New Version of Photo & Graphic Designer

[katemoir]

We’ve just released a new version of Photo & Graphic Designer. As always you can find an overview of what’s new on our website @ http://www.xara.com/photo-graphic-designer/whats-new/ and detailed information in the Release Notes @ http://releasenotes.xara.hosting/pgd365/ but here are some of the highlights:

• Paint on photo effects with the new Photo Effect painter
• 25+ photo filter presets in the Online Content Catalog
• Magnetic Lasso for quick and easy cut-outs
• New XProcess option in the photo enhance tool
• New color dodge & burn transparency blend modes
• Google Material Design icons added to the symbol library
• New SmartShapes such as charts, text panels, photo grids and a new spiral
• Enhanced Content Catalog with search and an integrated stock photo library
• Improved Word, PDF, RTF and PSD support

Like Web Designer it benefits from the Update Guarantee, you can find out more about that on http://www.xara.com/update-guarantee/

We hope you enjoy the new version!

[gwpriester]

From my first look there are some very nice improvements. And the Stock Photos Collection (Content Catalog) is worth the price of the program alone. Note to users who don't see any photos in the Content Catalog, enter a keyword or two in the new Search box and it shall be revealed.

The paint on photo effects give you more control over editing just a portion of a photo.

The new intuitive controls for editing photos (rotate, resize, round corners, etc.) are going to be a real time saver and the similar new controls on smart shapes are something to check out.

Dodge and Burn blend options are a welcome edition to the transparency filters.

Nicely done.

[angelize]

I'm waiting for Designer Pro so I am hoping these may still be coming, but the lack of any more improvements on the brushes is disappointing. I'm not sure about the photo presets I can see them being useful if you could save your own and adjust the intensity or opacity of the preset as a whole. Maybe when DP is out and I've had a chance to try them.
The stock photos from Pixabay sound really good, I've used pixabay before and already have an account with them so will be looking forward to seeing how that works. If there will be access to the whole pixabay library from within Xara that will be wonderful, there are photos, vector artwork and videos on pixabay as well.

[siran]

Would have upgraded anyway, but now I am really looking forward to the release of the new version of Designer Pro.

[hseiken]

Gah, I feel like I just upgraded from 10. :\

But I do like that new photo process brush. I was just thinking about that being a real photo editing weakness today and next thing I know, it's in there....

can't upgrade till next paycheck, but this looks like a much better upgrade than 11 was from 10.


Also, can anyone report if the effect brush works on non-photo shapes?

[Michael]

What's more important is the way the software is delivered. Xara sell's a license to use the software and in return for your money you also get a year free of updates. From the website: "For the 365 days from purchase you’ll get access to new feature, updates and content. At the end of the 365 days you can choose to upgrade again, or not. If you choose not to, then the online services (the online Content Catalog) will be removed or restricted (these are online services anyway that would typically be part of a subscription"

That is an interesting construction and though I'm really sympathetic towards Computer Concepts and the idea of selling this way of delivering software renders some questions. Are you entitled to upgrades when the product fails (i.e. you discover a bug after more then one year)? And what to do with a leap year?

And where is the Magix moniker?

[maddog81]

Do we know if there is a Pro version on the way?

Katemoir,Angelize, could you elaborate?

Best!

Maddog

[gwpriester]

If the past is any indication, maddog81, soon.

[gracehjs]

In the future with the new system, we should all get the new stuff at the same time.

[wizard509]

I am having a few problems that so far I cannot quite figure out.
1. Is it possible to create a custom shaped mold if so how do I get it into the mold tool?
2. I cannot find the Xara Picture Editor or how to put 3rd party plugins such as filter forge, has it been renamed in 365?