Print Workshop 2007 Ltd Ed - jc Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This product is okay, but if you're like me and use Windows 7, this product is a little too "old school". There was really nothing I could use this for. You would really be better off getting the newer version.

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CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The Corel line of graphics software has always carried the burden of being the second choice and often the second experience of Adobe software users. Those who encounter the software after experience with the main Adobe-produced rivals (Illustrator and Photoshop) will experience it very differently than those who are looking to learn professional graphics from the start with Corel.
Though I am a very experienced user of Adobe products, I tried to experience Corel Draw (the vector graphics portion) and Photo Paint (the bitmap graphics portion) with an eye toward evaluating it as someone who wasn't already comfortable with a different interface, but who was interested in a professional level graphics package, as well as someone who may decide to transition away from the pricier Adobe products. I will offer my perspective from both of these viewpoints:
As a newcomer to pro graphics:
There is a lot of power and flexibility. Photo Paint offers alpha channels, lighting effects, masking, and a good selection of filters for those who want to "play" with images. It is able to open and save to a variety of file formats and can rasterize vector images. A lot of functions are quite intuitive (e.g., image straightening, filter effects), though programs with the breadth and depth of a professional program have a great many levels and no one who is new to them can grasp them immediately or without underlying knowledge of what all the terms mean. It's important not to mistake this graphics package as one designed for the hobbyist or person looking to modestly tweak images for web pages. The complex functionality it possesses is to allow folks working in industries that need finer work to get it done and it certainly allows for that and more.
In terms of how easy it is to understand the programs, CorelDraw is definitely a lot tougher to grasp, but that is the nature of vector graphics programs. However, I do believe that the way in which points (which are called "nodes" in Draw) are edited when working with Bezier curves could be more intuitive. Having to select each node and change its type by clicking a button in order to alter the way in which the control handles work is tedious. It'd be much better to have a modifier key to "break" curves where desired.
The help files and tutorials are excellent and I had not trouble tracking down information to help me do what I wanted to do. However, an absolute beginner will likely need to do the video training for more hand-holding than I required. It's hard to get your head around the way computer graphics work, but Corel certainly provides the tools to try if the user is willing to take the time to learn. The software can only take you so far when it comes to something this complex.
Corel also provides a huge variety of templates, clip art and fonts which Adobe does not. This makes the entire package more appealing to folks who work in publishing but do not create custom content and mainly want to tweak clip art or stock images.
As an experienced Adobe user:
One immediately resists every part of the interface which does not conform to what one is used to in Photoshop and Illustrator. This is much more troublesome in CorelDraw since drawing works best when one can use the tools effortlessly to gain the desired result. If you're looking to make the change to break free of Adobe's higher prices, the first thing you have to do is be patient with the interface differences. Some gritting of teeth may be involved. You'll likely find, on the whole, that some things are better in Corel's interface and some are worse compared to Adobe's, though Adobe's interface has a more professional and polished feel. The filters in particular sometimes have a cheesy and clunky feel to them, though they are easy enough to use.
The second thing you have to do is make sure that all of your native file format files (.ai and .psd) have been saved into more universally accessible formats (EPS, TIFF) as neither PhotoPaint nor Draw will reliably open all Adobe native format files. In my tests, native Photoshop files always opened but sometimes with missing layers. When I attempted to open an Illustrator native file, I was told the file was compressed (though it was not) and that it needed to be re-saved in an uncompressed state. Resaving as an EPS file fixed the problem.
Conclusions:
* If I wanted to prepare myself for work in the graphics industry and wanted something less expensive than the Adobe CS package, I'd not hesitate to buy this suite to learn the ins and outs of professional graphics, particularly if I were planning on working freelance. However, I'd keep in mind that most publishers will work in Adobe software and I may need to learn their software eventually if I were to pursue office work.
* If I were working in a publishing industry which did small amounts of editing of vector and bitmap images and needed to do color adjustments for professional printing, I'd seriously consider the Corel Suite though I'd investigate how effective the color separations worked for my particular needs. However, I would not rely on it for layout work (nor would I rely on Illustrator or Photoshop for layout) unless I only worked with flyers, brochures, posters, or other very short documents.
* If I were an Adobe user looking to break free of the expensive shackles of Adobe software, I'd have to think long and hard before making the change as there would be some productivity loss getting acclimated to the interface and some differences in functionality that I may not want to accept.

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CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 lets you tackle creative graphics and design projects withconfidence. New tools make it easier and quicker than ever to deliver any creative project, fromlayout and photo editing, to illustration and bitmap-to-vector tracing. Powerful text and layoutenhancements give you the look you want plus market-leading file compatibility makescollaboration easy. Updated high-quality content, a step-by-step Hints Docker and new tutorialswritten by experts get you started fast. Professional and aspiring designers along with anyonewho needs to express creative ideas will be able to turn their ideas into professional results: fromdistinctive logos and signs, to striking marketing materials and eye-catching web graphics.

