CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 [DVD]

October 8, 2009 by Michelle
Filed under Drawing Software

Product Description

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 lets you tackle creative graphics and design projects with confidence. New tools make it easier and quicker than ever to deliver any creative project, from layout and photo editing, to illustration and bitmap-to-vector tracing. Powerful text and layout enhancements give you the look you want plus market-leading file compatibility makes collaboration easy. Updated high-quality content, a step-by-step Hints Docker and new tutorials written by experts get you started fast. Professional and aspiring designers along with anyone who needs to express creative ideas will be able to turn their ideas into professional results: from distinctive logos and signs, to striking marketing materials and eye-catching web graphics.

The redesigned CorelDRAW X4 user interface--new icons, menus, and controls give the applications a fresh appearance and provide a more intuitive working environment.

What's Included with CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4?

Applications

CorelDRAW X4: CorelDRAW X4 is an intuitive vector-illustration and page-layout application that meets the demands of today's busy design professionals and occasional graphics users. It delivers results fast, whether users are creating a company logo or working toward demanding production schedules.
Corel PHOTO-PAINT X4: Corel PHOTO-PAINT X4 is a professional image-editing application that lets users quickly and easily retouch and enhance photos. It is specifically designed for use in a graphics workflow.
Corel PowerTRACE X4: Professional designers often receive poor-quality bitmap images from clients and face the challenge of turning these bitmaps into high-quality vector images for business cards, brochures, signs, or other promotional items. Corel PowerTRACE X4 solves this problem by letting users quickly and accurately convert bitmaps into editable vector graphics.
Corel CAPTURE X4: Corel CAPTURE X4 is a one-click screen-capture utility that lets users capture images from their computer screens.

Supporting applications

Barcode wizard: The Barcode wizard lets users generate bar codes in a wide range of industry-standard formats.
Service Bureau Profiler: The Service Bureau Profiler helps users prepare their work for professional output.
Duplexing wizard: The Duplexing wizard helps users optimize their work for printing two-sided documents.
Bitstream Font Navigator: The Bitstream Font Navigator is an award-winning font manager for the Windows operating system. It lets users manage, find, install, and preview fonts.

The new Centerline Trace method is ideal for tracing line drawings or signatures.

A collection of specialized fonts includes engraving fonts.

Top New and Enhanced Features
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 is an affordable and comprehensive suite that combines intuitive page-layout, illustration, photo-editing, and bitmap-to-vector tracing applications. The trusted choice of professional and aspiring designers, the suite includes new tools that fuel the creative process, simplify project management, and optimize the graphic design workflow.

Streamline your workflow
With its redesigned and modernized user interfaces, new collaboration tools, and enhanced features, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 can help users streamline their workflow without compromising creativity or flexibility.

New--Modernized user interface (UI): For CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4, the user interface has been redesigned. New icons, menus, and controls give the applications a fresh appearance and provide a more intuitive working environment.

New--CorelDRAW ConceptShare: The new CorelDRAW ConceptShare docker is a valuable online collaboration tool. In a Web-based environment, CorelDRAW ConceptShare lets users share their designs and ideas with colleagues or clients in real time. Users can easily create multiple workspaces, upload their designs, and invite others to provide feedback or submit their own ideas.

Enhanced--Corel PowerTRACE X4: With Corel PowerTRACE X4, users can quickly and easily trace bitmaps, converting them into editable and scalable vector images. The new Centerline Trace method produces more accurate strokes and is perfect for tracing line drawings or signatures. To control which colors appear in the traced results, users can easily edit, merge, or delete colors on the color palette that is generated by PowerTRACE. In addition, improved smoothing and corner control help users optimize their traced results.

New--Windows Color System support: CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 supports the Windows Color System, which enables users to more closely match colors between Corel and Microsoft applications.

New--Adobe Color Management Module: CorelDRAW Graphics Suite now supports the Adobe Color Management Module (CMM), which provides consistent color transformations by using industry-standard International Color Consortium (ICC) color profiles. This makes it easy for users to closely match colors between Corel and Adobe applications.

Enhanced--Print Merge: With CorelDRAW X4, the Print Merge wizard makes it easier than ever to combine text from a data source with a drawing. As a result, invitations, labels, certificates, or other projects that place unique, personalized text on the same design are faster and easier to produce. In addition, users now have the ability to output a print merge to the CorelDRAW file format (CDR). CorelDRAW X4 supports the following data sources: text (TXT), comma-separated values (CSV), Rich Text Format (RTF), and other files supported by Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) data sources.

