Review: xaraX

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4/5 Geeks

by Don Herion

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There are a number of incredibly versatile vector illustration programs today. The more familiar ones are Corel, Freehand, Illustrator and Canvas. I recently had the opportunity to play with another vector illustration program called xaraX Sounds like a femme fatale in a James Bond movie doesn't it? For those familiar with Xara, the company produces a number of software products such as, xara3D and xara WebStyle. xXara3D produces three dimensional graphics and animations for the Internet. xaraWebStyle produces graphics for the Web. xaraX is xara's premiere software program. At a modest cost of only $149 you can produce professional print and Web graphics using vector and/or bitmap images very quickly. At least that's what Xara claims. They wouldn't lie about something like that would they? Well, it was my mission to find out. So risking a vicious attack of carpal tunnel syndrome and severe eye strain I plunged into the world of xaraX like Indiana Jones after the lost Ark of the Covenant. You know, I think I deserve a raise.

xaraX screenshot

xaraXYZ
After loading xaraX from the CD, I was pleasantly surprised when I started the program. The interface is clean and well laid out. The tools run down the left side of the screen; the color palette occupies the bottom. When you select a tool, the tool's options appear in a bar at the top of the screen. This is an improvement over other programs where numerous floating palettes clutter the screen. Overall, I found the xaraX interface intuitive and easy to absorb.

xaraX - Building a Web Page Header
Rather than simply reviewing the program, I decided to create a Web page header for xara. It would include the company logo and some rollover buttons. Here is a quick sketch of the project.

Rough layout for Xara Web page header