DrawPlus X5: Graphic Design Software Worth Knowing

So you want to be a graphic designer, but you don’t know which software to choose? Whether you’re a newcomer to illustration or incredibly experienced, Serif’s brand new DrawPlus X5 has a lot to offer. From quick logo creations to diagram design to whatever other vector art demands you have, DrawPlus X5 is a powerful piece of software worth owning. DrawPlus X3 and X4 are also viable options, so keep reading to see which version is right for you.

Introduction to Vector Graphics

Are you new to vector graphics? A brief explanation of what they mean is that they can be scaled to any resolution without quality loss. In painting programs like Photoshop, you’re creating and manipulating bitmaps, which are raster graphics that are best meant to be viewed at whatever the resolution is set at.

If you scale the image up or down, there will be data loss. This might not be noticeable inside the program itself, but if you need to create text or a logo image for a sticker as a vectors graphic, then it can be scaled up to also be printed out on a shirt or even a wall-sized banner without any quality loss. This is because all text and images are created from vector lines instead of brush strokes. Raster graphics are best for photographs and artistic drawings whereas vector graphics are more suitable for technical illustrations.

DrawPlus X5 Features

Serif’s DrawPlus X5 launched last month and their software’s list of features continues to grow at a rapid pace. Here are some of the boast worthy bullet points:

• Pure vector illustration and artistic drawing
• Editable vector painting with photorealistic paint styles
• Flash animation for Web banners, videos, and fun puzzles
• Versatile document types for art, Web graphics, and print projects
• Support for pressure sensitive pen tablets and a built-in calibrator
• Amazing effects for graphics and photos
• Photo editing, image cut out, and convert photos to vector images
• Auto connectors and measurements for charts, diagrams, and plans
• Professional color management, and industry -standard compatibility
• Full and flexible PDF import, editing, and export

Aside from the above list and accelerated render speeds, DrawPlus X5 also has the following new features: shape builder, targeted insert, depth slider, blend tool, pen tool, graphic styles, QuickShape Creator, full CMYK support, composite effects, text handling, solo mode, pixel grid, ruler guides, improved user interface, and print preview options. You can watch a video introduction to many of these new features here.

If you like what you see, check to make sure you meet the system requirements and then buy DrawPlus X5. If you don’t meet the minimum system requirements, then feel free to instead purchase DrawPlus X4 or X3.

Serif Community

Not only does Serif have an official forum for each of their software products, but they even have a monthly newsletter that keeps users informed on everything they need to know to get as much as possible out of their products. Now that DrawPlus X5 is out, it’s also worth checking out their updates and patches page to see if your X3 or X4 versions hasn’t been upgraded yet. As for guides, Serif literally has a product manual hub that contains links to .pdf files for every single one of their products.

Despite all of those cool and organized online locations, arguably the coolest is the fact that they have a free downloads page with a plethora of content for all of their software. Looking for anything else that I haven’t mentioned yet? Just head on over to Serif’s Support Portal and read an FAQ or ask a question of your own!