Our studio currently has multiple licenses of Adobe Creative Suite. We are considering Intaglio as an alternative to Adobe Illustrator, to help reduce costs and increase simplicity. We have three questions that we would appreciate input from users here on this forum.
1-Is the software still supported and kept current with Apple OS.
2-Is the learning curve fairly quick?
3-If a professional graphics designer who is use to AI is using it will it be to limiting?
Thank You, your input is so appreciated,TeamSDA_Dave
development is a big mistery for me. The developer is very
unresponsive and it is not clear to me what it is going to happen
next. The developer hardly reply to new feature requests or bug fixes
(see my posts On LaTeX integration, gestures, Splines which have
essentially been ignored).
the learning curve is fairly quick.
Can’t comment on this.
I am overall satisfied with Intaglio. Its future, however, is a bit
uncertain to me.
Best
Daniele
On Sunday, January 16, 2011, TeamSDA email@hidden wrote:
Hi All,
Our studio currently has multiple licenses of Adobe Creative Suite. We are considering Intaglio as an alternative to Adobe Illustrator, to help reduce costs and increase simplicity. We have three questions that we would appreciate input from users here on this forum.
1-Is the software still supported and kept current with Apple OS.
2-Is the learning curve fairly quick?
3-If a professional graphics designer who is use to AI is using it will it be to limiting?
Thank You, your input is so appreciated,TeamSDA_Dave
Intaglio is much easier to use but is it as good as AI? I’m not convinced that it is, but I no longer use it for paid work.
Intaglio’s Paths tool is similar to AI’s Pen tool; its Unite/Subtract features are similar to AI’s Pathfinder commands and its mask groups are similar to AI’s. You get the picture; if you know AI, you should have no problem learning Intaglio.
I use Intaglio for all sorts of things; it’s tremendously flexible. I used to mask bitmaps in Photoshop, but now do the same thing in Intaglio.
Generally speaking Intaglio works along with the Mac OS, but AI is the opposite; you have to work the Adobe way. AI is more accurate, but Intaglio reads AI outlines, so you can draw outlines in Illustrator and import.
AI can do artistic stuff which is beyond Intaglio.
Illustrator is all (or mostly) vector, but Intaglio uses bitmap-based Core Image effects which can slow the machine down.
Although Intaglio supports most of the OSX services, some are strangely implemented. Intaglio supports some, but not all of the OSX text; if Unicode is important, be warned that some characters don’t display.
Spend a couple of weeks learning the two programs side by side. Create a design in AI, recreate it Intaglio and analyse where AI is better than Intaglio and vice-versa. Take it through to the print stage; if you design for print and the printers still want PostScript files, there could be problems outputting Intaglio drawings. I’ve not been able to open an EPS created in Intaglio in Illustrator.
Recent versions of AI are complicated; it has a shedload of features, but how many of them will ever be used? You need a degree in brain surgery to use it, the program file is enormous and from what I’ve read, the system requirements are so outrageous that you have buy a new machine just to run the latest version. If AI’s complexity means that you have to pay for training sessions, is it worth it?
Ultimately, it boils down to what you’re doing and what you need/expect.
Can either of you speak to how the program prepares files for the web. AI has many features in it’s save for the web output option that we find extremely helpful. The ability to make JPEG’s perversive or PNG’s interlaced, resizing and so on. Have noticed that Freeway recommends this software and being they are a site building program one would think there is some kind of provision for this.
What’s a ‘Perversive jpeg’? Do you mean ‘Progressive’?
Saving JPEGs and PNGs is pretty basic. Bitmaps can be scaled and the quality reduced, but that’s it (unless there’s a hidden trick buried in the OS—an Applescript or Automator action).
Likewise PNGs—no fancy features.
Freeway can be set up to generate progressive JPEGs and interlaced PNGs on output. Save the Intaglio drawing as a TIFF and Import. When Freeway Publishes the site, it reduces the file size but preserves the quality.
Sorry for the spell check oops, yes “Progressive”. Am aware that Freeway can output graphics this way but we use background images a lot as pass through graphics so I would want to be able to do this pre freeway.
Today I am having my graphics person take the software for a test drive. We have noticed a couple more things.
How do you build a graphic and export it to an exact size. Lets say we want to make a button that is 40px x 120px. In AI we either mak a slice or make an art board for the graphic at that size.
Related to the above we have noticed the the software only offers points and picas. Are points considered pixels?
OK we have spent some time testing and playing, this application is super simple and may possibly be the right solution for several of our workstations Not able to get a clear understanding of the following. Resolved a good workflow for item 1 from above.
Does the applications unit of measurement “Points” equal the same size as a pixel at 72 dpi.
When outputting a Jpeg is it saved as progressive or non progressive? (No apparent options while saving)
When outputting a GIF or PNG is the application saving the graphic as interlaced or non interlaced. (No apparent options while saving)
How does the application set outputs in regards to anti aliasing? (No apparent options while saving)
Re points/pixels: One way of testing this is to open images in Photoshop>Image Size. The file’s width and height can be determined in various units of measurement. Point and Pixels appear to be the same.
I drew a 36pt square—no stroke, black fill and saved as a TIFF. In Photoshop’s Image Size dialogue box, the image was 36 x 37 pixels.
This is one area where Intaglio isn’t accurate.
As far as I know, progressive JPEGs and Interlaced GIFs can’t be specified in Intaglio. Ditto Ani-aliasing. You can do these things in Freeway.
Out of interest,why do you want to use these features? Is there any advantage? I’ve clicked and unclicked the settings and I can’t see any difference!
We did the same type of test here but the image when brought into photoshop displayed the same. Good to know you have discovered a discrepancy between px and pt. I realize that pt is a different unit of measurement and perhaps Intaglio is better suited for print.
We use a lot of background images so this is why we want to be able to output images and graphics with the proper settings.
As for your question, we prefer to use progressive and interlaced doe to how the image displays upon load. If you have a larger image these settings will allow the image to come into focus so to speak rather than swipe down. As for interlacing setting this is how the pixels of the image or graphic blend into the color or background behind there outer edge.
Hope I was able to be of some help. Your information is a great help to us. We would like this solution to work as the cost saving in both training and software would be substantial. We need at least 5 licenses and the ability to add on quickly and affordably.
As for your question, we prefer to use progressive and interlaced doe to how the image displays upon load. If you have a larger image these settings will allow the image to come into focus so to speak rather than swipe down. As for interlacing setting this is how the pixels of the image or graphic blend into the color or background behind there outer edge.
Hi Dave,
You could perhaps use QuickScale to obtain ‘progressive’ option. It supporst jpeg, gif, png, etc. Yes another step but…
I was looking for similar ‘progressive’ option with Pixelmator that lacks it on their web export unlike PS.
QuickScale can be found on the Apple apps store - quite cheap.
You can specify Progressive JPEGs and Interlaced GIFs in Graphic Converter.
Anti-aliasing is a strange one; if you want to smooth or soften an image, you could use Intaglio’s Gaussian Blur: (Effects>Standard>Gaussian Blur). Graphic Converter has this also.