For this tutorial, we will be using a font called Valken which is available in the Xara X CD Fonts folder. Select the "Text Tool" on the main tool bar on the left side of the screen. Click on the screen to place the text cursor on the page. Key in XARA. Select 72pt from the Size drop down list on the Infobar at the top of the screen.
 

Figure 1: Drag the text cursor over the text to highlight it.
On the Infobar, click the right arrow next to the Tracking text entry box (shown in red) until it reaches 100. This increases the space between the characters.

Figure 2: Select the "Fill Tool" on the main tool bar. (To select a tool, click it with the Selector Tool--the arrow pointer).
Click the text with the Fill Tool to select it. From the drop down list of Fill Types on the Infobar, select 'Linear'.
You will see an arrow that extends from the center of the text to the right side of the text. This arrow is called the Fill Path arrow. You can drag both ends of the arrow to change the length of the linear fill as well as the direction. Arrange the fill path so the black is on the top and the white is on the bottom. Click on the small box at the top of the arrow. Open the 'Color Editor' by clicking the small color wheel icon to the left of the screen color palette. Change the black to the RGB colors shown above. The first value is for red, the second is for green and the last is for blue.

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Click the bottom square on the fill path and change the values as shown. If you are not familiar with the 'Color Editor', see the section below. Otherwise you may go on to the next page.
When you open the Color Editor, if you only see half the menu, click the small button just under the X to Display Advanced Options.
From the drop down list of Color Models, select RGB Color Model. If your values are expressed in percentages instead of 0-255 you need to go to the Page Options dialog (Utilities > Options) and select the Units tabbed section. Change the Color Units: to 0-255. Press OK to close the dialog.
To modify colors, key in the values for each RGB component.
If you prefer to mix your colors you can use the HSV (Hue, Saturation and Value) color model.

Figure 1: Xara X supports multicolor gradient fills. To add a color, simply drag a color from the screen palette and drop it onto the fill path. Once the color is on the fill path, you can slide it to a new position, and/or modify the color in the 'Color Editor'. Add the color shown in the center of the fill path. Make a duplicate copy of the text (Ctrl D) We will need it in a few minutes.

Figure 2: Xara's new "Bevel Tool" is a as much fun as one can have and not get arrested.
Select the Bevel Tool, then click the text to select it. From the drop down list of Bevel Types (on the Infobar), select Rounded. Slide the Contrast slider to the right until it reads 80. Click the icon with the four arrows facing inward to create an Inner Bevel, and click the inverted U icon to select Round Join. From the drop down list of Slider Types , select Size. Change the size setting to 10.

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Figure 1: From the Slider Types drop down list, select 'Light Elevation'. Set the Light Elevation setting to 80% by moving the slider to the right.

Figure 2: Select the "Contour Tool". Click the duplicate text that you made a few moments ago to select it.
Drag any of the red arrows towards the center of the text to apply a basic contour. Click the small icon on the Infobar with the inverted U to apply a Round Join. Change the Size of the contour to 8.0. Change the Number of Steps to 1. Press Enter on your keyboard to apply the Steps change. Finally press the Insert Path icon (shown top right) on the Infobar. This eliminates everything but the inner contour.

Figure 3: Using the "Selector Tool", position the contoured text over the beveled text as shown. Change the fill color to white by pressing the white color square on the screen palette with the left button (the right applies the outline color).
You can use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move the contoured shape as well. Hold down the Alt key to move a tiny amount.

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Figure 1: Select the "Transparency Tool" on the main tool bar.
Click the contoured shape to select it. From the drop down list of Transparency Shapes on the left side of the Infobar, select, Linear. Reposition the fill path arrow so the non transparent end is on the top and the transparent end is on the bottom. Extend the top and bottom of the fill path arrow slightly above and below the contoured shape.

Figure 2: Select the beveled text and the transparent highlight by holding down the Shift key on your keyboard while clicking each object.
From the 'Arrange' pull down menu, select 'Create Bitmap Copy...' in the 'Create Bitmap Options' dialog, select 'True Color' from the Color Depth drop down list. Press 'Create' to create the copy. The bitmap copy is now placed in the exact center of your screen.

Note to CorelDRAW users: Unlike CorelDRAW which permanently changes your image into a bitmap, the original vector image remains in Xara and can still be edited.

