Couldn't wait for The Official Guide - Completed Bonus Chapter 14

**InfoCentral** · 12 November 2009, 01:36 PM

Thanks for the prompt reply. I went on the Xara site and noticed they were having a one week sale going on till Nov 16 so I upgraded to Pro 5. Now I should be good to go for everything! Greeeeeeat...

**Gare** · 12 November 2009, 02:46 PM

Hi InfoCentral—

If you work with dozens and dozens of shapes, you'll love the new Object gallery! It makes finding shapes even easier than naming them.

-g-

**ankhor** · 13 November 2009, 10:12 AM

I just downloaded all, and now I will work with it.
I love the extra's, but I get a 404 when I try the extra typefaces.
It says it is from Gary's harddrive, but is that literally? Because then
he might not be connected.

But a lot of stuff to work with, and as soon as the book hits bol.com
(that is like our national "amazone"

) I'll buy it. otherwise it would
be too expensive since I don`t have a creditcard anymore.(otherwise
I would have ordered it from amazone.
Thank the creditcard company for that who charged me a 20 euro fine
for a 6 euro overdraft, I told them where they could 'store' their
creditcard, I think it was a place where the sun doesn`t shine

)

**Gare** · 13 November 2009, 11:22 AM

Hi Ankhor—

Thanks for pointing out the broken link. It works now, sorry!

I've also put up a new typeface, all Art Nouveau in theme

Bouton Nouveau Ornaments II

I created the typeface entirely in Xara and then used Font Lab to code it together. It was invaluable to use the Shape Editor tool because Art Nouveau curves have to be absolutely perfect or the design doesn't work. My resources were online and from a very old reproduction of a catalog.

My Best,

Gare

**InfoCentral** · 13 November 2009, 02:14 PM

You used Font Lab Studio? I just looked that program up and its $650..geeeesh.

**Gare** · 13 November 2009, 02:53 PM

No, InfoCentral, I own a copy of version 3, several years old but still can write OpenType.

Pyrus Software changed things around over the years, making the Studio version impractical to buy/use. I think my copy was $129 Way Back When.

But you tell me after using some of the fonts that the code isn't clean! I used to use CorelDraw for font-making, but its internal feature hasn't kept pace with the times.

My Best,

Gare

**zaphodeist** · 13 November 2009, 04:22 PM

Thanks for the tiles and the free fonts Gare

By coincidence, I was doodling last night with the add shapes/break shapes process, is that the way you get some of the patterns for Bouton Nouveau? Mine are a lot simpler mind!

**Gare** · 13 November 2009, 05:01 PM

Some of the characters in the Bouton Nouveau typeface were created using the Arrange>Combine Shapes>Intersection and Subtract commands, but most of it was just hard work, some manual tracing, and a lot of use of the Shape Editor. Occaonally I converted a line to a shape via the Arrange menu.

Your design is very nice! Would you like to collaborate and offer the group a typeface based on your designs? I'll do the coding, send me a PM if you're interested.

One of the things I stress in the Official Guide is that adding, subtracting, intersecting—these are all called Boolean operations—is a very fast way to get where you want to go with intricate shapes.

I suggest the you choose Window>Control Bars, and then check the Arrange Bar. Then dock it to the top next to the Standard Bar. Alternatively, you can check the Button Palette and then hold Alt and drag the buttoins you want to the Tool bar or the Standard bar.

This makes shape modification a lot faster than memorizing the shortcuts or digging through the Arrange menu.

IMO, or course!

My Best,

Gare

**ankhor** · 14 November 2009, 11:37 AM

I love that stuff out of that time period, art nouveau/deco.
BBC3 has a beautifull series running now about art deco, on
buildings/ trains etc. I missed some, but I hope they rerun them,
they tell all about the history and such, very interesting.
(and a beautifull artform, I think I will practice more of that kinda art
for a while)
And thanks for fixing it, I will download the rest immediately now.

And I ordered the book, 33,96 Euro with postage.

**Gare** · 14 November 2009, 02:54 PM

Hey, thanks for potentially being another satisfied reader!

Art Nouveau, especially as practiced by Alfons Mucha, enjoyed some cross-pollination from the Arts & Crafts movement, with a touch of Art Deco...the periods overlapped as did the artists.

The American Arts & Crafts movement was different than the European; we were influenced a lot by Native American artwork. Rennie Mackintosh, the Scottish A&C designer, took and gave somewhat to/with Art Nouveau, I feel.

If you want some genuine resource material for Xara artwork and the Art Nouveau style, sign up for Dover's weekly newsletter. There'a a lot of free period designs you can download and use it for a basis in your own work.

free clipart from Dover publications

My Best,

Gary