Wellies' photos and graphics

Love the Hat Box,Wellies.
Well Done.
Looks like amazing Graphics Software.
Is there a huge learning curve?

 

There is if you want to turn out graphics such as can be seen in the Xara Gallery. I think most of those are done by people who were artists even before they took to applying their talent with Xara Xtreme. Nonetheless, it is possible to turn out pleasing graphics in the program without being able to draw or paint very well.

The more you practice, the better you get I suppose. I need more practice myself. Most of the graphics here were made a while ago and I must get down to doing some more. Ah well, winter is on it's way and that's just the time when playing with art packages becomes a good pastime. DrawPlus and CorelDraw are some other good vector programs.

 

Thanks for that advice, Wellies.
I just downloaded, and installed the 30 Day trial, of XARA XTREME PRO
5.1.O.8917.
Had to check it out.

 

The PRO version is no doubt very good but has an increased price tag to go with it (£199-00 in UK). The latest standard version 5 is more affordable at £69-00. The one I'm using is the standard version 4. I've so far resisted upgrading to version 5. I'm not sure it would give me too much benefit. Anyway, it's as well to be aware that there are two versions of Xara Xtreme and of the price difference between them.

 

This one was created ages ago using CorelDraw 7 (another very good vector drawing program). A bit more detail was added when I got Xara Xtreme. It looks almost photographic but it isn't. It is an item that hangs on the wall in front of the computer and was drawn from scratch line by line and filled with a preset wood effect that was modified to look like the original. A graphic I've been proud of because of the work that went into the dials.

 

You are so so right to be proud of it, Wellie - terrific!! - and the work that went into it - mind boggling!!

 

Here's a pencil showing the lines/shapes that go to make it up:

 

I do an abbreviated form of combining family photos with scrapbooking and images like these pencils now that school is starting once again - wonderfully made, Wellie!

 

An exercise in using Xtreme's 3D and shape slicing tools.



How to get the bar inside the rings? Well, that's the sort of thing vector programs are good at. All parts that go to form the final image are duplicated. These can be virtually and very accurately 'chopped up' by the program. The small parts that will make the image appear as a whole are kept and the rest discarded. The saved parts are placed as shown below. Good trick eh?

 

Magic, Wellie! It's great and I'm so happy you feed those wee magical Fairies that live inside your computer regularly as they turn out wonderful creations - well done!

 

I posted a link only to this graphic somewhere but thought I'd display the image in this thread.



This ends the collection of Xtreme graphics done purely for fun ..but the program has a useful purpose too. Mrs. wellies needs inserts for the greetings cards she makes. Xara Xtreme was initially bought for this purpose. So, I'll show a few of the inserts but I think the cards themselves will be the main attraction!

Also, a few other graphics were made using CorelDraw. I can show these too. After that, I'm down to straight photos and photos that have had filters applied in order to give various funny effects.

 

Wow! (I know, I know - I use that word a lot when describing your work but it really is 'wow!!)

Really, really looking forward to your next posts, too, Wellie!

 

Look forward to the rest of your posts Wellie see if we think along the same lines

 

Yes Bob - We both have an interest in manipulating images. All goes to make an interesting pastime .

The image below was only the second one I ever did. That would make it 13 years old. It was done about 6 months after I got my first computer and created using only the Windows 'Paint' program (the plinth was added some time later when I got Corel PhotoPaint 7). The model Mercedes was sat on top of the CRT monitor and just copied. Haven't got the model now but the picture is still here.

 

This must have been such fun to create, Wellie!

I see an old car like this and am instantly reminded of the worse car I've ever owned. A 'Morgan'. Darn thing steered like a tank and one was apt to get frost bite on the nose when driving it in Winter!

Thanks for sharing your creation with us and also for bringing back so many memories of a car that I swear hated me as much as I did it!

 

Are you having a wee nap here, Wellie? - because we haven't forgotten that you've got cards and photos to share too! Huge smile!

 

Not much time for the computer over the last few days (friends staying) but still around .

Here's last year's Christmas card insert. Xara Xtreme can take a single object (such as a holly sprig) and turn it into a 'brush'. It can then apply the object along a drawn line. Spacing and size are set by the user.

Some pre-set brush effects come with the program and others are made available over on the the Xara forum. It is possible to make your own brushes out of any object/shape you care to draw.

The lines on the card are just for centring purposes and are removed before printing.

 

Oh dear, I think the 'internet bunnies' have passed by and munched because the graphic is missing

Hope you had a great time with your guests (some are great fun and some used to leave me wishing I could check into a Hotel myself - grin),

 

I hope the errant image is showing for you now. I can see it OK in Firefox and IE. Here's the mentioned cards that kind of eclipse the middles I make for them. Well, you can see a bit of the middles.

 

This gives me a great Idea, as I must admit that the number of times I forget to post Birthday and greating cards is greater than I will admit but, emails always get sent. so with a quick scan and a little giggery pokery, I can send an image of the card at least