XTREME IT! - (Or) Can it be done without using Photoshop?

[Xhris]

...in the end I couldn't duplicate the Photoshop version with the Live Effects available in Xara Xtreme...

All photoshop LEs can be used in Xara.

With some additional...Transparency Types it's my opinion, after doing these tutorials, that Xara Xtreme could give Photoshop some serious competition...

What do you mean by transparency types out of interest? Shapes (circular, elliptical, conical etc.) or the 'blending' type i.e. how it processes colours under the transparent object (e.g. stained glass, bleach, saturation etc.)? What specifically is missing?

[HayTay]

All photoshop LEs can be used in Xara.

AHA! But where does one purchase a licensed version of the LEs included in Photoshop?

What do you mean by transparency types out of interest? Shapes (circular, elliptical, conical etc.) or the 'blending' type i.e. how it processes colours under the transparent object (e.g. stained glass, bleach, saturation etc.)? What specifically is missing?

I stand corrected. I was actually referring to the 'blending' types as you were quick to pick up on.

From what I can gather, Photoshop 7.0 offers the following blending types:

Normal
Dissolve
Darken
Multiply
Color Burn
Linear Burn
Lighten
Screen
Color Dodge
Linear Dodge
Overlay
Soft Light
Hard Light
Vivid Light
Linear Light
Pin Light
Difference
Exclusion
Hue
Saturation
Color
Luminosity

The types in listed above in bold are also offered in XX along with the following blending types:

Mix
Stained Glass
Bleach
Contrast
Brightness

Other versions of PS may include different blending types. The Dodge, Burn and Screen blending types seem to be the ones most used in PS tutorials. The other 5 blending types available in XX are probably equivalent to an unbolded blending type in the PS list. I'd be interested to know the PS equivalent if you can tell me. Even so, there are still quite a few extra ones available in Photoshop.

Thanks for the input,
HayTay

[steve.ledger]

AHA! But where does one purchase a licensed version of the LEs included in Photoshop?

Just add the path to PS's pligins folder to the Effects & plugins >> Photoshop plugins list in XX's options.

[dogbertbh]

Just add the path to PS's pligins folder to the Effects & plugins >> Photoshop plugins list in XX's options.

I think when Hay Tay asked "AHA! But where does one purchase a licensed version of the LEs included in Photoshop?" it was really saying 'You couldn't do it with their LE's unless you already owned PS'

I think that's the point.

I still think Xara was never meant to replace photoshop - unless I missed a memo.

[Xhris]

Yes, but the point isn't that Xara != Photoshop, but is that the vast majority of the common tasks most people automatically use PS for (thanks to marketing spin) can be done comparably quickly in Xara, and with greater system resource efficiency. In other words, there is very little that Photoshop is used for by the majority that really needs specifically Photoshop to do, and it is not the best choice in those majority cases.

[covoxer]

Xtreme is a knife.
Photoshop is a food processor.
Most of the task that people usually do with food processor can be done with a knife and hands, with greater energy efficiency and lower maintenance efforts.
Using hands and knife for this require some experience though, while there's a separate button for every task on the food processor.
Professional knife users can do some food processor tasks with knife faster than a food processor.
Some kitchen tasks that can be done with food processor, can not be done with knife and hands.
But with a knife you can do much more than just a kitchen work.
Food processor is many times more expensive than a knife.

[dogbertbh]

Xtreme is a knife.
Photoshop is a food processor.
...
Food processor is many times more expensive than a knife.

Isn't that the truth!!

[Xhris]

Xtreme is a knife.
Photoshop is a food processor.

Heh, that's exactly the bad analogy that doesn't do Xara justice and ferments the silly idea that Photoshop is the best product for most common tasks. It's measurably not. Anyway, I can see where this is leading... (o)

[covoxer]

Heh, that's exactly the bad analogy that doesn't do Xara justice and ferments the silly idea that Photoshop is the best product for most common tasks. It's measurably not. Anyway, I can see where this is leading... (o)

What? Do you really think that food processor is more universal tool than a knife?
I don't think so....

[remi]

HayTay has asked for input.

Is there a mapping table available, which maps the Photoshop named blending types (these are the ones you can find in thousands of Photoshop tutorials) with the blending types available in Xara Xtreme?

From what I can gather, Photoshop 7.0 offers the following blending types:

Normal
Dissolve
Darken
Multiply
Color Burn
Linear Burn
Lighten
Screen
Color Dodge
Linear Dodge
Overlay
Soft Light
Hard Light
Vivid Light
Linear Light
Pin Light
Difference
Exclusion
Hue
Saturation
Color
Luminosity

Remi