(1) (2) (3) (4)
There are a number of incredibly versatile vector illustration
programs today. The more familiar ones are Corel, Freehand, Illustrator
and Canvas. I recently had the opportunity to play with another
vector illustration program called xaraX Sounds like a femme fatale
in a James Bond movie doesn't it? For those familiar with Xara,
the company produces a number of software products such as, xara3D
and xara WebStyle. xXara3D produces three dimensional graphics
and animations for the Internet. xaraWebStyle produces graphics
for the Web. xaraX is xara's premiere software program. At a modest
cost of only $149 you can produce professional print and Web graphics
using vector and/or bitmap images very quickly. At least that's
what Xara claims. They wouldn't lie about something like that would
they? Well, it was my mission to find out. So risking a vicious
attack of carpal tunnel syndrome and severe eye strain I plunged
into the world of xaraX like Indiana Jones after the lost Ark of
the Covenant. You know, I think I deserve a raise.
 |
|
xaraX screenshot
|
xaraXYZ
After loading xaraX from the CD, I was pleasantly surprised when I started
the program. The interface is clean and well laid out. The tools run down
the left side of the screen; the color palette occupies the bottom. When
you select a tool, the tool's options appear in a bar at the top of the screen.
This is an improvement over other programs where numerous floating palettes
clutter the screen. Overall, I found the xaraX interface intuitive and easy
to absorb.
xaraX - Building a Web Page Header
Rather than simply reviewing the program, I decided to create a Web page header
for xara. It would include the company logo and some rollover buttons. Here
is a quick sketch of the project.
 |
|
Rough layout for Xara Web page header
|
(1) (2) (3) (4)