High-quality thumbnail previews make it easier for users to find their files.

The new Table tool makes it easy to create a structured layout with graphic elements embedded in table cells.

The Learning tools accessible from the Welcome screen.

Enhanced--Customizable workspace: In addition to letting users customize the application's command bars, commands, and button arrangements, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 includes preset workspaces that have a similar look and feel to those of Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, or Microsoft Office. These preset workspaces make it easier for users to transition to CorelDRAW Graphics Suite. Users can also export a custom workspace to share it with other users.

Enhanced--PDF Comments support: CorelDRAW X4 now supports PDF Comments, which gives users the option of importing comments and annotations when they import a PDF file. This makes it quicker and easier for users to access and leverage feedback from clients and colleagues.

Enhanced--Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications 6.4: For users who want to automate their workflow, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 supports the latest version of Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) 6.4.

New--Dynamic product updates: With CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4, the Welcome screen is a valuable resource that provides users with immediate access to new content, tips and tricks, product registration, and the latest product updates. From within the application, users can choose to install product updates automatically or to receive notification when updates are available.

Find your design assets
With market-leading file format compatibility, a convenient file search, and an abundance of new, editable content, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 makes it easier for users to exchange files and find the right design asset for the job.

Enhanced--Windows Vista integration: CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 has been designed to take advantage of the latest innovations from the Windows Vista operating system. From within the operating system dialog boxes, users can search for files by author, subject, file type, date, keywords, or other file properties. Users can also easily add keywords or other notes when saving files in order to better organize their projects. In addition, users can edit file properties from within the CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 applications or from Windows Explorer and Windows Vista Search. Users of Windows XP can use Windows Desktop Search or any other desktop search application that supports the iFilter format.

New--Content: CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 includes an abundance of new, editable content on an easily searchable DVD. Users can browse through 10,000 clipart images to find inspiration for their next design project. These high quality vector graphics are easily adapted. In addition, 1,000 new high-quality photos on various subjects and themes are included.

New--Specialized fonts: With a collection of specialized fonts, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 helps users ensure that their output is optimized for its intended audience. An extended selection of new fonts includes single-line engraving fonts and OpenType cross-platform fonts, which offer enhanced language support for Latin, Greek, and Cyrillic outputs in WG4L format.

New--Template search and preview: In CorelDRAW X4, the New From Template dialog box has been completely redesigned to provide users with more information so that they can easily choose the right template for the job. Users can now preview templates by Type, such as flyer or postcard, or by Industry, such as hospitality, retail, or services. Users can also search for templates by using keywords.

New--Professionally designed templates: CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 includes more than 80 professionally designed and customizable templates, which give users a great starting point for their designs. Flexible and easy to repurpose, the templates are now accompanied by Designer Notes. These notes provide information on the design choices made for the template, tips for outputting a design based on the template, and instructions for customizing the template while still adhering to design principles.

Enhanced--Adobe product support: To ensure a seamless workflow, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 provides enhanced support for Adobe Photoshop CS3, Adobe Illustrator CS3, PDF 1.7, PDF/A, and Adobe Acrobat 8. When exporting CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 files to the new Adobe Illustrator CS3 format, users can now choose a format for text in the exported files. This makes it easier for users to exchange files between the applications. In addition, users can save files to the PDF/A format--the file format approved by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for long-term archiving of electronic documents.

New--File format support: CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 maintains its position as market leader in file format compatibility by adding support for Microsoft Publisher (versions 2002, 2003, and 2007). Users can also expect seamless compatibility with Microsoft Word 2007, AutoCAD DXF and AutoCAD DWG (versions R2.5 to 2007), and Corel Painter X, making it easier than ever to exchange files with colleagues and clients.

New--Thumbnail previews: New, high-quality thumbnail previews make it easier to find and organize CorelDRAW and Corel PHOTO-PAINT files.

The redesigned Corel PHOTO-PAINT user interface.

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 lets users work with raw camera files.

Users now receive real-time feedback when adjusting the tone curve of an image.

Accelerate layout and text editing
With an interactive Table tool, independent page layers, real-time text formatting previews, and an integrated font identification feature, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 can help users accelerate document design.

