3D Shadow effect for text

**gwpriester** · 02 March 2012, 06:27 PM

Well give it a shot and report back. OK?

**DigitalJeweler** · 02 March 2012, 06:30 PM

Now if I could just find a plotter that works natively with Xara, that would be HUGE! Xara is still my go to program from this type of stuff, I even own Illustrator CS3 but it's way too confusing. I keep upgrading Xara with every new release and LOVE IT.

Any tips on plotters that are not expensive?

**Albacore** · 03 March 2012, 09:04 AM

From a person who uses both programmes one out of preference, Xara and the other because he has to use Illustrator at work i would say Illy is not the beast that everyone states. Learn to use the Pen Tool and everything is as easy as Xara especially if your are doing a lot of vinyl work with the plotter. I know this is an Xara Graphics thread but have a try at this in Illy and place it in a locked layer and draw over it it help me

**Rik** · 03 March 2012, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by Albacore

... Learn to use the Pen Tool and everything is as easy as...

I hate the Pen Tool.
But, only because I don't know how to use it.
I use the Shape Tool for everything.

So, I was quite interested in your instructions, but, even magnified, I can't read them.

Any chance of a better quality so I can read what you've written?!

Thanking you in advance.

**Big Frank** · 03 March 2012, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by DigitalJeweler

Now if I could just find a plotter that works natively with Xara, that would be HUGE! Xara is still my go to program from this type of stuff, I even own Illustrator CS3 but it's way too confusing. I keep upgrading Xara with every new release and LOVE IT.

does pdf export not work? that's the way i send any stuff to people who insist on illustrator (and i insist on not using two graphics apps when one will do). for line work it never seems to give me any problems

**DigitalJeweler** · 03 March 2012, 03:19 PM

Originally Posted by Big Frank

does pdf export not work? that's the way i send any stuff to people who insist on illustrator (and i insist on not using two graphics apps when one will do). for line work it never seems to give me any problems

I'm not at the point yet where I have any specific artwork ready and a place to have vinyl cut. If it wasn't overly expensive ($300 or less) I'd like to mess around with a plotter to see what it can do.

I have to reinstall Illy as I must have removed it from the CS3 pack. There's far less info out there for Xara so even though I prefer XDP, I might have to learn to use other tools to get the job done.

I love all the input and comments! Keep it coming

**DigitalJeweler** · 03 March 2012, 03:20 PM

Also, I would like to read what Albacore posted but it's too small for me to read and I'm currently looking at 24" iMac.

**avalon** · 03 March 2012, 04:45 PM

There a font called GRIFFON out there somewhere...

**gwpriester** · 03 March 2012, 05:45 PM

http://www.fontpark.net/en/font/griffon-/ Not that close avalon.

**Albacore** · 04 March 2012, 10:36 AM

This is for you Rik and I am not sure if this will work. Because of the ridicule file upload that we are allowed in AI & PDF what I had to do was to take it into Xara and save it there. What you can do is to open and then save it as PDF and then open it in AI. The other way is to use other peoples work who have done the same as my self and you can download it here: http://rwillustrator.blogspot.com/20...-pen-tool.html