Total newbie--where to begin?

Total newbie to Xara Photo & Designer 7. Bought a copy for a ridiculously low-price last year and am just now getting to looking at it.

I'm planning on using it to create slides, titles, backdrops/backgrounds for my powerpoint presentations for computer software training. So, some of the main things I'm interested in being able to do are(in no order of importance):

• Fitting photos or diagrams (png mainly) into a specific size box
• Adding some "punch" to text such as curving it around or having it fade out into the distance like a train track
• Removing backgrounds completely and/or replacing backgrounds
• "Fading" photos so they can be used for backgrounds in a slide

My problem is I don't know where to even start. (Yea, I know, the beginning....) or to put it another way where do I start? what site or sites are best for learning how to do the above list? Is there a site that can give me a list of the jargon so I can know what to even search for?

AND, If Photo & Designer 7 cannot do the above, does the new version? I can't see spending the extra money on the Pro version unless that will be my only option for this.

Thanks and take pity on a newbie. OH, and if this is not the right forum for this, please let me know and I will repost.

Bill W

Welcome.

Check out www.xaraxone.com

Fitting photos or diagrams (png mainly) into a specific size box - you can just resize them, or crop them to a given size, or..

Adding some "punch" to text such as curving it around or having it fade out into the distance like a train track - you can make text follow a path(line)

Removing backgrounds completely and/or replacing backgrounds - bit trickier, but a few ways to do it.

"Fading" photos so they can be used for backgrounds in a slide - you can apply transparency to fade an image

Paul

Hi Bill Welcome to Talkgraphics :)

Another great resource for learning is the tutorials and videos section at Xara.com There is lots of stuff there.

Here is a quick and easy way to crop/resize photos. http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthre...-the-fill-tool

You can also click the youtube link in my signature and have a look at some of my Xara videos, I use the pro version of DPX but you should be able to follow a lot of the stuff I have there. (Things like the shape builder and eraser tool aren't available in P&GD7)

And one thing about the pro version if you did want to consider upgrading, it can do presentations it's self.

I hope you enjoy learning the software and if you get stuck on anything there are lots of helpful members here who will be glad to answer your questions :)

There should be a PDF user manual with the software -- I'd go print it out and stick it in a binder, easy to read when you need to.

There are also a LOT of help videos that are very useful... and the Xara forums.

You do ANYTHING you want with Photo & Graphic Designer -- I used it at work for many years -- a great program. Enjoy!

you cannot do 'ANYTHING' you want with Photo and Graphic Designer.. but you can do a lot ;)

Yes, starting at the beginning is the best place:) Just play around with the different tools of the software and get used to them. There are excellent how-to movies which come with Xara. Just click Help and Movies. Spend some time watching them and then try out the projects. Good luck. You'll enjoy the software.

Sammy

Wild_B....I have been watching videos posted by Allen Smith on youtube.com there are over 100 of them. Check things out at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8muN...EC04CD&index=1

Choctaw

Thank you all for the pointers.

Read the Manual, eh?! Why didn't I see that before???? DOH! Slowly printing it out as I type this.

Angelize: I would love to check out your Youtube vids but I don't see a signature or a link.

Again, thanks!

Bill W

Hello Bill, below my name at the bottom of my posts you will see some links in purple the one that says "My Youtube Channel" will take to the videos

[FYI] they blue not purple on my screen Frances... is it not browser setting dependent :)

Sorry to be so late in replying. Work seems to always get in the way of the fun stuff. Anyway, discovered why I wasn't seeing the sigs--Forums settings default to NOT show them. Odd, but Ok. fixed that and now all is good.

I've noted all the various links and such and am slowly working my way into Photo & Designer MX 2013. thanks again for all the help!

Bill W

Hi

Re the photos/bitmaps etc

Have a play with this..... Open the Windows File Explorer (Windows logo + E) then drag a pic directly into Xara

As others have said, you can move crop etc but also try this

See that 3D icon? well, select the picture first then use the 3D icon... it will turn your pic into a 3D solid...

Also

Have a look at the Mold/Mould tool (Icon looks like a flag waving)
This is able to fit bitmaps by moving the four corners about independently .... as opposed to the standard selection method
You can use this to 'fit' your bitmap to, say, a shape that has perspective.

Also there is a great Xara book (v5 from memory) --- amazon is your friend

I would also dive on youtube as there are some great tutorials

HTH

Yay my first post

Greetings from the UK

Julian

The way I'd describe xara to a starter is forget raster editing, if you want that, use an external program. Everything in xara is not unlike scissors and construction paper. If you see things this way, you'll totally get it. Learn the boolean commands and you'll be in a very awesome place for understanding how to make whatever you want very quickly, but it takes practice. Memorize the hotkeys.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rpc9943

Everything in xara is not unlike scissors and construction paper. If you see things this way, you'll totally get it.

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Excellent analogy! :)