New--Interactive tables: The new, interactive Table tool in CorelDRAW X4 lets users create and import tables to provide a structured layout for text and graphics. Users can easily align, resize, or edit tables and table cells to suit their designs. In addition, users can convert delimited text into a table or convert a table into delimited text. Users can also easily add and adjust images in individual table cells.

New--Independent page layers: With CorelDRAW X4, users can now control and edit layers independently for each page of a document, reducing the occurrence of pages with empty layers. Users can also add independent guidelines for individual pages and master guidelines for an entire document. This gives users the ability to create different layers on a page-specific basis, unconfined by a single document structure. In addition, the new Duplicate Page command gives users the flexibility to copy a page with all objects included or just the layer structure, making it easier to repurpose existing designs.

New--Live text formatting: CorelDRAW X4 introduces live text formatting, which lets users see how a text formatting change will look before applying it to a document. This handy and time-saving formatting aid reduces the need to undo and redo unsatisfactory changes. Users can now scroll through and preview many different formatting options, including fonts, font size, and alignment.

New--Font identification: CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 now integrates with WhatTheFont, the online font identification service from MyFonts.com. Users can save time by immediately identifying the font used in existing designs or artwork received from clients (English only).

New--Mirror paragraph text: With CorelDRAW X4, users can now interactively mirror text. Users can mirror text horizontally or vertically, or both, which is essential for outputting content for certain specialized devices.

Enhanced--Quotation marks: CorelDRAW X4 users can now customize quotation marks for specific languages. Users can edit quotation mark styles and choose which style is used when typing in different languages. For example, users can change the style of double, single, and straight quotation marks for a specific language.

Get inspired and gain knowledge
With CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4, it's never been easier to get started, find inspiration, or gain knowledge. The Welcome screen, expert tutorials, and other learning tools offer invaluable assistance to both new and experienced users.

New--Welcome screen: With a new Welcome screen, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 provides users with a centralized location to access recently used documents, templates, and learning tools, which include Tips & Tricks and video tutorials. To inspire users, the Welcome screen also includes a gallery that showcases designs created by CorelDRAW Graphics Suite users around the world.

New--CorelDRAW Handbook--Insights from the Experts: This new book showcases practical, real-world examples of accomplished designs by CorelDRAW experts. By deconstructing designs and sharing their wisdom and best practices, experts from a variety of industries demonstrate the power of CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4.

New--Training videos: CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 includes 2 hours of training videos on DVD. Topics include illustration, design, and image-editing fundamentals, industry-specific design principles, and output details for various media, such as print or the Web.

Enhanced--CorelTUTOR: With CorelTUTOR, users can access online, project-based tutorials that help them learn and use the applications. In addition to touring the workspaces of both CorelDRAW X4 and Corel PHOTO-PAINT X4, users can learn how to work with page-layout features, get started with bitmap-to-vector tracing, try the enhanced print-merge functionality, create a logo, an much more.

New--CorelDRAW community site: Accessible from within the application, the CorelDRAW.com community site gives users a place to get together to share information and learn from other users. Combining forums, blogs, galleries, and other resources, CorelDRAW.com is a valuable information resource for professional designers and occasional graphics users alike. Visit the site today to discover the creations and inspirations of this growing community.

Discover advanced image-editing features
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 provides advanced image-editing features that help users get expected results the first time.

New--Corel PHOTO-PAINT user interface: The Corel PHOTO-PAINT X4 user interface has been redesigned and modernized with new icons, menus, and controls.

New--Raw camera file support: CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 now supports raw camera file formats for more than 300 different types of cameras. This lets users import raw camera files directly from their digital camera. With interactive controls that provide real-time previews, users can view file properties and camera settings, adjust image color and tone, and improve image quality.

New--Straighten image: With CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4, users can quickly and easily straighten images that were scanned or photographed at an angle. The interactive controls, a grid with vertical and horizontal guidelines, and an integrated histogram that provides results in real time, make it easier than ever to straighten crooked images. In addition, users can choose to have their images automatically cropped.

Enhanced--Adobe Photoshop CS3 support: Corel PHOTO-PAINT X4 provides support for Adobe Photoshop CS3 so that users can seamlessly exchange files between the applications.

New--Histogram feedback: In CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4, more features and effects now provide histogram feedback in real time. This lets users edit images more efficiently by previewing changes and comparing results as they adjust image tone, apply effects, or process raw camera files.

