October is about to be an exciting month for vector designers, but we first wanted to get some more sedate yet very welcome updates to all Astute Graphics plugin customers.

Each of our 10 plug-ins for Adobe Illustrator have been updated. All feature an improved activation window following feedback and discussions on how we may improve our products, along with some very useful new videos covering the installation, licensing and activation process:

Several of the updates also feature important stability enhancements, whilst our very popular MirrorMe toolset has also gained additional functionality!

All updates are free to customers of plug-ins which are already licensed up to and including Illustrator CS6 and CC(17).

Should I upgrade?

If you have yet to activate your license key, we do recommend these upgrades.

If you are already an activate customer, you should only consider upgrading the products featuring stability enhancements.

If you are looking for plug-ins compatible with Mac OS Mavericks, please refer to this earlier post…

How to download and install

Simply download the latest version(s) from the Free Trial page.

Next, quit Illustrator and run the installer.

Restart Illustrator.

Details of enhancements

ColliderScribe v1.1.2

• Improved activation interface

DynamicSketch v1.5.4

• Improved activation interface
• Preference “Recall Last Used Between Sessions” is now enabled by default.

InkScribe v1.5.2

• Improved activation interface
• The size and position of the “S” (smart smooth) and “C” (connector point) annotations has been standardized.
• Bug fix: After the panel has been changed to compact or expanded with the flyout menu, it will no longer unexpectedly change to its compact state after clicking on a panel item.
• Bug fix: The orientation icon on the prefs dialog is now updated correctly.

InkQuest v1.0.2

• Improved activation interface

MirrorMe v1.0.3

• Improved activation interface
• Panel flyout menu item “Center Annotation Menu” added.
• The annotation dialog dragbar will no longer be covered by the ruler.
• When there is no selection, the “Apply to selection” button (panel and annotation) will be grayed out and unavailable.
• Single point paths (such as would be created when starting a new path with the pen or InkScribe tool) which are outside of the active sector but close to it (within 12 pixels) are adjusted to be on the nearest active sector axis, making it easier to start a path on an axis. If the point is outside the active sector but not close, it is moved to be completely inside the active sector.
• Bug fix: Fixed mirroring in some situations when the axis lies exactly along a straight segment of a closed path.
• Bug fix: Variable stroke width paths with uncentered markers no longer result in a long delay and high memory usage when mirrored across an axis.
• Bug fix: After drawing a path perpendicularly over a mirroring axis with the pen tool, and with the “Remove Unneeded On-Axis Points” preference enabled, the pen tool no longer only draws single point paths in the active sector.
  

  Phantasm v3.0.3

  • Improved activation interface

  Rasterino v1.0.2

  • Improved activation interface

  SubScribe v1.1.1

  • Improved activation interface
  • Bug fix: correct tool icons on Retina displays (Mac)
  • Bug fix: Tangent/Perpendicular to Two Paths tool no longer causes path corruption when the tangent/perpendicular points belong to the same path

  VectorScribe v1.9.3

  • Improved activation interface
  • Bug fix: Smooth points with extremely short handles will no longer erroneously appear eligible to have a dynamic corner applied.
  • Bug fix: Fixed crash when Smart Removing points from a path that had both Dynamic Corners and at least one redundant point.
  • Fixed problems occurring when two Dynamic Corners touched at point 0 of a path (a redundant point could be created and the corner touch status lost).
  • After making many Dynamic Measures, the “delete” and “convert” buttons no longer disappear, and Illustrator does not become unstable [Windows CS6 only].

  WidthScribe v1.2.2

  • Improved activation interface
  • Bug fix: Fixed crash when varying width markers on a path with at least one noncentered marker.
  • Bug fix: Fixed crash when quitting Illustrator with the plug-in deactivated.
  • Bug fix: The About dialog now correctly updates after activation/deactivation (Windows).

The post All products updated with improved activation window, plus stability enhancements appeared first on Astute Graphics.

Following Apple’s release of Mac OS 10.9 Mavericks earlier this week, Astute Graphics has updated all Mac OS versions of its plug-ins to be compatible with the new operating system.

Where to download

Simply visit out Free Trial download page and download the Mac OS X version.

