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The GREP styles trick within InDesign looks a bit complicated to set up, but it's still interesting. That video was made in 2015, prior to some noteworthy changes in type technology. It would be really interesting if the GREP hack could be applied to text strings using OTF Variable Fonts...

Adobe Illustrator (and rival applications like CorelDRAW) will let you flow paragraph body copy inside a container object. However, I'm not aware of any vector drawing application or page layout application that will automatically re-size lettering to fit in a container, much less alter both...

Funny thing, given Affinity Designer has been mentioned in this thread lately. Serif just released a 1.10 update for their suite of applications. There isn't much in the way of new features, but Serif says their developers did a major code re-write to make rendering of complex documents improve...

Affinity Designer is decent for low cost vector drawing software. I got the Windows version for just $25 and iPad version for something like $10 when Serif was running its 50% off pandemic themed sale. They ran the sale at least one or two other times. The application has all the basics covered...

Actually in many respects the lack of feature overlap and divide in compatibility of files is worse now than it was back then. Most vector drawing apps have the basics covered. But then they diverge greatly in how they handle fills, transparency, fonts, art/pattern brushes on line strokes and...

All schools? Bull$#!+. Just here in my city I can give you two examples that definitely do not get the software for free: Cameron University and Great Plains Technology Center. Both of them have to pay the academic rates for Adobe's software. They're not getting any breaks. The departments they...

When I first started making signs I drew and painted them by hand. One of my first projects was for my late Aunt Delores, back when I was in high school in the early 1980's. She had a small (but really good) burger joint in New Mexico. The project involved a fairly large, non-lighted building...

You're understating the compatibility gaps between general purpose applications like Adobe Illustrator and CorelDRAW. If someone is only using sign industry "CAS" software the file compatibility divide widens by a great deal more. Being able to open a certain file created in an "industry...

The point is irrelevant. Adobe offering educational discounts is no different than other vendors offering the same discounts. BTW, this notion that schools are controlling what applications creative workers use is a bunch of hogwash. Schools are making their software and hardware buying...

Specifically, what schools are getting Adobe's software for free? Educational discounts are available to schools, but that's a lot different from getting the software for free. BTW, the same kinds of educational discounts are available for buying software many other vendors. I personally would...

I learned quite a bit being in a long-term interracial relationship. Not many people want to be thought of as racist, sexist, prejudiced, etc. Not many people are deliberately, overtly that way either. However it is very common for people to say or do thoughtless things that really don't go over...

What is the problem with layers in a CorelDRAW or Adobe Illustrator file? I have zero problem using layers in either application. Layers tend to be more necessary in Illustrator and they're absolutely vital in Photoshop. Just try using an ancient version of Photoshop without layer capability...

My company has a few registrations and hotel rooms booked for the Tri-State Sign Association (TSSA) annual conference early in August at Downstream Casino Resort Hotel just West of Joplin, MO. The hotel and casino is technically in Oklahoma, the main parking lot is in Kansas and the street...

Actually the bottom line of copy was still Gotham Ultra. The "designer" merely artificially squeezed it.

I don't really see what's so different about CorelDRAW 2021 versus the past few versions when it comes to UI items like the Transformations palette. It's pretty easy to add other fly-out palettes to an existing one. There's a little "+" icon at the bottom of the palette tab label. Click that to...

Postscript Type 1 fonts can still be used in the Windows platform. However, they do not work in all applications on that platform. They still work in CorelDRAW, although CorelDRAW has its own font handling bugs. Adobe is ending support for Postscript Type 1 fonts in their applications, starting...

My comments about fake designers apply to the entire graphic design industry. Regarding the sign industry niche, yes, there were bad sign painters and craftsmen back in the analog days. There's the old cliché of the screw-up, drunk sign painter. However, back then no one tried getting such jobs...

When a client forces us to use artwork provided by them that is badly compromised we will force them to sign a waiver prior to production. The waiver is written proof they were warned up front about technical issues with their artwork. Fake designers have been a problem going back 30+ years to...

Yeah, it's usually a bad idea to allow clients to pick typefaces. Most people have little if any actual creative talent. Fewer have the design sense to choose typefaces effectively. It takes a certain talent to choose typefaces that are appropriate to the specific project and choosing visually...

I would check print heads just to be sure. If it's an issue with raster-based images it could have something to do with color profiles embedded in the image or a lack of any color profile.