A beginner user migrating from Photoshop to Xara

Hi,

I am very interested in to purchase Xara Xtreme 5, and would be very grateful if could you answer some questions, please: :)

1) I have an older version of Photoshop (version 7), and am searching for a newest and more cheaper solution. Can Xare Xtreme 5 totally sustitute Photoshop, taking in consideration that I am a very basic user?

2) Can I use Xara Xtreme 5 to create/manage both vectorial and non-vectorial images?

3) Can I import all my .PSD files on Xara and work perfectly with them, including layers, etc?

Thank you very much for your help! :)

Welcome to the forums.

You have asked questions which has been asked many times over :)

Quote:

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Can Xare Xtreme 5 totally sustitute Photoshop

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The simple answer is yes sort of, depending..
Xara Xtreme is not a raster (bitmap) editor or pixel pushing painting application.
It's more like CorelDRAW and Illustrator rather than Photoshop and the like.
It's primarily a vector based application which has grown in recent versions to include a lot more bitmap and web related features and function for most needs.

While Xtreme does support PSD import and does have a Layers and an Object gallery, it is not the same as PS's or any other bitmap editors Layering system and works quite differently to what you would expect.

Xtreme can import and work (non-destructively) with bitmaps and photos in 'vector space' and it can export vector artwork as bitmaps. It can use most .8bf type plugins, create flash and animated gif files, all your web graphics and entire WYSIWYG websites from start the finish.

My advise is to download the 30 day trial version and have a play. This is not crippled in anyway, it's the full version you would buy minus the additional clipart and fonts that you would get on the CD after purchase.

Try to forget everything you know about Photoshop and approach Xtreme with an open mind.
You'll find plenty of help right here at Talkgraphics, lot's of tutorials here and more at the XarXone.

Look around, read the FAQs, use the site search at the top right of each page and enjoy. :)

Hi sledger,

Thank you very much for your help. :)

I will take a carefully look on all you have mentioned.

So, I think I will really have to forget all about PS, and to learn a new software.

I will try, let's see. :)

Thanks for your kindness and help. Have a wonderful day!

Have a look at some of the work by Xara Artists over the years at the Xara Gallery

Look through the Featured Artists at the XaraXone.

You'll soon start to see what is possible with this really fun to use software :)

I would rather see Xara as an Illustrator alternative as it primarily a (great) piece vector editing software, even if it does some bitmap editing.

I would suggest a combination of Xara and a bitmap software to get the jobs done. I'm working with Paint Shop Pro X2 and Xara Xtreme 5 for technical illustration and graphical stuff at work and home. This is a fine combination of great and pretty cheap programs that does a fine job without emptying your account.

I should also mention the really fine Xara conditions of use: You are allowed to install one license on both your work and home PC compared to the non-flexible Adobe locked-to-one-PC license.

JimR

Dear friends,

Thanks for your recommendations and very useful informations. :)

I was taking a look on the artists and the works they have done with Xara. Fantastic! :)

And, to know that we can install, for example, Xara on our desktop and, for example, and our notebook is fantastic!

Thanks for all your fantastic help!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ewsg

Hi sledger,

So, I think I will really have to forget all about PS, and to learn a new software.

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As one that also had most of Adobe's version 7 software and spent many hours trying to do simple things, I think you will find Xara very easy to learn. The program has a very simple layout but still has behind this layout the ability to do some very impressive things. The only problem is finding out just what all Xara will do but the people here are more that willing to help and answer questions that one can't find by watching the many tutorials or doing a search of the posts.

Having a working knowledge of other programs will give one a leg up on learning Xara - I find it a fun program to use. Enjoy. - jb

Hi jeb,

Thanks for your words.

So, I have downloaded the trial of Xara Xtreme 5, and found it very cool.

I think I will not have problems on using it. :)

Thanks for all your help!

Hi ewsg, Welcome to Talkgraphics. Here are a couple of threads that you might be interested in.

http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthread.php?t=44323
http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthre...ghlight=bounds

both of these treads contain lots of examples of photo manipulation done in Xtreme.

Hello angelize,

I was taking a look on the threads you suggested, and the examples are fantastic!

I am almost thinking: who needs Photoshop? rsrsrs :)

Great. I am really thinking in to purchase Xara Xtreme 5!

Thanks!

Hello and Welcome to TG.
One thing you'll see about xara,
1°- TG forum you have seen how fast you can get an answer to your doubts.
2°- Look at http://www.xaraxone.com/html/workbook_index.html

That is the best place to start, I think that most of us learn everything We know from there.

Best regards and welcome

Hi jvila,

Thank you for the link. I am very well impressed by the kindness of all people here. Thanks! :)

So, one of the things I find most "strange", let's say, on Xara, is it's way of to create a new project, Can't we specify a size, for example, 640x480 pixels?

Thank you again! :)

As mentioned in my post, forget (almost) everything you know about PS. ;)
Xtreme is not a bitmap editor.

Vectors are scalable, you save the 'drawing' at the size you want, not the page.
Page sizes are only relevant for things like PDF files and Websites, drawings and general graphics are saved out at the size you want them to be rather than saving the entire page area.
Remember too that you can drag resize the page larger or smaller simply by grabbing the right and bottom edge.

It's a mindset that you have to change ;)

Hi sledger,

So, here I am, thinking I am in PS yet... ;))

I understood now.

I was "playing" a few minutes ago with the extrude tool, and it is so easy to use and fantastic! :)

Oh I think you are in for many pleasant surprises :D

Really! I agree totaly! :)

I just noticed one wonderful thing.

I tried to crop a section of an image, and still surprised when I just dragged a rectangle around this section and it was automatically cropped! Wow!