because you will be pulling it out of your head tying to get taske done!!)

I think their other application called Corel Designer is also a take off of Xara but it a whopping $469.00 http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/eek.gif More for technical drawing .

So as you can see, for ease of use and a bargain too XaraX is the way to go. There are other vector or vector based apps out there that are a little cheaper but they DO NOT deliver what XaraX can deliver!!

I may not have the story completely straight but I'm sure that Gary will come through and set it right, but I know I'm not that far off.

Anyway, enjoy, these are the forums to beat all forums!! Family type of atmosphere, that's what it's become to many of us. There are lurkers that pop in from time to time to ask questions and then there are those members that pop in that are a little more stand offish but friendly just the same, answer questions and give their opinions in some of the OT (off topic) or on topic subjects. We are even blessed with the occasional visit from a member from Xara Ltd. from time to time (but don't hold your breath dear!! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif ) We use the Test Forum for our 'General Chat' forum (jokes and what not).

It's all good, enjoy and have fun Ashley! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

Richard http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

---Wolff On The Prowl---

[alexbozhenov]

Hello Ashely,

I'm not the best in English, but I fully agree with Gary.

Publishing - Illustrator.
All other - XaraX is the best.

I'm use Illustrator, CorelDraw and Xarax.

90% of job - in XaraX, then if needed, export to Illustrator or Corel for finishing...

I don't like Corel Draw, I think it is a monster http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

XaraX more frendly and easy to understand even with my poor English http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

Be happy! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

===============
alexander



email

ALBO Design

[masque]

I agree with all thats been said above. You can't beat xara, I've tried. Produce an image in xara and then try to reproduce it in illustrator or coreldraw and not only will it take three times as long the end result will be a pale shadow of what can be achieved in xara.
I am largley involved in illustration and if I use a computer I have to use xara as my patience is short.
Check out the galleries and Artists of the Month in XaraXone. You just could not do it with the imitators and pretenders.

derek

[ashpurple]

Thanks all for your advice. It is amazing what you can do with Xara X for the price compared to the price of Coreldraw. I have Photoshop v7 but not quite as familiar to it as Photopaint. (I still have not used the masking yet). One of the things that I do find helpful is how CorelPhotoPaint kicks in if you want to work on a bitmap picture from CorelDraw and then when finished and you exit CorelPhotopaint, the changes have been made in CorelDraw where the original artwork is being created. Now using Xara X if you wanted to do similar, would you use Photoshop or CorelPhotopaint ?

Secondly, I have also got hold of Knockout v2 but have not used it yet. However, it works within the EFFECTS button both in CorelDraw v10 and Photoshop v7. Loading the new CorelDraw v11, Knockout v2 is not there. Is it a case of reloading Knockout again so CorelDraw v11 picks it up? (I have tried to arm myself with the software I need and not as yet started to use or learn them all as each takes many hours of practice). One step at a time http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

[RAMWolff44]

http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

I am a user of PhotoPaint and unfortunately there is not interaction with XaraX in a direct sort of way. You can save a "painterly" type of drawing and export it from PhotoPaint import it into Xara or vice versa. I found it to be a bit tricky because the filters for say a .gif file format with transparency are a bit different in each program, but with a little bit of research I have been mostly successful in both programs.

Here is an example of a project called "Moms Angel" that I did a little while back, you can take a look at her here:

http://talkgraphics.infopop.net/1/Op...1&m=3851998925

She is a true mixture of PhotoPaint and XaraX and then some finishing touches done in PhotoImpact (allowed me to create a very realistic 'canvas paper' effect. My mom upon receiving her was doubting that I had done it on the computer, it's looks like canvas. http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif Thet effect was done later, so I never up loaded an example of this effect here at TG!!

The program PhotoImpact is a very good program too, it's a very rich program that allow you to do both painterly and vector stuff in one work environment. There is a learning curve but if you are looking for a mix like that then this would be, in all honesty, something to consider.

You can find forums here in TalkGraphics and here:

http://pibb.infopop.cc/6/ubb.x?a=cfrm&s=91260413

and Ulead's website here:

http://www.ulead.com/pi/runme.htm

Hope this information is helpful to ya!! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

Richard http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

---Wolff On The Prowl---

[ashpurple]

Richard, I see what you mean. There has been a lot of work gone into your Angel. Just a moment or two studying her tells a story of then many techniques you have made....or rather trying to work out how you did it LOL http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif One thing I am itching to ask....... Do you use a Digitising Pad and pen ???? Or is it purely using a mouse for your creation. I find that one does not have the same control sometimes with a mouse that a pen may have for doing 'Paintley' Artwork (Now you have me saying it LOL 'P a i n t l e y' . I once used one when creating more professional Graphics years ago but do not have one now. It is most frustrating when trying to obtain one, it usually means paying ££££'s and that is for a small one at that.

I know what you mean by cutting around things away from the background. That is why I have recently got hold of Knockout v2. Samples of it's use is most amazing for cutting out for example frizzy hair. It comes with a good video demonstration but to be honest I have not had the time to practice it. I have discovered another problem. To access is, you simply go into 'EFFECTS' on both Photoshop and also PhotPaint (Corel) and it opens. I have just this week loaded the new (for me), CorelDraw v11 but it is not in the 'EFFECTS' button as it is with the Photopaint?????? It is only a guess, but I think that I may have to reload it after loading CorelDrw v11 and it magically appears. This is what happened with v10.

Thanks Richard and well done with Devine Creation. http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[ashpurple]

I have Illustrator v10 the latest. I am not up to speed with it by a long shot but I get the jist of what you are saying. 90% Xara X.

Thanks http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Ashley