Graphics magic at a reasonable price

By PETER GRIFFIN

It's been a few years since I was last acquainted with the CorelDraw franchise, so it's good to see what progress the software has made.

Often overlooked for slicker but more expensive products from the likes of Adobe, CorelDraw seems to have maintained its hard-core user base as each version brings in a handful of useful improvements.

The latest effort, CorelDraw Graphics Suite 12, is again aimed at desktop publishers and graphic artists working across print, digital media and the web, but is also a useful and reasonably priced package for home users generating their own newsletters, engaging in some amateur doodling or dabbling in web graphic design.

The software suite has three main parts - CorelDraw itself, Photo-Paint and RAVE 3. CorelDraw is the backbone of the package, offering a sophisticated drawing program.

A feature of version 12, remotely similar to the shape recognition aspect of Microsoft's tablet PC software, lets you scribble down a draft page layout or drawing quickly with the software correcting your shapes as you go. An "eye-dropper" tool lets you easily copy the properties you've set for one object you are working on to another.

So-called "dynamic guides" help to speed up the drawing process and a new text feature allows the user to see changes to type without having to continuously flick between zoom levels.

Photo-Paint is my favourite application. It includes a large set of tools for manipulating digital images. Add some lens flare to that vibrant sunset shot. Colour-mask your pictures for a more artistic look. Just about anything is possible.

Version 12 boasts a new "Touch-up" feature specifically designed for removing defects from images. Erase stains and rips from an old picture you've imported into Corel via your scanner. The touch-up brush displays its results in real time.

Corel RAVE, which appears to have received a slight overhaul, is a bit more complicated but hugely useful, concentrating on motion graphics for presentations or websites. A quick tutorial had me set up to create moving web logos and web banners. And I was just scratching the surface.

This time around, CorelDraw has dropped support for Mac, which will undoubtedly annoy those few Mac-based designers who went for the previous version.

CorelTrace, a neat add-on that automatically traces imported images, and Corel Capture, agood screen-grab application,are also bundled in.

The software now has extensive support for Microsoft Office, allowing users to export graphics into applications such as Excel, PowerPoint and Word.

Support for Corel's other flagship product, WordPerfect Office, has also been improved.

The formidable Adobe Studio will give you the features of CorelDraw and more, but will add a large chunk to your bill.

An Adobe follower myself, I found CorelDraw surprisingly easy to pick up.

CorelDraw


Price: (full version) $900; (upgrade) $395; (education users) $259.

Herald rating: 7/10.

Pros: Ease of use, broad range of features.

Cons: No Mac support.