If you are trialling VectorScribe2 public BETA, please download the Mavericks-compatible Beta6 from this news page.

How to install

Apple introduced new levels of security for dictating which software should be allowed to install from Mac OS 10.7. In the latest OS update, Apple appears to have changed the rules subtly which may lead to some confusion over the ability to run the installer.

Firstly, quit Adobe Illustrator. Next we recommend you check your System Preferences > Security settings.

If they are set to Allow apps downloaded from: Anywhere (as shown below), you should not have any issues running the installer.

If they are set to Allow apps downloaded from: Mac App Store and identified developers, run the installer by right-clicking (or Ctrl-clicking) on the installer icon and opting for Open as shown below. Very strangely, in Mac OS 10.9 Mavericks, you can not run the official Apple security-signed installers by simply double-clicking on them in this security setting!

Finally, if you have it set to Allow apps downloaded from: Mac App Store, you will not be able to install our plug-ins until this security setting is changed to one of the others.

Who can upgrade for free?

These are free upgrades for users of our plug-ins already licensed up to Illustrator CS6 or CC(17). Please use our automated license key reminder if you are unsure of your product license level.

Older DrawScribe, Phantasm CS and VectorScribe Designer plug-ins

Please note that deprecated plug-ins will not be Mac OS 10.9 Mavericks compatible.

DrawScribe customers will have received free license keys for the InkScribe + DynamicSketch plug-ins. Click here for previous news of this change.

Phantasm CS (including Designer, Studio and Publisher variant) customers can upgrade to Phantasm v3, Rasterino and/or InkQuest. More information about this may be found here (up to CS5 licenses) and here (up to CS6 licenses)

VectorScribe Designer customers can upgrade to VectorScribe2-eligable licenses today. Please use the automated license key reminder resultant upgrade links for options.

I run Windows – should I care about all this?

No

But you may wish to ensure you have upgraded to all latest Windows versions very recently published…

The post All Astute Graphics plug-ins are now Mac OS 10.9 Mavericks compatible! appeared first on Astute Graphics.

Adobe has recently brought out the latest version of Creative Cloud with some helpful improvements. Toolbox panel customization is perfect for making your favourite Astute Graphics tools readily available for your unique, creative workflow. You can read here just how to harness the advantages.

Learn how CC(17.1)’s Live Corners can benefit from and work alongside VectorScribe’s Dynamic Corners by clicking here.

If you have not upgraded to the Adobe Creative Cloud, remember that Astute Graphics’ amazing tools are available for Illustrator CS4, CS5 and CS6 too!

To capture the full potential Illustrator can offer, download our new plug-in installers today. Existing users can upgrade benefitting from improved installers, stability and software now designed for CS4 to CC(17.1). If you’ve only just discovered the creative potential of Astute Graphics’ tools, the FREE downloads offer a 14 day full trial!

Updated installers

An important update is that both the Mac OS and Windows installers have both been modified to correctly detect and install plugins for CS4 to CC(17.1). This means that we now build separate plugin versions for CC(17.0) and CC(17.1). The latter version has Windows HiDPI capability (a la Retina on Macs) and other internal changes which we have now catered for allowing us to update to future versions of Illustrator CC more easily.

Download and install

To download these versions, simply visit the download page…

Installing on Mac OS 10.6+,
Windows XP/Vista/7/8

• Quit Adobe Illustrator
• Run the installer and follow the instructions
• Start Illustrator

 
Note: the installers now feature a separate Illustrator CC(17.0) and CC(17.1) target entry. The installed plugins are different builds. If you have already upgraded to CC(17.1), the installer should correctly detect this.

Change notes

VectorScribe version 2.2.0

• Support for Windows HiDPI.
• Added support for Retina hi-res cursors (CC17 and above).
• Improvement: Numeric values entered into various panel text input boxes now retain their full precision (more than 6 digits) when passed to Illustrator (CC17 and higher).
• Bug fix: Windows cursors now display properly.
• Bug fix: When toggling the selection with the Shift key using the PathScribe marquee, the marquee color no longer gets lighter.
• Special: Shift + Option/Alt can be held down when selecting the Dynamic Shapes tool to immediately remove the dynamic status from all shapes. This is primarily a workaround for corrupted or inconsistent art dictionaries which may cause a Dynamic Shape to shift position when the tool is first selected.