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ArtRage Deluxe 2.5 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)ArtRage is a natural media digital art software with several very nice features, some challenging those of Painter and Photoshop. The first thing that I liked was the software's graphic user interface or workspace. Given the number of features and the amount of controls to customize the tools, you would expect a complicated and intimidating GUI similar to that of Painter or Photoshop. Instead, you have an uncluttered workspace with only six panels bordering the edges. Also, as you are working, these few panels automatically disappear out of the way as your brush approaches and reappear again as you move your brush away. Other nice features are a rotating canvas and pen tablet support. ArtRage can import and export several image formats including JPEG, BMP, PNG and PSD.
Those artists who begin their artwork by blocking out the major shapes and colors in their painting will appreciate ArtRage's Tracing Image feature. This feature allows you to import a photo or sketch as a starting point for your painting. ArtRage projects the imported tracing image onto the canvas and you can control the scale and opacity of the image. For example, while tracing the outline of a rose with the Pencil tool, I set the opacity to around 80% which allowed me to see the details clearly. Later when I began to add color, I lowered to opacity to about 30% to create an "onion skin" of the trace image. For artists who like to paint from a reference image, ArtRage allows you to "pin" a reference image or images directly on to the canvas. Once the reference image is pinned to the workspace, you can reposition the image next to the area you are working on.
ArtRage has two ways to work with color; Trace Color and Normal Color. Trace Color is a feature which takes all the hard work out of choosing colors. As you paint with any of the tools, the software chooses the colors for you, based on the trace image. If you prefer to choose the colors, you can switch to the Normal Color mode and ArtRage has several color pickers including a Numeric Color Picker and the basic RGB and HSL color pickers.
With the Custom Color Picker feature, you can narrow your color choices in the color picker panel to a smaller group of colors such as complements, warm colors or cool colors. Finally, ArtRage comes with several preset Color Samples. You can even create and save your own custom color sets and color samples.
Now that we have our digital colors, we are ready to paint or draw. Each of the natural media art tools in ArtRage can simulate traditional art media including oil, pencil, palette knife, airbrush, chalk, glitter, paint roller, paint tube, felt pen, crayon and eraser. The realism and amount of custom control over the tool's properties such as wetness, pressure, hardness and angle, are surprising for the price. The natural media tools can also be used with the Metallic Paint option which gives a metallic characteristic to the media and to the canvas. In the Papers Settings Panel, you can choose a preset paper type and control several aspects of the canvas such as grain, roughness, color and opacity.
Another feature that one would expect in only high end software is layers. ArtRage's Layers panel rivals its competitors'. You can work on individual areas of your painting on separate layers. You can also copy, group and merge layers. Each layer has its own properties, such as opacity and blend modes, and can be moved, scaled and rotated. You can control the characteristics of the paper or canvas for each layer. ArtRage also supports transparency for layers, Photoshop's blending modes and has the ability to retain layer information when you import or export your artwork in PDS format.
The Stencil Picker is a very nice feature that can have many applications. The stencils and rulers work in three modes. In the Stencil mode, you can use the stencil or ruler as a mask to prevent paint from touching the canvas. In the Ruler mode, the stencils and rulers act as a combination straight edge and snap to function. As you move your paint brush along the edge of the stencil, your brush will automatically snap to the edge of the stencil giving you a nice clean edge. The Guide mode works like the Ruler mode but allows paint to spread under the stencil or ruler, giving a softer edge. ArtRage comes with a nice selection of preset stencils and rulers. You can also create and store you own.
Besides the built-in resources such as color samples, preset paper types, trace images, stencils and rulers, ArtRage comes with several video and pdf tutorials, sample paintings, quick start guide and a nice user manual.
I almost feel embarrassed to suggest additional features. But if I had a "wish list" for ArtRage it would include just a few things. For art media tools, I would like to see a watercolor brush and a drawing pen with a really fine point. As for new features, I would like to see selection tools and tooltips. Although ArtRage does have a multiple undo feature, it would be nice to have a history panel.

