A Fast Draw for Graphic Design
By Phil Stevens
The Web is very much a visual medium. As soon as graphical browsers were unleashed on the Internet, designers started coming up with Web page graphics. The tools that used to perform this work were originally developed for commercial printing, lithography, desktop publishing, presentations, and draftingıand with this heritage, they haven't always been the most graceful means of creating images for display in a browser.
There are, however, a growing number of Web-specific graphic design applications promising rapid artistic development. These are quickly claiming a loyal following among both wizard-wielding newbies and old hands who dream in a 216-color palette. You might see ads for these new tools in the trades, or hear about them from hard-core graphics mavens.
I've dabbled in at least a dozen graphics programs, but still can't draw my way out of a wet paper sack. In recent years, I've heard art-savvy friends buzzing about offerings from Xara, especially around the time Corel bought an interest in the company. Corel has been shedding business units of late, and Xara is one of its most recently emancipated divisions. Add to this a rabid online following of aficionados and an imminent product release, and Xara X was finally impossible to ignore. I installed a beta preview of Xara X and discovered what all the fuss is about.
Less Really Is More
I was immediately struck by the spartan look of Xara X's document window.