Phantasm version 3.1.0

• Support for Windows HiDPI.

Rasterino version 1.1.0

• Support for Windows HiDPI.

InkQuest version 1.1.0

• Support for Windows HiDPI.

MirrorMe version 1.1.0

• Support for Windows HiDPI.
• Added support for Retina hi-res cursors (CC17 and above).

InkScribe version 1.6.0

• Support for Windows HiDPI.
• Added support for Retina hi-res cursors (CC17 and above).
• Replaced cursor with a slightly larger, smoother one in CS6 and above.
• Bug fix: Fixed missing cursor highlighting rings in CS4/CS5.

DynamicSketch version 1.6.0

• Support for Windows HiDPI.
• Added support for Retina hi-res cursors (CC17 and above).
• Replaced cursor with a slightly larger, smoother one in CS6 and above.
• Bug fix: Fixed problem with graph curve being able to be modified when input type is set to “None”.

WidthScribe version 1.3.0

• Support for Windows HiDPI.
• Added support for Retina hi-res cursors (CC17 and above).
• Replaced cursor with a slightly larger, smoother one in CS6 and above.
• Bug fix: The Width Selector tool no longer erroneously operates on locked or hidden paths.
• Bug fix: The Width Brush tool no longer crashes when a path is selected that has multiple points but no length (i.e., all of its points are handleless and at the same coordinates).
• Bug fix: Fixed missing toolbox rollover icon in CS5.
• Bug fix: Fixed missing Manage Graphs dialog in CS5.

ColliderScribe version 1.2.0

• Support for Windows HiDPI.
• Added support for Retina hi-res cursors (CC17 and above).
• Bug fix: Fixed missing RC tool cursor highlighting rings in CS4/CS5.

SubScribe version 1.2.0

• Support for Windows HiDPI.
• Bug fix: Potential clash with other Astute Graphics plug-ins present on start-up when SubScribe dialogue box still displayed.

The post All plug-ins updated and getting the most from Illustrator CC(17.1) appeared first on Astute Graphics.

InkQuest is our most specialised product, used globally to help streamline pre-press workflows and quickly correct print issues, all whilst staying in Illustrator. To ensure consistency with the desirable pricing of our other plug-ins we have significantly reduced InkQuest from £89 to £49 +VAT GBP (now approx. €60 or $82).

Download now to start your full 14 day trial today!

Click here to buy InkQuest or add to any bundle or kit for even greater value!

The post InkQuest price change appeared first on Astute Graphics.

This article was originally published March 2011. It has been updated to reflect the changes to later versions of Phantasm and InkQuest.

Creating artwork with a combination of Illustrator and Phantasm and/or InkQuest is very liberating when it comes to adjusting color. It’s possible to use Curves, Levels, Hue/Saturation, vector Halftones effects, and more, directly to vector artwork and images in the Illustrator document. And one of the most flexible methods is by using these tools as live Effects.

The benefits of live Effects may be seen in this video (also available by clicking here):

However, what happens if you send your artwork on to colleagues or customers who do not have the Phantasm plugin installed? Or what happens if you have been using Phantasm and/or InkQuest live Effects in your artwork within the 14 day trial period and then the trial license expires? This article discusses these questions.

Phantasm and InkQuest tools to consider

Phantasm features and InkQuest both add new color adjustment live Effects and Filters.

The only tools which leave any trace in an Illustrator document of a Phantasm and/or InkQuest operation having been applied are the color adjustment Effects. If adjustments are applied as Filters, the change is permanent and the result indiscernible from color changes having been applied “manually” via the Color panel, etc.

It is only when a live Effect, such as Curves, are applied to an object within an Illustrator document that you would get any warning if the document was subsequently loaded into an setup with Phantasm and/or InkQuest missing.

So, what happens?

If you attempt to load an Illustrator document which contains a Phantasm and/or InkQuest live Effect into a system lacking the Phantasm plugin, you are presented with the following Illustrator warning:

The warning box lists the Phantasm and/or InkQuest Effects present within the document. Click OK to continue loading the artwork.

