Thoughts

[barrym67]

WOW! I am envious! I have taken years to get where I am in Xara - must be a slow learner. You are very gifted or very very lucky!! I think your fuse is outstanding! Well done.

I must admit that when I started with Xara there were no video tutorials and not many other tutorials apart from Gary's and even then they were a bit confusing for beginners (well me anyway and no offence Gary). I was always hoping that someone would write a totally step by step tutorial, showing which tools to use with screen shots as well as screen shots of the info bar, coz Xara can be quite confusing for a newbie. But years on I have progressed past this need. You keep learning with Xara all the time.

Sorry maybe I have said too much now really should stop writing?? Actually while I am about it - I just want to thank everyone who has made a video tutorial or html tutorial - - - without you guys I would still be stuck, you guys have revelaed the secrets of Xara. Welcome aboard Coco!! See you around the forum.

[a4hire]

Welcome Coco! Nice Fuse you got there. Looking forward to seeing more of your work in Xara.

[Ron Duke]

coco,
Very good symetry and shading! This is excellent for only two weeks experience with the program. At two weeks I was still drawing elipses and rectangles, playing with some of the other tools, not really creating anything.

Good to have you with us here at TG.
ron

[MarcT]

Thanks for the welcome!

I just want to thank everyone who has made a video tutorial or html tutorial

I second your thanks, it really helps a lot!

You keep learning with Xara all the time.

Yes I agree, one must always find things along the way.

In that sense I discovered today that grouped objects have a distinct transparency. This way You can apply a "second" transparency object(s), or a linear transparency to a line, Great!

Also found that feathering on a line acts differently on closed and open objects (Particularly obvious with no fill).


I remember looking at Xara it in the past and finding it not very appealing, mostly because of the shortcuts and the different way tools worked. Man, was I dumb..

My excessive nature made me spent last 2 weekends in front of the interface, my wife is not as fond as me over this.


Another type of fuse, part of a project on electricity:

http://www.mediamax.com/tarcus/Hosted/Fuse_2.png




Regards,

coco

[barrym67]

In that sense I discovered today that grouped objects have a distinct transparency. This way You can apply a "second" transparency object(s), or a linear transparency to a line, Great!

Also found that feathering on a line acts differently on closed and open objects (Particularly obvious with no fill).

Another amazing electircal thing Coco! I am thoroughly impressed. Have you used what you described in the above quote as how you create these images, or is that a silly question? I really like your shading and your technique. When are you going to write us a tutorial then?? (Begging on my hand and knees, weeping!!)

Is it possible you could list the names of the videos or gives us the links of the videos which have inspired you to be creating these outstanding graphics in such a short space of time. I have been plaing with Xara for years and have only been successful with it as of late and my work is far from what you are producing.

Coco we are hungry to learn! Well done and please keep us updated and informed of what you are doing. I look forward to seeing more of your amazing Xara work and ultimately trying to copy it! (I should be so lucky!!)

[Robert H]

I remember looking at Xara it in the past and finding it not very appealing, mostly because of the shortcuts and the different way tools worked. Man, was I dumb..

Hi coco, like your work.

As you may or may not know Xtreme Pro includes a keyboard shortcut utility to redefine keystrokes. I just recently got the non-Pro version of Xara and use a free utility AutoHotkey http://www.autohotkey.com/ and written a program to successfully redefine some useful Xara keystrokes.

[MarcT]

http://www.autohotkey.com/ and written a program to successfully redefine some useful Xara keystrokes.

Hi Robert, yes I know about autothokey and it is a wonderful application!

I remapped the shortcuts I use the most in photoshop and painter to numbers in the numeric keypad. This way I keep an usb keypad next to my graphic tablet while doing intensive bitmap painting, it feels more ergonomic to me than to bend over the tablet.

It seems there is no "brush size" shortcut in Xara? (Like brackets in PS)

Have you used what you described in the above quote as how you create these images

I used mainly gradients with multiple points and repeats. Also the cool extrude technique with blends I found in a tutorial.

I usually do some fine tuning and icing in Ps...

Regards,

coco

[Robert H]

Hi coco, I like your idea about using the keypad... thanks! I haven't found a way to change the brush size with keystrokes, since it is changed in a drop down box. However, unlike PhotoShop, you can change the brush size after it is layed down(along with it's type, path, etc.)