Ok... it's not that I can't do it, but, I know I must be doing things in a much harder way than how it can be done.

As for now, I am just using photoshop 7, making layouts w/ the pencil/brushes. This way takes forever to fill stuff in with/etc. Plus, I'm currently trying to make curves and such by hand, which is near impossible--what's the easier way to do it?

I see people make so many layouts in such little time... so... I figure they must be doing things a lot different and a lot more efficient than I am. So, could someone please fill me in?

Are there any programs I should be using that will greatly help? Any photoshop 7 filters? Any tips I need to know?

I would really appreciate some help here... because I love making layouts, but find it irritating to do it the way I am currently.

Thank you.

(that message was pasted from a different forum)

Since then, someone recommended Xara X to me... so I tried it out... but it seems quite limited at first glance. I like how you can draw the curved lines so easily... but... it hardly has any tools to make full layouts with/etc. Unless, of course, I am missing something -_-;;

Help :/