Enhanced--Tone Curve adjustments: In Corel PHOTO-PAINT X4, the Tone Curve dialog box has been enhanced to help users adjust their images with more precision. With an integrated histogram, users now receive real-time feedback as they make adjustments to their images. In addition, the new Eyedropper lets users pinpoint specific color locations on the tone curve of their image. Users can also select, add, or delete nodes along the tone curve.

Product Details

Powerful, versatile and affordable graphics suite that includes everything you need for professional graphics illustration, layout and digital image editing
Innovative design tools, including advanced layout tables, live text formatting and separate layers per page, to optimize your workflow
Easy-to-use interface supported by learning videos, tutorials and intelligent Hints-Dockers
Market-leading file compatibility with over 100 import/export filters to make sharing your designs with colleagues and clients easy
Trusted by millions of professional users, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 is recognized as the standard design application in many industries

Video Reviews

No video reviews found for this product.

Customer Reviews

Great power and features, but learning curve may vary

Review Date: April 6, 2008

Reviewer: S.E. Poza, Rimersburg, PA

The Corel line of graphics software has always carried the burden of being the second choice and often the second experience of Adobe software users. Those who encounter the software after experience with the main Adobe-produced rivals (Illustrator and Photoshop) will experience it very differently than those who are looking to learn professional graphics from the start with Corel.

Though I am a very experienced user of Adobe products, I tried to experience Corel Draw (the vector graphics portion) and Photo Paint (the bitmap graphics portion) with an eye toward evaluating it as someone who wasn't already comfortable with a different interface, but who was interested in a professional level graphics package, as well as someone who may decide to transition away from the pricier Adobe products. I will offer my perspective from both of these viewpoints:

As a newcomer to pro graphics:

There is a lot of power and flexibility. Photo Paint offers alpha channels, lighting effects, masking, and a good selection of filters for those who want to "play" with images. It is able to open and save to a variety of file formats and can rasterize vector images. A lot of functions are quite intuitive (e.g., image straightening, filter effects), though programs with the breadth and depth of a professional program have a great many levels and no one who is new to them can grasp them immediately or without underlying knowledge of what all the terms mean. It's important not to mistake this graphics package as one designed for the hobbyist or person looking to modestly tweak images for web pages. The complex functionality it possesses is to allow folks working in industries that need finer work to get it done and it certainly allows for that and more.

In terms of how easy it is to understand the programs, CorelDraw is definitely a lot tougher to grasp, but that is the nature of vector graphics programs. However, I do believe that the way in which points (which are called "nodes" in Draw) are edited when working with Bezier curves could be more intuitive. Having to select each node and change its type by clicking a button in order to alter the way in which the control handles work is tedious. It'd be much better to have a modifier key to "break" curves where desired.

The help files and tutorials are excellent and I had not trouble tracking down information to help me do what I wanted to do. However, an absolute beginner will likely need to do the video training for more hand-holding than I required. It's hard to get your head around the way computer graphics work, but Corel certainly provides the tools to try if the user is willing to take the time to learn. The software can only take you so far when it comes to something this complex.

Corel also provides a huge variety of templates, clip art and fonts which Adobe does not. This makes the entire package more appealing to folks who work in publishing but do not create custom content and mainly want to tweak clip art or stock images.

As an experienced Adobe user:

One immediately resists every part of the interface which does not conform to what one is used to in Photoshop and Illustrator. This is much more troublesome in CorelDraw since drawing works best when one can use the tools effortlessly to gain the desired result. If you're looking to make the change to break free of Adobe's higher prices, the first thing you have to do is be patient with the interface differences. Some gritting of teeth may be involved. You'll likely find, on the whole, that some things are better in Corel's interface and some are worse compared to Adobe's, though Adobe's interface has a more professional and polished feel. The filters in particular sometimes have a cheesy and clunky feel to them, though they are easy enough to use.

The second thing you have to do is make sure that all of your native file format files (.ai and .psd) have been saved into more universally accessible formats (EPS, TIFF) as neither PhotoPaint nor Draw will reliably open all Adobe native format files. In my tests, native Photoshop files always opened but sometimes with missing layers. When I attempted to open an Illustrator native file, I was told the file was compressed (though it was not) and that it needed to be re-saved in an uncompressed state. Resaving as an EPS file fixed the problem.