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For this next step, we'll be using a cool little Xara helper called SL Blur to blur the bitmap copy we just created.
Click here to download a free copy in the XaraXone Shareware page.
Copy the bitmap to the clipboard (Ctrl C or Edit > Copy).
Minimize Xara, and open SL Blur. The entire application is what you see here on the left. Press the clipboard icon on the left to paste the bitmap into the editing window.
Move the slider to about 8. Check the 'Add Border' check box. Press the water drop icon to apply the blur. Press the Copy icon (to the left of the hand icon) to copy the bitmap to the clipboard. We are done with SL Blur.
 

Return to the Xara window. Select 'Paste' from the 'Edit' pull down menu to retrieve the bitmap. A dialog will appear asking how you want to paste the bitmap copy. Chose the first option, 'Bitmap' and press 'Paste'.
Send the bitmap to the back (Ctrl B ) and offset it down and to the right as shown.

Figure 1: Duplicate the bitmap using 'Ctrl K' (Clone) which places the duplicate exactly on top of the original. Select the "Transparency Tool" and apply a 'Flat, Stained Glass transparency' (select Stained Glass from the drop down list of Transparency Types). When we duplicate the bitmap, Xara automatically places it on top. When we add the Stained Glass transparency, it creates the illusion that the text is transparent.

Figure 2:Select the white highlights (the Contoured shape) and bring it to the front. (Ctrl F)

NOTE: The highlight is beneath the bitmap. To dig down through the layers, hold down the Alt key on your keyboard and click over the highlight. The status bar, at the bottom left of the screen, will first show Bitmap and then 1 Shape.

Duplicate the highlight (Ctrl K) and change the Transparency Type to 'Luminosity'. This makes the highlight a little bit brighter.
 

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Here is the final effect. I placed a white marble fill (from Xara's Fill images on the CD) behind the objects. This enhances the transparency effect.

 

Create a new "Drawing" document: (File > New > Drawing).
By using the 'Freehand and Brush Tool', draw a form in the shape of a heart. As the first attempt is usually not perfect, click on the 'Shape Editor Tool', adjust the shape by dragging the point handles (Figure 1). Fill with color. add a shadow to the shape by clicking the 'Shadow Tool'. The first image (the one with the shadowed-heart shape) is per default in Layer 1 (figure 2).

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Figure 1: Add a second layer: (Utilities > Gallery > Layer Gallery).
Click on "New" tab. Leave the name to "Layer 2".
Figure 2: Add a few coloured stars. The star shape is available in the 'Quick Shape Tool'. Create one star with the size you like and fill with color. To produce more stars, duplicate the one you have just created: (Edit > Duplicate) or press Ctrl-D. Place the stars over the heart. Then group them: press Shift and select each stars, from the menu, click 'Arrange' and choose 'Group'.
 

 

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Add a background: click on 'Fill gallery' icon In the Fill gallery window, select 'Get fills...' tab, select 'Stone' and click on the graphic 'Stone9.jpg'. Drag the graphic outside of the windows and place it over the heart. To place the background behind the heart: (Arrange > Move Backwards).

 

In summary, Layer 1 contains the heart-shaped image,
Layer 2 contain the stars,
and Layer 3 contains the Stone9.jpg background. Open the Layer gallery dialog box (Utilities > Galleries > Layer gallery). Test the layers function by clicking the check boxes under the eye icon. As you can see, you can show or make disappear layers as you wish. Layers are very useful if you work with a complex graphic.

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To create an animation, open the document as Animated: (File > New > Animation). Animated files are made of frames. The first text will be in Frame 1.
Open the Frame Gallery: (Utilities > Gallery > Frame Gallery). Click on "Properties". In the 'Frame' tab, set 'Local delay' at 25.

Click on the 'Text Tool' (F8). Type your text (here I type "GO"). To change the text font: select 'Selector Tool', click 'Fonts Gallery' icon located at the top right of the application. Choose the font you like and click 'Apply' to validate the choice. To change the color, click the 'Color Editor' icon located at the left bottom of the application. To add a shadow effect, click the 'Shadow Tool' and drag it where you want the shadow appeared.
 

The next step is to create the second part of the animation. In the Frame gallery dialog box, click on 'New'. Adjust 'Local delay' in 'Properties' to 40.

 

Select 'Text Tool' and drag the cursor where you want to type the second text. To change font and color, follow instructions in step 2.

Preview the animation: (Utilities > Animation > Preview all Frames). If you wish to slow or fasten the animation, change the time set in 'Local Delay' in the propreties of each frames. Once satisfied, save the graphic as a .GIF: (File > Export Animated GIF). The graphic is ready for a web use.