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Adobe Illustrator 10

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PCQ Bureau
New Update

The latest version of vector design software, Illustrator 10 comes of age in this release. It provides a host of Web and print-related features to an extent that it can even confuse the new user. New features in this release include new tool sets, enhanced Web support for Macromedia Flash (.SWF), SVG and optimized slicing. Other new features include symbols and symbolism tools for workflow enhancement, new flare effects and a tighter integration with other Adobe products. 

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Getting deeper into the latest enhancements, let’s look at symbols first. Symbols are a great way to replicate any illustrator design while maintaining a very small file size. They behave like symbols in any other application, that is, the instances of the symbol on the page change with the change in symbol. This is also a very good way of sharing graphics between files.

Symbols are supported by a set of eight symbolism tools in the Tool palette, with each tool having its own editable options for editing the instances of the symbol. It’s a boon for designers. 

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Price : Rs 23,950
Meant for : Designers
Pros : introduction of symbols make it easy to share graphics between file, create vector-based lens flares in a jiffy
Features : New drawing tools, symbols and symbolism tools, data driven graphics
Contact : Adobe Systems, Noida.
Tel : 2444711.
E-mail : sandeepm@adobe.com 

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The second most important enhancement in this version is the inclusion of the slicing feature. Now Web designers can slice their graphics in the same way they do it in Photoshop or ImageReady. These slices are rearranged automatically when you edit or add new objects and can be imported in Photoshop also. These slices can then be exported individually using the Export for Web feature.

Moving further, there are improvements in the way objects are combined together. These can be found in the Pathfinder palette. Divided under two headings they give you 10 different options to combine two objects like add, subtract, intersect, merge and trim.

A cool new tool called the Flare tool has made an appearance in the Shape tools fly-out. This lets you draw vector-based lens flares of various sizes in a jiffy. Moving on to other cool effects, you will find the Enhanced-warping tool. This tool now contains 15 new effects that are individually adjustable through the warping dialogue. Some of the effects available include Arc, Fish-eye, Bulge, Wave and Flag. In addition to the above-mentioned warps, there are some new distortion tools in the same roll-out that can give some interesting and sometimes weird effects. These include Twirl, Bloat, Scallop and Crystallize.

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Another interesting enhancement is the inclusion of a Photoshop-style Magic-wand tool that lets you select selective colors at a click of a mouse button. This version also includes a new technique called Data-driven graphics, through which you can change the graphics by linking them to a backend database using the Variables palette.

The Bottom Line: Overall, a great tool for vector graphics, which becomes even more useful thanks to the new Web-related features. 

Geetaj Channana

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