Conclusions:

* If I wanted to prepare myself for work in the graphics industry and wanted something less expensive than the Adobe CS package, I'd not hesitate to buy this suite to learn the ins and outs of professional graphics, particularly if I were planning on working freelance. However, I'd keep in mind that most publishers will work in Adobe software and I may need to learn their software eventually if I were to pursue office work.

* If I were working in a publishing industry which did small amounts of editing of vector and bitmap images and needed to do color adjustments for professional printing, I'd seriously consider the Corel Suite though I'd investigate how effective the color separations worked for my particular needs. However, I would not rely on it for layout work (nor would I rely on Illustrator or Photoshop for layout) unless I only worked with flyers, brochures, posters, or other very short documents.

* If I were an Adobe user looking to break free of the expensive shackles of Adobe software, I'd have to think long and hard before making the change as there would be some productivity loss getting acclimated to the interface and some differences in functionality that I may not want to accept.

Incredible graphics program with plenty of tutorials and support

Review Date: April 17, 2008

Reviewer: Modern Blue Argonaut,

I've created graphics for years, but have primarily relied on Adobe and Macromedia products. Recently, I began to take notice of CorelDraw and was very impressed with the features and reviews. To be honest, CorelDraw x4 exceeded all my expectations by a long shot. Not only is this program easy to use, but it's easy to learn. They included 2 hours of DVD instruction which is helpful for both beginners and experienced users of graphics programs.

CorelDraw x4 is essentially 4 programs in one. First, and most important to me is Corel PHOTO-PAINT X4. I found this application to be very powerful, along the same lines as Adobe Photoshop. However, side by side, Corel PHOTO-PAINT X4 was better at manipulating the particular images I was working with. Their auto adjust feature most of the time was able to correct my photos over 70% of the time. The effects and adjustments menu is extensive and useful. I still don't know every feature, but I am sure I will master this program with the help of their Corel Tutor, help screens, included user's manual, and 2 hours of DVD instruction.

Next is their vector graphics program, CorelDRAW X4. This is a graphics creation and manipulation program, like Adobe Illustrator. If you don't know what vector graphics are, they are mathematical calculations that draw lines and other graphics each time an image is enlarged. It allows you to blow up an image to infinite amounts without getting the bitmap and pixel distortion you would get from making a simple enlargement. This is what all professional design studios use, and it makes it easy to take graphics and turn them into billboards, posters, car wraps, t-shirts, and more with perfect results. You can also use this program to design beautiful brochures, logos, business cards, menus, and any other design and layout project you have. Ten thousand clipart images are included with this program, so you can save some time and money as opposed to buying these elsewhere. They also give you 1000 photographs.

A nice product also included is called Corel PowerTRACE X4. This allows you to take bitmap images and convert them to vector images. I didn't even know something like this had existed. In the past I would recreate images that were vector graphics, which was time consuming.

Finally, the CorelDraw x4 includes Corel CAPTURE X4 which is a screen capture program. This is useful if you are creating instruction manuals, saving game screens, and just about any other reason you can think that it would be useful to have a screen capture.

Overall, I am thrilled with this program so far, and hope to keep uncovering new possibilities as I learn more about this program. Novices would be advised to either be patient and learn from all the included resources or take a class on this software before frustration sets in. I recall my early days in using graphics programs, and they can be a bear.

Just as Good as Photoshop

Review Date: April 14, 2008

Reviewer: Kendra,

I've been a graphic designer/artist for many years. I have ONLY used Photoshop for photo editing, imaging, etc., and Illustrator for creating vector images. As a matter of fact, when I learned Photoshop, I was also "taught" that Corel was the poor-man's alternative-- the lesser program. However, I was lucky enough to receive this complete program to test and review. And, since I haven't upgraded Photoshop since version 7, I eagerly awaited the arrival of this program.

CorelDraw Graphics Suite x4 is really superb software. This is a great alternative to Photoshop with extensive image editing capabilities. It's quite powerful and more a professional tool than for appropriate for a general user; this is the kind of application around which training courses are built.

Installation was easy and seamless. Upon registration, Corel gives a nice little gift to new registered users of many megs of clipart. This can be a useful thing, but so far, after downloading same, I've had some difficulty in finding the collection on my local drive! Honestly, though, I don't use clipart. Ever. But, it's in my harddrive somewhere just in case I ever find the need for it.