The most important factor is that even though the plug-ins may not be present, all live Effects are rendered correctly, including color adjustments and vector Halftones. The document will also output (print and save for web) correctly, with all vector and image objects featuring the designer’s original adjustments such as Levels and Duotones.

Is it possible to adjust the objects?

All objects and targeted layers not touched by Phantasm and/or InkQuest live Effects remain completely standard and editable. Where Phantasm live Effects have been applied, all affected artwork can be selected but not immediately modified. It’s not possible to, for example, modify the Curves or Levels applied, or even move the object. If the latter is attempted, the following warning message is shown:

It is possible to delete affected objects. However, there are better ways to regain full control of the artwork…

Further editing objects with Phantasm and/or InkQuest Effects

If the Phantasm and/or InkQuest plugin is not present, there are three methods to further edit an object where a Phantasm live Effect has been applied:

(1) Download and install the fully working 14 day Trial version

First, download the full 14 day trials of our plug-ins. Therefore any recipient of affected artwork can download and install the plugin to gain full control, including being able to further modify the Phantasm adjustments applied. This approach is completely free!

(2) Remove the Effect

If the Trial period has expired and the plugin has not been purchased (it’s quick and easy!), it’s possible to target the Phantasm Effect applied to the affected object(s) via the Appearance panel:

Once the Effect(s), declared as <Unknown>, is selected in the Appearance panel, it may be deleted by clicking on the panel’s trash can icon. Having done so, the artwork reverts to being standard to Illustrator and therefore fully adjustable once more.

Note: this approach will also remove any color adjustment applied by the artwork’s creator and therefore alter the final result!

(3) Expand Appearance

The final method “flattens” the affects object(s), thereby converting the live nature of any Effect (Phantasm and native Illustrator) into standard object types. Simply, select the affected object(s) and opt for Object » Expand Appearance.

Note: this approach would also expand any non-Phantasm live Effects which may have also been applied to affected object(s). This could reduce the ease by which the object can be further edited; for example, some native Illustrator Effects such as Roughen can add many nodes to paths.

What can I do to avoid any concerns with clients?

Even though clients of artwork will be viewing and outputting the document correctly if they do not have the Phantasm and/or InkQuest plug-ins installed, it is recognised that some may be unduly concerned by a warning message stating that something is missing.

There are several simple approaches to avoid causing undue concern:

(1) Direct your clients to this article

This article should alleviate any fears and offers solutions.

(2) Supply the artwork as PDF

All live Effects present in Illustrator, including Phantasm and/or InkQuest Effects, are flattened and therefore any reference removed when the artwork is saved as a PDF, EPS, SVG, etc.

(3) Use the Filter variants of the color adjustment tools

All live Effects have Filter variants of the tools. Filters apply fixed changes or results, thereby negating any live/dynamic reference to Phantasm in the Illustrator document.

(4) Expand Phantasm and/or InkQuest Effects before sending

Phantasm v3 offers the object selector Select » Object » Phantasm Effects. Using this, all accessible objects (ie. not ones placed in locked layers) which have a Phantasm live Effect are selected. It’s then possible to opt for Object » Expand Appearance to “flatten” these live Effect references. It’s advised that the artwork is saved as an alternative file name following this operation as it would not be possible to revert to the live adjustments following a file save/reload.

The post What happens if the Phantasm and InkQuest plug-ins are not present? appeared first on Astute Graphics.

Astute Graphics are constantly aiming to provide you, our wonderful supporters, with the latest and greatest. With that in mind it is a pleasure to announce that we have released all new versions of our current plug-ins. The latest releases include various bug fixes and further improvements for Retina and HiDPI displays. Not only this; VectorScribe presents two great new tools! These updates are FREE to all existing customers owning licenses for the current versions. To make the transition all you need to do is download the latest versions and install.

VectorScribe version 2.3 gives you even more control over points with the ability to highlight and/or automatically remove redundant points while also being able to add points at set distances to selected segments. To understand the potential of the new features please join us for FREE in our Pop-up Webinar today (24 April) at 5pm (Mainland Europe), 4pm (UK), 11am EST, 8am PDT. Not only will the new tools be demonstrated but you have the chance to interact live with the team at Astute Graphics, who will be there to answer all your questions.

