March 2014 Giveaway - Wisps of Smoke and Steam

[stygg2003]

Thanks for as always very informative feedback Gary and after seeing your fonts in your post I can see what a great difference they would have made to the design. As regards singling me out for use of sans serif fonts, well you can take me by the scruff of the neck and shake the fonts out of me! (politely put) because as you say, most don't get past the first few fonts in the drop down list, including me, so I look forward to a Design and Page Layout with a focus on typography.

I'll leave the design as it is, except for, when applying the mold I was focusing on keeping the letters straight my guide being the l in Sensual but in doing so the small coffee cup is skewed so I'll remove that and replace it with a mold by itself, mold on mold.

Stygg

[stygg2003]

I have done what I said in #81 and made a mold for the small coffee cup which originally was skewed at the top and did not look right at all. I've also added the white top to the small cup in keeping with the large cup and made the gold bands on both cups the same fill. The small cup looks much better, I think, than it did. Now I have a ready made mold for the small cup, I will try and change the text in the design as Gary suggested and make a fresh mold for that. I apologize for going of topic a bit with this design but it does feature wisp and coffee cup, it's all more akin to the Can and Labels tut. we did with Gary a while back and by the way Gary, I love that blend effect on the mixed up text file, another tip to keep in my folders

Stygg

[Gare]

I like it, stygg, and I wasn't singling you out, or at least did not intend to concerning the (over) use of the fonts at the top of one's font list!

Because Windows 7 and 8 (and Vista) come in 64x versions, and because their location of fonts, and lack of the notorious *.ini file, our systems are capable of loading and offering in an instant over 1,000 typefaces, probably more, I'm tapped out at about 900. Which suggests two things:

1.) I should wise up and buy a font manager for swapping sets of fonts in and out on-the-fly, and

2.) Everyone should create a default template and use it that has the default typeface in the "N" range, such as picking out the inoffensive New Century Schoolbook. You do this by taking the Text tool, clicking an insertion point on the page, typing absolutely nothing, and then choosing an "N" font from the list and a decent viewing point size,,,12 to 16 does it for me at full page viewing resolution. Fil>Save Template, name it and check the Use as default template box. Exit, close the file without saving and you got a new default template. By the way, you can specify rounded or butt caps on lines and default colors and stuff while you're at custom izing your own default template, too, you know.

What's the purpose of this? To get everyone away from reflexively choosing Arial. Your new template when you choose it with have New Century Schoolbook as the default font, and even if you don't want to use it:

1.) You're in the dead center of all the installed fonts, not at the top or bottom. Therefore, you only have to scroll half as much when looking in either the up or down direction for a good font.

2.) It helps explore what you have on your machine, Newcastle it forces you to look around more as you scroll through the desired font. You'd be amazed at the typefaces programs (including Xara) go installing behind your back, shame on them


Explore.
Fail or succeed.
Repeat.

My Best,

Gary

[stygg2003]

Thanks for feedback once again Gary and the tip for creating a font default page works good, slap bang in the N's
when opening Xara complete with default line butt cap, mitre join. I was trying to match the fonts you had on your coffee cup, the only ones I could near match them to are these in my post. I'll have to spend a few £'s and get some decent fonts.

Stygg

[Gare]

Those are good typefaces, Stygg!

Think of some crummy logos for businesses, and then go through your fonts and see if you can't out-do the originals.

Your matches to the fonts I used are very close and actually I'd accept them if it was my project.

And don't spend a pound on fonts you think are attractive, useful and relevant to a graphic you have in your head. If you're just experimenting, that qualifies as "personal use", and many, many of the faces out there are free for personal use. I'd written an article on personal recommendations for what I'd call a "base set" of typefaces Quite a while ago on Xara Xone .

But learn by example. Ask yourself WHY the faces I chose for your coffee cup advert are inviting fonts.

And then out-do ME!



I'm looking forward to it, honestly!

It's a rare compliment to a teacher when the pupil outshines them.

And I'm not shining you on

-g

[stygg2003]

Thanks for the reply Gary. First off, the reason I wanted to see if I could get a close match to your fonts is because as soon as I saw them on your cup, they were warm, inviting you to a cup of delicious coffee and certainly not cold and in your face. The point is, I had a near match for such fonts and could have used them in my design if I had given the project some thought and got myself past Arial and KoffeeTG. It's obvious choice of fonts can make or break a project so I am experimenting with fonts and will read your article on Dessert Island Twenty, don't know how I missed it.

Stygg

[stygg2003]

Ok I used your fonts on this one Gary, through caution to the wind, added flashy colours to two text lines, well not to flashy but is for me!! but enjoyed it. You certainly wouldn't miss this poster in your Cafe window

Stygg

[Gare]

Nope, it is indeed an attention-getter, Stygg!

And to think this began as a tips & Tricks on wisps of steam! :)

I'm not disappointed in the least, because you are learning, you are teaching others by example, and as long as we keep Xara as the hub, The Xara Group should be quite chuffed to see shining examples of diversity imaginative users display.

High-Test for me, with two packets of Splenda and a hit of LorAnn's Butter Flavor baking emulsion, if you please. I like my coffee dark and strong, but flavoured to take the edge off the darkness and strength.

Truth. When does Lisa's open on weekends?

-g

[stygg2003]

Xara stays the hub for me Gary, love it. Lisa is and has been a very good friend of mine since College days, yup she as her own little cafe where she makes splendid coffee six days a week. I call in especially on my shopping days in the mornings for a glass of orange juice followed by a full English breakfast with toast and the strongest of black coffee she makes the way I like it. Well you've got to have some little pleasures in life

Stygg

[GiddyupGilbert]

I'm curious, how did you do the highlights in the background Angel??