Graphics programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and CorelDraw are serious tools. I've used these applications for advertising, photo manipulation and editing and everything you can imagine in the graphics world. To learn the true "ins and outs" of these tools, one really needs a teacher/mentor or a good training class. CorelDRAW Graphics Suite does come complete with a full training manual, Clipart and Font manual (the font manual is very useful), a handbook called "Insights from the Experts", and a Quick Start Guide.

CorelDraw is astoundingly powerful. Loaded with tools and options, most users are not likely to make use of even half the capabilities available in this huge application. This is not a usual scenario to offer so much capability knowing that most users won't use them. But... if they are needed, they're there. As I've used Photoshop and Illustrator for years, I still haven't used all the tools in the programs that are available! I can see the same being true for CorelDRAW.

The UI of CorelDraw is complex but very similar to Photoshop. The innumerable variations available when editing images makes the application inherently complex. Most users will find the photo editing features particularly impressive, with artistic and photographic emulations capabilities readily available. While there can be a slight delay from selection of image change to actual implementation of that change (and I have 2 gb RAM), CorelDraw is no different than its competitors. Loaded with options, particularly in editing and adding effects, CorelDraw is a welcome addition to any designer's tool box. Additionally, one of the most interesting features this program has (as did Macromedia's now-defunct FreeHand) is changing bitmap images to vector images. I can see this tool being useful in the future.

The average user should be somewhat cautioned regarding the complexity of this tool. As this is a professional-level application, new users not familiar with image editing could easily feel overwhelmed. CorelDraw has an extensive Help system including "tips from the experts" but the focus is on the professional-- not the average user.

The critical problem, and it may not be a "problem" per se, is that applications such as CorelDraw, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe Photoshop are so very... dense. There are just so many options, so many variations, and so much to learn to do the most simple processes, that non-professionals with little background in image editing and graphics may get discouraged.

For the professional graphic designer and photo editor/"photoshopper", CorelDraw is certainly equivalent to Photoshop and is a welcome alternative to Adobe's also superb offering. This software gets 5 well-earned stars. If there were any way to diminish the complexity of these applications I would invite Adobe and Corel developers to investigate such things. For the professionals, CorelDraw has joined the ranks of the best.

Still a dependable graphics package

Review Date: April 15, 2008

Reviewer: Jerry Saperstein, Evanston, IL USA

CorelDraw and and its Suite have been around for a long, long time. Since the late 1980s, in fact. At one time, CorelDraw was the leader of the pack and made its founder Dr. Michael Cowpland a very wealthy man. Dr. Cowpland was long ago replaced after he led Corel into hard times.

For many years, CorelDraw offered tremendous bang for the buck. Not only was CorelDraw a competent vector illustration program competing with Adobe Illustrator and Macromedia FreeHand, it came with 10,000 mediocre, but usable, clip art images and 1,000 fonts.

Almost 20 years later, it is still in production - and that says a lot. Not many software products have accomplished this.

The CorelDraw Suite includes CorelDraw X4, Corel PHOTO-PAINT X4 (a PhotoShop workalike), Corel PowerTRACE X4 (a bitmap to vector conversion program), Corel CAPTURE X4. Bitstream Font Navigator, a print duplexing utility and a service bureau pre-flighter.

Much to their credit, Corel still includes a reasonably comprehensive printed manual. There aren't a whole lot of third-party books on Corel products and the programs are complex. The printed manual is welcome.

CorelDraw is still widely used, particularly in the industrial market. It is less expensive than equivalent Adobe products, though not necessarily easier to use.

I'll cursorily treat the lesser applications first. Bitstream FontNavigator is a great tool for managing large numbers of fonts. Simple to use, dependable and capable. Corel CAPTURE is a screen capture program and nothing to write home about. SnagIt V 8.2is far more capable. The service bureau prep application is fine for those who need it: most won't. The print duplexing application is okay, but not as sophisticated as some other standalone applications.

Installation on a moderately powerful AMD based Windows XP computer was trouble free. Response from all programs on a basic nVidia graphic display adapter was adequate. On a state-of-the-art computer, these programs should fly.

CorelDRAW is an excellent vector graphics illustration program. It is the equal of Adobe Illustrator. In some ways, it is easier to use than its Adobe counterpart - but in others, it is not. One thing should be kept in mind - this program is not for those who expect to learn it in ten minutes. But for a newcomer willing to work with the manual, CorelDRAW can be learned reasonably quickly.