Click here to register for the webinar now!

What’s been updated

• New functionality in VectorScribe including preferences to highlight and/or automatically remove redundant points plus add new points at set distances to selected segments
• All plug-ins have now been optimised further for Retina / HiDPI displays, especially cursors and annotations
• Learn more with Lynda.com link in the Help menu as well as each plug-ins About window
• Bug fixes

Download and install the latest versions by clicking here

The post Updates to all plug-ins appeared first on Astute Graphics.

Yesterday (18 June) Adobe announced, and made available, a major release to its Creative Cloud. Adobe Illustrator’s latest version is now called CC 2014.

Not long after the release our very own Sebastian Bleak held a special Pop-Up Webinar reviewing what’s new. If you didn’t catch it we have made the recording available here.

Astute Graphics will be issuing upgrades to CC 2014 compatibility in a few days. This is dependant on final tests based on the release version of Illustrator. These upgrades will be FREE to customers owning licenses to current versions of our products (e.g. VectorScribe v2 and Phantasm v3).

It is excellent however that Adobe have decided to allow CC 2014 to be installed parallel to previous CS and CC(17) versions. This means that if you find your workflow is suffering, from the temporary lack of Astute Graphics tools, simply revert to using Illustrator CC17 (or any earlier CS installations you may have used which already have a plug-ins present).

Please keep an eye on our Facebook and Twitter feeds plus our blog or newsletter for the latest information about availability.

Ensure you have everything you need…

Astute graphics has provided a complete Features list of our plug-ins and Adobe Illustrator CS5 onwards. This look-up list quickly lets you see what Illustrator version is best for you, what Astute Graphics plug-ins compliment it and what you need to achieve the most effective workflow specific to you.

The post Plug-in updates for Ai CC 2014 to be announced appeared first on Astute Graphics.

In this weeks Never Stop Learning Sebastian shows us how to recolour artwork in Adobe Illustrator. Sebastian was looking for a tool that would look at your existing process color artwork and then assign colors from the Pantone Solid Coated colour book. Towards the end of the video you’ll see Sebastian use a plugin called InkQuest.

NSL is the result of one designer in a rut, looking for a way to get the creative juices flowing once again. Sebastian continues to explore and learn new techniques every week in his Never Stop Learning series, which has been running for over 3 years. The series is not just what you see either, it is the result of a dedicated process. Sebastian selects a topic, closely studies that topic and then creates these great posts to help others remove the intimidation of learning a new skill.

Take a look at Sebastian’s Never Stop Learning page to find out more about this piece and see what other amazing things you can uncover!

The post NSL: “Recolor Artwork: Pantone Spot Colors” Using Adobe Illustrator CC 2014 appeared first on Astute Graphics.

It is with great pleasure that we can announce the arrival of our new Unified Installer. We all know the task of installing, upgrading and uninstalling can be a long laborious process, especially with all 12 of our great plug-ins. We have listened to your feedback and developed our new Unified Installer, giving you more time to expand your creative workflow with our amazing tools!

Click here to visit our download page…

This allows you to:

• Install as many plug-ins as you require, an all in one smooth process
• Select each plug-in to install, update, uninstall or ignore
• Quickly select/install our popular plug-in kits
• Start the FREE 14 day trial on all plug-ins
• One click access to checkout

The new Unified Installer and plug-ins are compatible with:

• Mac OS 10.7+
• Windows Vista, 7, 8
• Adobe Illustrator CS5, CS6, CC , CC 2014

Note: Support for Mac OS 10.6 has been dropped due to the new installer technical requirements. Customers with plug-ins previously installed on Mac OS 10.6 can continue to operate the software.

Learn how to use the new Unified Installer

Operation of the Windows and Mac OS Astute Graphics Unified Installer is near identical.

The post New Unified Installer appeared first on Astute Graphics.

Our Twitter competition is gathering momentum nicely! This month’s winner is Eduardo Martinez. As the winner of #AGaugust2014, Eduardo has won a unique mug with his awesome design on, printed and produced by Imprint Revolution. Keep reading to see how Eduardo started using our plug-ins and the inspiration for creating his design! 

