Article Abstract:
Adobe's Illustrator 7.0 marks the 10th anniversary of the popular graphics package's introduction and is the first true cross-platform version that offers an identical feature set on the Mac, Windows 95 and Windows NT. It can now create image maps, has a new shape-editing tool and rotatable grids, supports the RGB color space and provide a Multiple Master palette, although there are some disappointments. Adobe still does not provide object, character or paragraph styles, object libraries or Hexachrome color support. There is also no way to search or replace objects. Illustrator 7.0 has revamped palettes that match the look and feel of its sibling Photoshop product and offers improved color management, but there is no way to save a set of colors from the Color palette as is possible in Photoshop. Colors and Swatches palettes replace the cumbersome Paint Style palette in Illustrator 6.0. Among the best new Illustrator features are Web-design capabilities.
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Article Abstract:
Fortune Hill's $99.95 WildRiverSSK Adobe Photoshop-compatible graphics/imaging utility includes a variety of modules for creating textures and detailed 3D effects. The MagicMask component provides 24 superior embossing filters, the MagicCurtain module handles gradient and coloring features, the MagicFrame module provides rectangular frame creation and the DekoBoko component creates excellent carved-bevel effects. However, WildRiverSSK's overall interface suffers from a cluttered, non-intuitive design. Alien Skin Software's $199 Eye Candy 3.0 Photoshop-compliant graphics utility provides 21 separate filter effects, including new Smoke, Weave, Chrome, Fire, Water Droplets and Fur features. Eye Candy's interface is simple to navigate, but the performance and help-access procedures are relatively slow.
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Article Abstract:
Live Picture Inc's $149 Live Picture XT for the Power Macintosh offers Quark XPress users an alternative to Adobe's Open Prepress Interface (OPI). Users will be able to alter document files until they are separated for printing. The application also facilitates the use of large scans in a varity of sizes. Live Picture XT utilizes the company's proprietary IVUE image format to manipulate and print large graphics as though they were smaller. Images are displayed on screen faster and are printed faster because only enough pixels are used to satisfy the output device. Live Picture XT converts TIFF, Photo CD, JPEG, Scitex CT and Adobe Photoshop files into the IVUE format as they are imported into XPress. The converted images are much better than ordinary XPress images.
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