ronmatt

Not too long ago, I read a post exclaiming the virtues of some Xara apps. I was doubtful but still curious so I downloaded a trial of Xara Xtreme and Xara 3d 6. Well, I wasn't happy with Xtreme. The demo is sans textures and a few other things and seems to have the need to contact home for everything. I really don't like demos that don't offer the full app. Xara 3d 6 however was really quite a surprise. Then I recalled purchasing 5 last year just for fun but never installing it. I located the disk and ran it. What I didn't know was that I could export quite a few file formats usable in PS, not just animated gifs. That the image can be fully manipulated using keyboard commands and that you can create textures in other apps like Bryce, ZBrush and PS and place the jpegs into Xara's texture folder and use them as applicable textures. Now, as you may know, a great source for shapes can be found using fonts. Using fonts in Xara, applying some homegrown textures along with the inherent 3d capabilities of Xara 3D will be a great source of elements for the type of work I do in Photoshop. So thanks to the author of the Xara post ( I think it was Welles). You've given me a great "new" tool. I will be posting some results soon

Welles

ronmatt. Xara products are great! If you saw a post of mine about Xara, I was just passing on my enthusiasm about them as I'd recently learned about them from Gary David Bouton (right here at Application Convergence forum). Gare is quite expert with Xara products.

My response was so great that I bought a small but adequate PC primarily to run them (and Dragon Naturally Speaking, too) although I'm a pretty hardcore Mac user. Oh and they work great with Illustrator, too.

Here's that review of Xara 3D5....

http://www.photoshopgurus.com/forum/...p?topic=6135.0

ronmatt

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/8650/xara9wy.jpg Here's a sample of using a Xara element with Photoshop. The figure 8 was done in Xara using a texture from PS. It was done on a white BG and saved as a .jpg, then opened in PS( I resampled it to 100 from 72). copy to a new canvas with transp bg and delete the white bg. I used the wand with a px ratio of 40. This still leaves a halo around the image, so if you save it as a .png and use that .png the halo goes away (I'm open to suggestions as to how to eliminate that step). Anyway, now you're ready to go to work. If this sample was anything but a sample I would have worked with the angle a bit in Xara, it's not the best. But it serves it's purpose as an example. I'm excited about the possibilities here. As an illustrator, it will provide a powerful tool to help create visuals that my competition can't [unless they are members of this forum and pursue this]. For my needs, Xara 3D 6 has nothing new to offer, so Ver.5 will do. I bought 5 for 10 bucks at a local computer store (the price of a Taco Bell run).

Thanks again Welles. not only do you help me considerably with your PS knowledge, now you're helping me with my tools. Well done.

Welles

Wow! Boy did you nail down the 3D element in the PS work (post Xara), ronmatt. Very nice rather grungy textures, too. [righton]

Silky

Cool, ron! I've never tried any Xara apps but I think I might download a trial or something cause it looks fun! B7

ronmatt

the problem with the demo is that the BG is watermarked. You can, of course, get around that in PS by erasing but it's a lot of xtra work and could be difficult with complex shapes and curves. Look around at BB ( no spam intended). An older version, even 3, works fine.

Blinky2004

I just so happen to be a bit of an 'expert' at Xara programs myself.

I've been using Xara since version 2 and love it. Xara Xtreme is actually a very nice program. I can understand not being happy about there not being a load of textures in there to play with, at first.. but i think you'll find that if you let Xara "phone home" it'll go get textures, fonts, brushes, photos, web design elements, etc for you. One of the main reasons Xara make 'the call" is to check for updates and see also if there are any new resources for you to download - like all of the tutorial movies that are avaliable for it.

Let it "do it's thing", i think you'll enjoy it more.

One of the coolest new features added to the Xtreme version is the ability to use PS compatible plugs and filters (after converting your vector shape(s) to Bitmap Copies)... AND... it will allow you to at any time change the effects you apply. Very much like PS's Blend Options does; even after the document has been saved and closed. I'm finding this to be a very nice feature.

If anyone has any questions or whatnot about Xara Xtreme feel free to ask away in the Vector Apps board. Or you can also checkout the Xara forum @ TalkGraphics.com.

ronmatt

I'll take another look at it. I'd like to find a simple 3D app in which I could create quick 'real time' renders of curved shapes (with shading) so that I could construct elements to use in PS. Some of these obscure apps do 1 or 2 neat things that are usable such as Real Draw 3.5 or even PSP and Fireworks (not that PSP and Fireworks are 'obscure' apps) but none of them provide the look that I'm looking for. Even Xara 3D has sort of a fake look to it in my opinion. I want a certain look or feel to the image. So far only PS provides the look I'm going for. Omitting the 3D apps like Lightwave, Studio Max and C4D, do you have any suggestions?-RM

Blinky2004

That's hard to say without seeing a graphic example. Got any?

PS: There ARE a few 3D plugins for PS that can render 3D on shapes and text. They're a bit older... not sure if they're even compatible with PS CS/2. Hard to say whether they'd suit your needs though without a visual exmaple from you.

ronmatt

here you go..

http://ronmatt.deviantart.com/gallery