CorelPAINT is a competitor to Adobe PhotoShop. But it is not a strong competitor. It is just about as capable as PhotoShop and a lot less expensive, but the interface is not as comfortable as PhotoShop's. PhotoShop is also supported by dozens of third-party books and tools that will teach you how to do everything and anything with PhotoShop. Corel PHOTOPAINT lacks such support, though you can learn from the PhotoShop materials.

Overall, the CorelDRAW Graphics Suite remains a formidable competitor. It offers nearly all the capabilities of Adobe Illustrator and PhotoShop in an affordable package with the added benefit of the extras like the fonts and clip art. For those who need high-end vector and bitmap editing capabilities, the package should definitely be on your short list, particularly since Adobe merged with Macromedia.

A good buy, worthy of consideration.

Jerry

Unleash your graphic skills with this great tool!

Review Date: April 13, 2008

Reviewer: Jean Yates, United States

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4

The Unleashing:

The first thing you'll notice when you get this is the fact that it's a very compact box. What could be in this thing?
For starters, there's a huge descriptive spiral manual which lists in alphabetical order every single font, background, etcetera that you could ever possibly use. This is immensely helpful if you are a better reader from paper, or feel it's easier to read from the format of the book (due to its spiral binding) instead of the library database from the program.
Next in the box comes a graphic user guide for when you need any help on any of the thousands of tools at your disposal. The 458 pages that are included will be sure not to leave you puzzling when you need something specific done. Fortunately, unlike most other products, the book is easy to navigate and won't force you to end up reading a full chapter to get one piece of knowledge on how to use a programs feature properly.

For newer people (and some intermediates/experts) the box comes with a handbook that includes insights from the experts. Just from a quick gaze, anyone can tell these tips, in synergy with the user guide, will lead to an extremely easy time using the program. The tips that you can find in there are detailed to a point where anyone can understand them and moreover include tricks for shortening your time that you spend on projects.
The final kicker is that the box comes with a Quick Reference Card. This isn't a card as much as it is a four-page laminated medium-sized chart. Each page contains shortcuts and enlarged icons for people who need help finding them or, as originally intended, for reference. In short, perfect for people who like lists.

Installation and extras:
The CD that comes with the product is extremely easy to find, comes in a durable paper sleeve, and has its serial key on the back of it (a perfect design for people who are used to not finding the key buried inside one of the thick manuals). When you insert the CD, it will go to a menu describing what you would like to do. All that's needed is to click the installation button and install it, which takes little time to complete, and is only about one gigabyte of hard drive space. This is amazing for computers with not much hard drive space, and is definitely small in size compared to the hulking higher size (up to multiple gigabytes of memory) programs you may see.
If interested, after installing, you may go back to the other options included with the menu. In total, including the installation option, there are 4 menu selections you may make. There are the installation extras which include a huge library of selectable graphics and fonts, which is mainly for experimentation, outgoing designs, and overall perfection of detail. Next, you may watch as many as 18 training videos, which is useful for describing and to help people who learn visually. Finally, there is a nice screen saver and wallpaper for people who enjoy the look of, or otherwise use CorelDraw.
Lastly, there are other programs that you may install with it if you deem necessary. All of these are useful and used for different things. Definitely helps organization.

The program itself:
For a program that is so immense in library database and tool amount, it is actually relatively easy to navigate through any of the menus that are at your disposal. The program has been set up in a way that is unique, making things fast and simple.

The most enjoyable aspect is that you end up doing very little of the work, because most of the tools will do it for you. All that's required from you is that you guide the program on what to do, and it's almost as if it completes itself. Even drawing something manually becomes easy with the tools, especially when you want to shade, color, darken, brighten -- mostly anything. The tools are seemingly endless and customizable, meaning that if applied correctly, you will never be without an automatic ability to adjust objects, text, drawings, layers, and etcetera.

Final impression:
Ultimately, most of the knowledge you will learn comes from experience, and this program is definitely not something that will leave you learning nothing. The books are only there to help you and advance you along the way when you're stuck. Moreover, learning how to do the things in the program itself can be helped along with the books, but with such ease of use, you will find yourself having more fun than it being a chore. Just from a few days, even as little as a few hours, you can feel you have learned more and gotten more experience from this program than from many of the the others available out there.

Rating:
This program deserves nothing less than a 5/5. It's easy to use, has a well-made interface, and finally, can lead you to the perfecting of your technique.

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