Right before Astute Graphics was well known, I was always looking for Illustrator tools/plug-ins to better my workflow and productivity. Then towards the end of 2009, Phantasm CS came out and I fell in love with the Photoshop control-like features. I purchased it and instantly placed Astute Graphics on my bookmarks bar because I had a great feeling things were coming from Astute Graphics. Sure enough, a year later, other excellent plug-ins started coming such as VectorScribe and I was surely impressed.

El Diablito illustration came about when Illustrative Designer Von Glitschka was running the 21-Day Drawing Challenge and I had produced the sketch for one of the challenges. Since I liked the sketch a lot, I couldn’t resist to illustrate it. I did not want to spend too much time creating the vector illustration so I turned to MirrorMe, Stylism and VectorScribe and speed up the process which I was happy with the result. VectorScribe is my go-to plugin and I currently own WidthScribe, SubScribe, Stylism, Phantasm, MirrorMe, InkQuest, InkScribe, DynamicSketch, and Autosaviour.

I know plug-ins won’t make you a better designer or illustrator but it will definitely produce a faster workflow and save lots of time. I cannot wait to see what Astute Graphics has in store for us next!

Eduardo Martinez

Keep an eye on our upcoming blogs to witness the creation process for this awesome mug, courtesy of Imprint Revolution! You can also check out our previous blog on the last Twitter competition winner by clicking here. If you want to take part this month please tweet your designs to #AGseptember2014.

The post Featured Artist: Eduardo Martinez #AGaugust2014 Winner appeared first on Astute Graphics.

On Monday, 6 October 2014, Adobe unleashed its latest round of updates to the Creative Cloud 2014. This included Illustrator version 18.1 with its focus on a great new alternative user interface for Windows 8 touch devices such as the Surface Pro range.

This release also brought an unexpected issue with both our Stylism and InkQuest plug-ins.

If you are a user of Stylism, please do not install the latest Creative Cloud update – or temporarily refrain from using Stylism as it is likely to crash Illustrator upon use. Stylism is currently only compatible with Illustrator CS5, CS6, CC17, CC17.1 and CC 2014 (v18.0).

InkQuest’s full Separations panel is also at issue with the latest Illustrator release. However, there are no reported issues with the remainder of InkQuest’s tools.

We are working towards free updates for existing products middle next week. Please keep an eye on our social media or newsletter for the latest information.

The post Compatibility with Adobe Illustrator CC 2014 (October, v18.1) appeared first on Astute Graphics.

Good News!

We are working to release a new installer middle of next week to solve the current issues occurring with our plug-ins:

• There is currently a critical issue with Stylism operating in the latest release of Adobe Illustrator CC. A separate installer, to ensure compatibility can be found below.
• Verification that the latest installer contains 100% Yosemite compatible material.
• We do understand there is also an issue with InkQuest regarding display of the full Separations panel in the latest version of Illustrator, which is still being addressed.
• Clear up reports received regarding the trial period appearing as expired straight after installation. We are currently working on this and hope to have solved the issue in the same release.

The updated installer due for release next week will also include something very exciting! Please keep a close eye on our Blog, Facebook and Twitter feeds.

We’d like to thank you are for your continued support and patience while we’re working on improving your design world.

The Astute Graphics Team!

Stylism v1.1.1 update

The only Astute Graphics plug-in which has so far displayed serious stability issues with Adobe’s latest release of the Illustrator for the Creative Cloud (October 2014, version 18.1) is Stylism. Use of previous builds of Stylism, up to and including the version present in our first Unified Installer release, cause Illustrator CC v18.1 to crash.

Due to the serious nature of this issue, we have produced a free early fix for all customers. Simply download one of following individual installers below…

Download Stylism v1.1.1 for Mac OS 10.7+

Download Stylism v1.1.1 for Windows Vista, 7 and 8

Each build is compatible with Illustrator CS5, CS5.1, CS6, CC (versions 17, 17.1, 18 and 18.1).

To install, simply quit Illustrator, run the installer and follow the instructions.

This version will be integrated into the next Astute Graphics Unified Installer – see text above for expected availability.

The post News update for Yosemite & Illustrator 18.1 releases appeared first on Astute Graphics.