January 2015 Video Tutorial -- Tracing Is Not Cheating!

[Egg Bramhill]

Wow! Sorry Maya, we were cross posting and I missed your post. Fantastic. Love it.

[Crow Haven]

Thanks, Egg! I had to update the pic as I forgot which one I'd last finished (I always have several ongoing files as I save them separately in case my laptop crashes Xara -- it's a puny computer).

[Egg Bramhill]

But not puny results

[Hajeem]

Wow to you both!
Gary's newest tutorial made me realize two things: the full potential of the programme and how much I need to learn. This is why I recently started with learning from the workbook tutorials.

Hélène

[Gare]

Wow to you both!
Gary's newest tutorial made me realize two things: the full potential of the programme and how much I need to learn. This is why I recently started with learning from the workbook tutorials.

Hélène

Hi Hajeem,

Just take it slowly and methodically. Some of the first Xara users, such as Gary Priester (and me) were "bootstrappers"—we basically had the documentation and CorelDRAW experience to help us better understand Xara's tools and power. But other than thast (and that's not a lot) we were on our own to learn the program, and to help others. And yes, Gary P.'s excellent Workbook series covers a lot of the basic info that you need to eventually grow into and own the program.

It's in the Archives area of Xara Xone, and all you do is to click this link.

Gary Priester's Workbook Xara Xone series


My Best,

Gary

[Gare]

Eric, it seems as though you and Maya are just too fast to address and successfully complete a challenge. I wan to thank you for posting the wireframe view in XAR's native file format so others can eventually learn from it, and your approach and skills.

Interesting things happen when a glass object is brightly lit when it's on a surface: the shadow takes on the color of the glass in places, as you see if you look carefully at the image I posted. If you don't mind, I'd like to take a crack at adding the shadows to the dinner scene.

Maya, your work is astounding, and if this were a real contest, I'd have to disqualify you, not because your work is wrong, but that it's award-winning all the time, and I want to give others a chance to with this hypothetical award.

Wait: I got it. Winners excluding Eric and Maya, for their finished trace get to study with Maya for a week.

I think that's fair. :)

I have another image challenge coming up and it's going to be a little different, and definitely approachable by beginner to intermediate artists.

[Egg Bramhill]

Yes Gary, re the shadow. As stated I'm going to give it a whirl too when I get the time.

On the matter of Combine Shapes:

Gary: I’ve not experienced gaps when a “slice and dice” operation is performed, but I’m usually unobservant, so it goes. One thing that creates a gap is having an outline width on any of the shapes to be processed. If, for example, each shape has a 1 point outline, when you do intersect shapes, the product will not have the precise intended dimensions. Always remove outline widths before Boolean-ing.

I attach a simple example xar file showing what occasionally happens when slicing. I can't say it's my experience that Combining either with or without a stroke makes any difference. Have you an example?

[Hajeem]

Thanks. I put the link in my favorites :-)

[Gare]

Eric—

I'm happy to stand corrected about the relative widths of squares with and without outlines. I come frrom a background of CorelDRAW, where you have the option of placing outlines inside, outside, or right on the centreline of a shape. Illustrator and Photoshop offer the option, too. And I've never taken the time/hence been positive where the "cutoff point" lies.

It's the world's loss that you plan more cookie jars—your work has been consistently top drawer all throughout this thread, you obviously have a profound understanding of tracing.

My only suggestion/observation is that you'd do better with a tyeface that contrasts more with the jar. I didn't catch it or read it at first glance.

I thought I'd through this out: Barbara and I go boot sale shopping ("flea market" and "garage sale" n the States) and I collect jars for whatnots around the home. When the jar is a collectable and not a true antique (or worse still, a reproduction) and signage on the jar is painted, first laying down a coat of opaque white as the undercoat, and then brightly coloured text can be applied (or dull text), and it's supported by the undercoat, similar to T-shirts that have white or other coloured text on it.

If this helps approach simulating reality beyond curving the text.

[Bob H]

I feel very fortunate to have come access to this great source of Xara graphic knowledge and look forward to learning from all of you!!!!

Bob Harmount