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Paint blend sketch and draw on your computer!Easy-to-use ToolsArtRage Deluxe gives you realistic art tools in a simple and stylish environment. Start creating your own works of art right away just pick up the mouse and start painting!Tutorials and MoreArtRage Deluxe includes tutorials and videos to learn from reference images for tracing and stencils for painting precise shapes. You ll have the artwork and guidance you need to create amazing art!Tools of the TradePaint and draw with oils brushes pencils rollers pens and more. Blend and smear paint on the canvas and use the bristle texture of your stroke to add depth to the image. The Metallic Paint option gives you spreadable blendable gold and silver oil paints sparkling glitter silver leaf sprays and other incredible effects!ArtRage Deluxe makes creating art easier than ever!Start creating from the moment you open ArtRage!Creating your artwork has never been easier. Start a new painting using the tracing paper function. Loading your owntracing image gives you an image to use as a reference and creates a canvas for you to work on.Customize tools and colorsPick colors zoom in and out and trace your image as loosely or tightly as you see fit. Use layers to isolate colors effects and lines. Mix them at will! Choose areas and layers of your work for a variety of color and effects line quality blending paint thinners canvas roughness paper textures and more! Draw strokes using varying pressure with a wide variety of tools.Finish your work with fine detailing airbrushing distortions or varying backgrounds. The creative possibilities are endless!System Requirements:Windows:Vista XP 2000 or Tablet PC800MHz processor or faster256MB of RAMMacintosh:OS X 10.3.9 or laterG4 processor or faster256MB of RAMFormat: WIN 2000XPVISTA/MAC 10.3.9 OR LATER Genre:ENTERTAINMENT UPC:717103856488 Manufacturer No:ARDHBX2

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Serif DrawPlus X4 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this to replace my previous version of Corel Draw, which was not compatible with Win7. It has many of the same features, plus several that Corel did not have. The interface is fairly intiutive, but like most programs there is still a learning curve (and I'm still learning).
As mentioned by another reviewer, there seems to be a wide variation in pricing for this product, and the lower-price version (which I bought) only comes with the disc. In order to register the product (which isnn't necessary for using it), you'll need to call the company and listen to them attempt to sell you the manuals. While the price for the manual isn't a lot, considering most software these days does not come with paper anymore, I do object to being "steered" into calling the company to register, and then listen to a (polite) sales pitch for something that should have been an order option when buying the product to begin with. Not the best marketing strategy in my opinion. Would have preferred a simple check box asking me if I wanted to inlcude the manual for X dollars.
I have had only one crash with the software so far, which seems less buggy than Corel had been. Will do a follow-up review in a few months.

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DrawPlus X4 is the powerful, fun, and versatile designer that makes creating beautiful artwork and graphics easier than ever. Design attractive logos and documents for print, create eye-catching Web graphics and banners, paint and sketch with easy tools that let you edit at any time, enhance your photos by quickly transforming them into stunning pieces of art, turn drawings into animations, and output your designs at high quality and at any size--whatever your level of experience.

Design Unleashed
DrawPlus X4 makes it easy to achieve creative results fast.
Easy to UseBe creative with DrawPlus X4, whatever your experience, with video tutorials to smooth the way.
Instant ResultsReady-to-use designs and an on-screen gallery of instant art and symbols get you results fast.
Versatile for Any ProjectGo for it! You can tackle fun, serious, print, Web, large, small, static, and animated graphics.
Professional PowerUse high-end tools, techniques, colors, color management, and professional graphics formats.
High QualityGet high-quality artwork out of DrawPlus X4 at any size with dynamic printing and exports.
Go Back and Edit AnytimeAll the shapes, lines, paintbrush strokes, text, and effects you create are editable--all the time.
Create Stunning Artwork
Sketch and paint naturally using realistic brushes and media.
Paint with Realistic BrushesPaint with lifelike watercolor, oil, charcoal, and many other brush tips--without mess--plus a handy Undo button, freedom to edit stroke paths, and change the brush tip; even for existing strokes.
Natural paint and brush textures
Pressure-sensitive response for added realism
Special effects brushes for fog, cloud, and smoke
Use designer textures to add realism and age
Paint photo-quality stitching, glitter, and more

Intelligent Drawing ToolsQuickShapes, curve smoothing, and smart tools all help non-artists achieve fantastic results.
Advanced Vector PowerEnhance your drawings with editable perspective, warps, skewing, roughening, and shape blending.
Professional Blend ModesAchieve unique artistic effects by combining the color and brightness of objects in smart new ways.
Amazing EffectsApply and customise impressive effects like bevels, glows, surface textures, and Instant 3D.
Achieve Even More with a Graphics TabletGive your artwork even more hand-made realism with a graphics tablet. Pressure-sensitivity offers your strokes natural faintness and depth for better brushwork, sketching, writing, shading, and more natural flair.
Pressure StudioAutomatically calibrate your tablet(s) to suit light and heavy strokes or manually tweak and test your pressure sensitivity in an impressive, all-new Studio.
Dynamic ToolsCustomize your tablet's buttons, wheels, sliders, and ExpressKeys (found on Wacom Intuos4 tablets) for the highest level of productivity and ease of use.
Logos & Web Graphics
Craft high-impact and high-quality graphics for print and the Web.
Ready-to-Use GallerySimply drag and drop instant artwork and also reuse your own favorites from your own Gallery.
One-Click Graphics StylesRealistic styles for your headlines and logos include marble, metal, glass, wood, and organic textures.
Logo-Friendly Design ToolsUse perspective and cool warps, add Instant 3D, and work on graphics in isolation in Solo Mode.
Rollover Web ButtonsMake attractive and professional-looking Web buttons that change with mouse-cursor interaction.
Animated Web BannersGive your Web site a slick, polished banner featuring your own title, imagery, message, and hotspots.
Plus... Charts and PlansLive connectors make charts and diagrams easy and 2D plans are a breeze using scaled dimensions.
Transform Your Photos
Enhance, cut out, or transform your photos into works of art.
Powerful PhotoLabMake sure photos are at their very best and turn them into stunning pieces of art with the all-new PhotoLab, offering over 70 easy adjustments, corrections, filters, and instant artist effects.
Remove blemishes and fix photo flaws
Apply artistic photo filters
Turn photos into watercolors, oils, and more
Limit stylish changes to specific areas
Change or undo image settings at any time

