| ★ APPLICATIONS ★ CREATION GRAPHIQUE ★ THE OCP ART STUDIO ★ |
| THE OCP ART STUDIO (Hebdogiciel) | THE OCP ART STUDIO (Amstrad Action) | THE OCP ART STUDIO (Amstrad Computer User) | THE OCP ART STUDIO (The Amstrad User) | THE OCP ART STUDIO (CPC Magazin) |
Having tried out this utility on the Spectrum, I couldn't wait to get my hands on the updated Amstrad version The good news is that this is now completed but, and here's the sad part -at present only for the CPC 6128. I was able to borrow a machine for just long enough to get taste of what it offers - and what I saw, I liked Formulated on the WIMP concept, almost all the information needed to use the program appears on screen in a series of drop-down menus and sub-menus.
Operation can be with joystick or mouse, but performance from the keyboard is so smooth that these are only a real benefit with the Spray Can option. It is intended to enable the absolute beginner to start drawing immediatelv. but I expect it will come with a comprehensive manual too, similar to that supplied with my Speccy Studio. At the outset you are presented with a white screen, black arrow cursor (moved with the cursor keys) and a double row of blue boxes with various menu titles from which you can pull down lists of functions. In some cases, making a particular choice will lead to a further list or box. When a choice has been made the cursor may change to an appropriate icon indicating the nature of the current mode, but an option exists to use a cross-hair cursor as a permanent alternative. Drawing on screen can be achieved with Pen Brush or Spray Can. Sixteen variously shaped Pens and eight Spray patterns are built into the program, along with sixteen brushes, the shapes of which can be re-designed to your own requirements Filling is fast and efficient, with the option to use either solid colour or one of 32 Textures, any or all of which can be edited for your needs. Textures can be Washed onto an are8 drawn previously to create dotted lines, fancy printing and so on. Points, Lines, continuous Lines, Rectangles and Circles, with rubber-banding if desired, are included in the Shapes menu along with Triangles and Rays but. surprisingly, no Ellipses However, these can be produced by defining a window round a circle and stretching it with the Re-Scale facility. A Window can be defined to include an area up to full screen size, and once specified that area within the window can be Copied, Moved, Rotated, Mirrored, or Enlarged, Reduced, Squashed and Stretched with the re-scale option.
AND, OR and XOR modes may be utilised with windows and the contents may be printed without the background or other chosen inks. The full screen is utilised for each of the excellent x2, x4 and x8 Magnify modes and each level has Scroll bars to enable work over a large area. There is a very elegant File load/save and Disc Catalog facility and comprehensive options for dumping to a range of printers. Well documented, smooth and efficient in operation and embracing all the features that you would expect to find in a contemporary drawing program, it is difficult to find anything to dislike about Art Studio. Apart from the fact that it operates only in Modes 1 and 2, it may well provide sufficient reason for CPC 464 and 664 owners to consider upgrading to a 6128. ACU #8611 |
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