so im thinking about buying xara extreme...

[lazerdancer]

i have some questions though. is the xara company homepage the only place to buy xara? is there a place to buy a legit copy cheaper? im a total art newbie so im not sure if if i want extreme or extreme pro?

i come from a musical background so i dont have a graphics tablet yet. do i need one to create decent work in xara or can i get by with only a mouse? how important is a graphics tablet in vector drawing? is xara hard to learn? what can xara realy do in the right hands? do i realy want xara? why? did magix realy buy xara. how has your experience been with the switch?

thanx lazerdancer.

[masque]

lazerdancer
Xara is starting to appear in various shops soon due to its association with Majik. There will apparently be two versions, a majix (its spelt funny I think) and the more traditional Xara version which will I think only be avalable through the website, thats the one I'd go for.
As for tablets or mouse, then either is fine. You certainly don't have to have a tablet to get started and you might not want one if you find you can do what you want with a mouse.
Download the trial if you haven't already you'll see you don't need a pencil sustitute to get started.
Derek

[lazerdancer]

lazerdancer
Xara is starting to appear in various shops soon due to its association with Majik. There will apparently be two versions, a majix (its spelt funny I think) and the more traditional Xara version which will I think only be avalable through the website, thats the one I'd go for.

whats the difference between the magix version and the traditional xara? why traditional over magix?

[The Alien]

Hi and welcome!

i have some questions though. is the xara company homepage the only place to buy xara? is there a place to buy a legit copy cheaper?

No, you can buy it from other places. Depends on where you live. If you're a student, you can get discount but you'd have to buy Xtreme from a store that has close ties with Xara (not Walmart or other superstores, I'm thinking). Their site has a list of these stores IIRC.

im a total art newbie so im not sure if if i want extreme or extreme pro?

See the comparison. Pro is more for publishers and people who want to animate.

i come from a musical background so i dont have a graphics tablet yet. do i need one to create decent work in xara or can i get by with only a mouse? how important is a graphics tablet in vector drawing?

That depends on what you're planning to draw. It's not like you won't be able to draw without a tablet. But I think you'll find that with a tablet, you'll be able to draw more organic stuff: humans, animals, cartoons etc.
A mouse is more fit for drawing inanimate objects. But it all comes down to how good you are at drawing. Even some people with a mouse can create amazing stuff with Xara
I come from a medical background and don't have a tablet either. I don't draw organic things (don't need to) and I'm very happy with Xara

is xara hard to learn?

It's easy to learn what each button in Xara Xtreme does. How you use those buttons to create a good picture is hard. You have to find your own theme and style for drawing. E.g. what do you draw? Musical instruments, household objects, buildings, people, animals, plants, vehicles...? And how do you draw them? With abstract shapes (minimalistic), cartoonish, lifelike, line art, complex fills...?
These will all take time until you figure out what kind of artist you are.

what can xara realy do in the right hands? do i realy want xara? why? did magix realy buy xara. how has your experience been with the switch?

In the right hands Xtreme will blow you and me away. Your jaw will drop. And you'd wonder if there's a chance you could be as good as the artist who has drawn that fantastic picture
I'll leave it to other members here to show you the proof of that (I've got little time ATM)

Whether you want it is your own decision. I can say that if you decide to buy it, you would have made a very good choice and that there's people here who would help you should you encounter problems. Xara is very intuitive; made for dummies who don't wanna bother typing in numbers but just want to point and click to get the right effect. It's loaded with features and offers many possibilities.

Magix has bought Xara. No one has experience on that, as Xara still have to release their product under Magix's name for the first time.

[masque]

whats the difference between the magix version and the traditional xara? why traditional over magix?

Maybe no difference, its just I don't like change and prefer to stick with the xara version rather than the unknown Magic version of the new software when it comes out. The existing version of Xtreme or Xtreme Pro will still be current and will almost certainly forefill your need for the foreseeable future.
Take a look at Xaraxone.com Artist of the Month feature for a glimpse of what people produce with XtremePro, Xtreme or previous versions, there nothing to loose in trying the software for a few days to see if you get on with it.
Frankly if you find a copy of XaraX or earlier on Ebay for next to nothing it will do most of what the latest versions will do as regards it basic drawing functions and its that that you need to get to grips with to start producing your own drawings.
Derek

[MarkMyWords]

I have a graphics tablet, but when using Xtreme I tend to use the mouse for almost everything.

[raynerj1]

im a total art newbie so im not sure if if i want extreme or extreme pro?
lazerdancer.

I suggest purchasing xtreme. The cost is less and you can always upgrade to pro if you have the need.

Pro is tailored more towards the graphics professional which means they have to send there art to print shops which is a very different from printing on a home printer. (Many more hoops one has to jump through to get your art to look the way it should.)

i come from a musical background so i dont have a graphics tablet yet. do i need one to create decent work in xara or can i get by with only a mouse?how important is a graphics tablet in vector drawing?
lazerdancer.

If you are more comfortable drawing with a pencil/pen or brush then dropping a couple lines and bending em to shape then you might need a tablet. I think Ron Duke uses a mouse to draw with. I personally have both, but use the mouse more then the tablet. I want a line to look the way I want it and I can do it with a mouse easier.

is xara hard to learn?

lazerdancer.

Most people can create a simple drawing just from playing with the tools. I always suggest watching the videos that come with Xara. You can get a lot of tips on what you can and can not do with the tools just from watching them. The xaraxone.com has many years worth of great, step by step, tutorials showing how to create very realistic art with xara. I would do a tut or 2 then audit a few more and you will be creating some stuff that will amaze you. If you get beyond that then the forums here are fantastic for ideas, tips, tricks and just a new way of doing something. Most of the regulars here are professional graphic artists or should be if they do not admit it. They are very helpful in answering any of the questions you might stumble upon.

what can xara realy do in the right hands?
lazerdancer.

For the last couple of years there is a monthly post called "Stop and Post". This thread has sample works from many xara artists showing what they are working on at the moment. Some pieces might be finished, some might just be started. So you can easily see what most of the people who hang out here are doing with xara. check out a few months worth and see what the average guys is doing.

The xara site has several fantasitic pieces done by some really gifted artists you can find those example here...
http://www.xara.com/gallery/

The best piece I have every seen created with xara is at the following link...

Sarah X

do i realy want xara? why?
thanx lazerdancer.

Do you want Xara? The answer is YES! YES!! YES!!! In the right hands; dirt, vegetable oil, a couple o sticks and an old sheet are all that is needed to create wonders. I would just end up having muddy sheets... But give me xara and I can create wonders with no talent what so ever. My Fair Lady

[lazerdancer]

Hi and welcome!
No, you can buy it from other places. Depends on where you live. If you're a student, you can get discount but you'd have to buy Xtreme from a store that has close ties with Xara (not Walmart or other superstores, I'm thinking). Their site has a list of these stores IIRC.

i live in virginia usa in yorktown. any stores that sell xara around virginia or yorktown? ill have a look at the xara company page

[The Alien]

i live in virginia usa in yorktown. any stores that sell xara around virginia or yorktown? ill have a look at the xara company page

...and you're a student (i.e. can prove it with a student's card or something similar)?
There are many academic resellers in the USA. If I'm correct, then "VA" is the abbreviation of Virginia, which means there's 1 reseller in your state according to that list: CampusTech, Inc.
Check out their site for info on how you can get a discount. You may want to check out other resellers on that list - maybe there are differences in the prices they offer.