AutoTrace Images into Editable Shape ArtTurn sketches, logos, Web graphics and photos into high-quality vector artwork you can easily recolor, tweak, silhouette, and resize without losing quality.
Remove Backgrounds the Easy WayQuickly and accurately cut away image backgrounds to give subjects total focus, or use parts of a photo as shape art to use as silhouettes and much more.
Easy Animations
Create jaw-dropping Flash Web animations and fun cartoons.
Make Flash AnimationsThe creative power of DrawPlus X4 brings you more than printed artwork, more than Web graphics... you can also create jaw-dropping cartoons and interactive animations in your own unique style!
Keyframe mode automatically smoothes motion
Make your own Flash animations
Use interactivity to create games and puzzles
Go pro with ActionScript commands
Save as Flash, movie files, animated GIFs

Interactive DemosUse interactive animation features to showcase products and more.
Stopframe MoviesStopframe animation mode gives you total, frame-by-frame control.
Make a ScreensaverEnjoy your animated creations any time as movie screensavers.


Highly Compatible
Share your artwork in standard formats and fully edit PDFs.
Get Artwork and Images from AnywhereOpen or import artwork and documents from almost anywhere, with support for 18 popular drawings, graphics, and image formats.
Incredible PDF EditingOpen and fully edit PDFs from other computers and programs, changing text, layout, pages, colors, images--anything--and simply save as PDF again.
High-End Graphics SupportCollaborate with other artists using EPS, SVG, AutoCAD, and Adobe Illustrator files.
Export OptimizerCreate the right image every time; preview the quality and size of up to four image types at once.
Share on DrawPlus.comShowcase your work and chat with other DrawPlus users in the free DrawPlus.com community. END

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You Need A Budget - Personal Finance Software - for Mac Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I don't review often, but this is worth my time. This software is a great tool in managing your money. I have used it for about 7 months now, and once I got the hang of it, it has become irreplaceable in how I manage my money. This software may no be for everyone, in that it is not as full featured as Quicken or iBank, but it is not designed to be like Quicken or iBank. You Need A Budget (YNAB) is created to help you tell your money where to go, not just to see where it went.
To get the full experience of this software, it is helpful to start with at least one month of income on hand. Basically, this program takes this months income and uses it for next months expenses. If you don't have that, don't worry, you can still use the program, but it will push you toward that goal. This practice alone has completely changed the way I manage money. I no longer really pay attention to when my payday is, because I set my budget and I know that on the first of every month, I can pay every expected bill that will come.
Also, this program works better if you take an active roll in your budgeting. You will have to assign every spending transaction into a category or else everything is thrown off. I like this, because it forces me to be accountable in my spending. I can't spend more on a certain budget line and "sweep it under the rug" and pretend you didn't go over.
If you are looking for something to help you watch your finances and get an overview of where your money is going, this is not the program for you. If you are looking for a system to help you actively manage your money and budget monthly, this is the best I have found.
The learning curve is a little steeper than most other money management software, but once you learn it, it is easy. When I first started using YNAB, I would spend at least an hour or two every week with the program. Now, I spend maybe 15 minutes a week on finances, and it is always reconciled to my statements, and my budget is up to date.
If you have an iPhone or Android, there is a great mobile app that lets you track spending on the go, and then wirelessly match it with YNAB on the computer. It also shows your up to date budget. I always have my budget with me! The cost for the app is $9.99. (Probably worth $4.99, but it's still worth it.) There is no iPad app yet, but hopefully that will come in the future.
I know this is not necessarily the best review from the technical aspect, but hopefully this helps.
The forums are very active on the YNAB website, with the developer on there as well to help answer questions. I have never posted on the forum, but I have always found answers to questions that I have. They also have free online classes to help you learn the product. The developer is not interested in just selling the software, but helping you manage your money better.
Again... if you are looking for something to passively watch your money with, this will frustrate you. If you are wanting to take control of your finances and stop being broke... this is the program for you.

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