Corel, Flexi, and PhotoShop

[joe]

Greetings Everyone,

Each year these programs get closer and more similar to one another. I wish I could settle down on a single one but each has it's nitch. For example, I like Photoshop and lightroom for photo alterations. But Corel is narrowing the gay.

I guess I'll always be a vector guy but it would be difficult to work only in that limited realm. Still, I think Corel is the best buy for the money.

Here are three jobs proposed and accepted.

[adrianm]

That's why I like Xara Designer Pro so much, Photoshop and CorelDraw pretty much in one package.

[joe]

Adrian,

Glad to see you have found a program that fills your needs. I looked over their website and couldn't figure out what extensions you can save a file to.

Since this is primarily a website program it's doubtful it has much in the powerful distortion controls or export filters to allow direct cutting on plotters.

Interesting program. Please show us some examples of how it works.

[adrianm]

The website part of it is a very recent addon. It's been around for years as a vector editing program and then they added more and more photo editing features onto it. It can used standard photoshop extensions and filters as well as it's own.

http://www.xara.com/uk/designer-pro/advanced/

[joe]

Adrian,

Thanks for getting back. You're right this is a large, well developed program. Interesting I haven't seen it before. I took a couple of tours and would like to spend a little more time with it.

I'm not sure how it does with Open Type. Which is to say does it have the fly out menu showing all the alternative characters? So far I've only found Illustrator capable of this feature. Corel says they offer it but very weak.

It appears the color management doesn't work from curves at this time. I'll be looking further at the bevel and emboss. Price seems close to perfect.

Joe