This blog has moved

This blog is now located at http://graphics-unleashed.unleash.com/.
You will be automatically redirected in 30 seconds, or you may click here.

For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions to
http://graphics-unleashed.unleash.com/feeds/posts/default.

Share

Sancho Text Docker for X5

I still wonder what Corel was thinking when they removed the Format Text dialog box in CorelDRAW X3 and replaced it with not one but two Dockers. Whenever I need to do some text formatting, I always have to make changes in both Dockers. This is an incredibly inefficient workflow.

The good news is that the custom Docker technology allows third parties to rectify things like this since it could be years before Corel sees the err of their ways. The Sancho Text Docker for X5 does everything you can do in the two separate Dockers that Corel provides and more. Best of all, you can add them to your copy of CorelDRAW for free!

Share

Basketball Artwork

Anyone that has read my books or followed this blog for any length of time probably knows that I am a huge fan of college basketball, specifically my Kansas Jayhawks. Later today, the field of the 2010 NCAA Tournament will be announced and the Jayhawks will be one of the favorites to win it all.

I thought that I should find some clip art with a basketball theme so that you make your brackets look great for those inter-office pools. You'll even find a few other sports are represented in some of the artwork.

Share

Alternative Choices for Font Management

Last week I told you my choice for font management software was FontExpert 2009. Several loyal readers have commented that they liked other products. I have not tested any of the other products suggested, but I thought I'd pass along links to these products so that you can check them out if you don't feel FontExpert is the right tool for you.

• MainType
• X-Fonter
• Font Pilot
• Printer's Apprentice

Each of these products has its pros and cons. Personally, none of them measure up to FontExpert 2009 and that's why I featured it last week. If there are other products not listed here, pass along information on your favorite as a comment.

Share

Talvez Assim

Today's continues the theme of grunge fonts that I started last week. Talvez Assim not only has an interesting name, but a variety of textures within the characters of the font. From a distance, some of the characters seem to have a bit of a brick wall in them. Others have big dots or even small dots. Check out the font for yourself and tell me what you see in the characters.

Share

Double Outlines With Contour

CorelDRAW only allows a single outline to be applied to an object. Yet there is a way to get more than one outline quite easily using the contour effect. Let's say that you want a double outline on some text with the middle of the two outlines being white. Basically you want a gap between the text and the outline. Apply a two-step contour to the outside of the object. Select Arrange  | Break Apart (Ctrl + K) so separate the contour group from the original object. Ctrl + click on the inside object in the contour and change its color to white. Then Ctrl + click on the outside object and change it to the outline color you want. Voila, you're done!

Share

Asus Eee PC Seashell 1005PE

I've made sure to have both a good laptop and desktop for the past fifteen years. The laptop is the computer I use when teaching CorelDRAW Unleashed Training Boot Camps and other remote training projects. In the office, I always use my desktop. While I have yet to take the leap and get a netbook, it is something I'm seriously considering in the near future.

Why a netbook? There are trips when I'd like to be able to check my e-mail and surf the Web. Yet I don't want to have to carry around the full weight of my laptop. If I would need to use CorelDRAW, I'd need the laptop.

I decided to start doing a little research on the subject so that I can make the right choice when I'm ready to buy. After a little research, the Asus Eee PC Seashell 1005PE was the one that moved to the top of my list. Is it perfect? Of course not. All netbooks come with tradeoffs. Yet those tradeoffs are necessary in order for the netbook to be so small.

Do you have a netbook that you prefer? Leave a comment and let me know which one you would choose.

Share

Resources Docker for CorelDRAW X4 and X5

Many times there are projects going on behind the scenes at Graphics Unleashed. One such project began life nearly six months ago during an e-mail exchange. Thanks to the ability of CorelDRAW X4 and X5 to have custom Dockers and the programming skills of Shelby Moore, I'm proud to announce the availability of the Resources Docker. First, I'll make it clear that it is completely free and it works in both CorelDRAW X4 and X5.

We tried to make it so that the Graphics Unleashed resources that you find most important are all available. You'll find the latest blog posts from the Graphics Unleashed Blog and Jeff Harrison's Daily Diversion. You'll also find links to the bestsellers on Graphics Unleashed Media Marketplace as well as a random selection of other products. Lastly, you'll find links to the most recent topics in the Graphics Unleashed Discussion Forums where you can post questions and get answers. The Docker was designed so that it can be easily updated should other resources become available.

Check out the Resources Docker and download your free copy today!

Share