August 2013 Tips and Tricks: Mapping Text to Wafting Fabric

[Big Frank]

Anyway after looking at the methods used by Ernie
and Francis, I did one with elements from both.

Looks like you bagged it this time, Stygg

[Big Frank]

Let me point out a minor caveat regarding outputting text to 300dpi... I haven't seen a lot of difference between a high res bitmap and a vector rendered to dots, but my experience has been is visible, at large display sizes.

I agree. If you possibly can export to a vector format, I would do so. I've never had any problems sending Xara art to the printers as PDF, but even then sometimes you have to fiddle to remove PDF artefacts.

[Gare]

Could I ask a risky question, I mean maybe that is evidence but - what can be considered as clear vector from Xara tools?

Hi csehz—

Your question seems like a simple one, but it is not! :)

Xara's EPS export filter should not be confused with Illustrator's *.AI file format. If we are talking here about exporting vectors to a Desktop Publishing programme, but your design also has bitmap things in it (bevels, extrudes, shadows, dynamic effects including all Live Effects), your export to EPS will be successful and you will have both bitmap and vector data in the exported EPS file.

Now: an EPS file (Encapsulated PostScript) can contain purely bitmap info, purely vector info, and a combination of both. But only a pure vector EPS has any possibility of being imported and opened with visual fidelity in Xara. So when you export anything to EPS from Xara, make very, very certain you have the original backed up, because a combination of design elements probably won't come back in.

Now, non-specific to this discussion is: what things are purely vector in Xara and supported by PostScript conventions? Well, as we would have it, most if not all outline and fill properties that Flash files (Shockwave, swf) require are considered valid. I created a list in the right column of the February 2012 tutorial Objects and Fills that Flash Supports that you can read if you feel like it.

Is this of some help?

My Best,

Gary

[Big Frank]

Thanks for that info, Gary, especially the reminder about the Feb 2012 tutorial. Lots of good info in there.

[csehz]

Gary I also thanks, sure have seen that month video tutorial but I do not remember that would have read that text below

[ernie-f]

Hi to all Xaraistas!

I would say the pure vector objects, which fills and transparencies should meet the requirements of PostScript.

Now it is so that PostScript (EPS) is an old format and is no longer developed since 1999. EPS is a Container, it can be vectors, text, and images. A major drawback of EPS, it does not support transparency.
Therefore, Adobe has stopped the development of EPS.

In today's workflow is working with PDF. In the printing industry PDF is standardized and certified as such by the ECI.
In Germany there is no printing service that works with the old PostScript.

The advantage of PDF is the native support of transparencies from version 1.6.
Unfortunately, during exposure, a problem: most of the service bureau work with a PostScript imagesetter RIP. This means that all Transparencen be expected flat. At this point in the workflow that is not tragic because now no more transparency is needed.

Adobe has already solved the problem and with APE (Adobe Print Engine) created a new standard that can exposed native transparencies on film or plate.

This prevents, for example that Shadow over a text is being flattens in PostScript imagesetter to a bitmap, with APE but the text will continue to be output as vectors.
Still, it is relatively expensive and not all service providers have switched to APE.

What does this mean for my work with Xara?
If I do not produce for digital or offset printing once nothing.

Do I need to pass data to agencies or other service providers, I have to vote on which they are compatible with the program used my work. This is not easy, because Illu, CorelDraw, Inkscape SVG SerifDraw and are not compatible with all native fills and transparencies from Xara.

As I forced to work with all those programs, I know from my experience, that all radial and linear gradients and transparencies are also supported in the other programs. Problems make ready oval courses. Transitions can also interpret all programs.
Problems already make oval gradients. Fethering is not always recognized correctly.

It is always important to communicate with his client and clarify what our work that we create in Xara should happen.

Servus Ernie

[steve.ledger]

Excellent post, Ernie

[Gare]

Thank you, Ernie, for the in-depth explanations of the advantages of PDF and Adobe's new print engine over PostScript.

Sadly, the programs you mention were developed by different programmers who do not have Universal Compatibility on their agendas.

I know that anything short of "perfect" doesn't pay the bills, but there is a high degree of accuracy between an imported CorelDRAW cmx file, and Adobe Illustrator exports from Xara are often acceptable, depending on the task.

Thanks again for the information, updates, and clarifications!

-g

[Gare]

Because this discussion thread has been all over the place, including the merits and/or disadvantages of editing images using vectors, I thought I'd add to the "diversity" of this thread by mentioning a plug-in that comes with Xara (32x)—The Alien Skin Xenofex 2 Demo—which is a demo because it only includes three filters from their entire Xenofex suite, but they do work without watermarking or anything.

Now, I've not run this example through to completion, because it would take more calculations to figure in "shrinkage" of an image area when you apply the Crumple filter. The crumpled are in this image should extend to the edges of the bag, but they don't, but I know for sure anyone can invent a workaround.



I've done three stages of the transformation in the attached file to show you how I approached it. I traced a face of the bag, selected the bag and the image and then performed the Slice Shape operation. Then I used the Shape tool to select the control points of the hole in the underlying image and deleted them to make the photo whole again, with an overlying section. I grouped the text and the clipped image and then used the Xenofex Crumple filter.

I think this has possibilities in future assignments. Instead of photographing a crumpled bag, you use a pristine one, add text and then crumple it via a filter.

My Best,

Gary