Graphics Unleashed

Heart Sweet Heart Font

2012-02-10T04:00:00.010-07:00

Time always seems to pass faster than I would like. There are always projects I need to complete. That also means there are important days on the calendar I need to remember. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, we're featuring the Heart Sweet Heart font this week.

What do you think of this font family? Post a message on the Graphics Unleashed Facebook page and share your thoughts or post a graphic you've created with the fonts. How about sharing a picture of something related to hearts? Do you have any friends that like free fonts? Of course you do! Can you suggest even one of your friends become fans of the Graphics Unleashed Facebook page. That way they can enjoy the fonts we feature.

If you've missed some fonts, don't forget to visit Fonts Unleashed where we keep a list of all of the fonts available for download.

Migrate Your Operating Systems to 64-Bit

2012-02-09T04:00:00.060-07:00

Windows XP, Vista and 7 come in two major flavors. You can install a 32-bit or 64-bit version. It is important that you understand the difference and why it is important for you to start seriously considering moving to 64-bit if you haven't done so already.

First, I'll refer back to a post from two years ago where I discussed Memory and CorelDRAW. When running a 32-bit operating system, the computer will recognize no more than 4 GB of total memory and only around 3.5 GB of that is usable. A 32-bit application (CorelDRAW 6-X5 are 32-bit applications) can use no more than 2 GB. I'm sure most of you have other applications running. Maybe it is a tool for anti-virus and security. Or it could be a browser or mail reader. You definitely have the operating system running. All of those applications take memory and that may not allow you to even use the full 2 GB for CorelDRAW.

When you run a 64-bit operating system, you can have much more than 4 GB of memory. In fact, I don't think a computer exists that will hold the amount of memory that Windows could use. Having all that extra memory allows CorelDRAW to have a better chance of using the full 2 GB possible.

Some software is available as a true 64-bit application. Those applications can address even more than 2 GB of memory. Certainly a 64-bit version of CorelDRAW is something desired by users. Now we can only wait to see if Corel will develop a 64-bit version.

One of the biggest things to consider when converting your operating system to 64-bit is whether you have drivers for all of your hardware. As many of you use output devices that are higher priced than a desktop inkjet, it is possible that 64-bit drivers don't exist for that device. As an example, we use a disc duplicator that doesn't have a 64-bit driver. We have dedicated an older computer to disc duplication since no new driver is coming.

For those who do have hardware without 64-bit drivers, you may want to consider connecting it to a computer dedicated to output on that device. On the computers you use to create artwork, install a 64-bit operating system and output to that device via a network. If you are using Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate, you can also install a 32-bit Windows XP virtual machine at no extra cost.

I have also heard from a few users recently who find that CorelDRAW 9 doesn't play well with Windows 7. That's correct, it was released ten years before Windows 7. If you are going to update your computer, you also need to update your graphics software! I discussed this last month in Upgrades Are Required More Often Than Every Ten Years. One user even complained that they wished their new computer could run XP. Do you realize Windows XP was also released more than ten years ago and Microsoft will stop supporting it in April 2014? Vista support ends in April 2017 and Windows 7 in January 2020.

For now, start doing research on 64-bit drivers for your equipment. If they don't exist, suggest to the manufacturer that you need 64-bit drivers. When you get a new computer (or upgrade an existing computer) give strong consideration to Windows 7 64-bit. Many users have already made this jump and it is something that everyone will have to make at some point. I find it very refreshing to always have extra memory available when needed. You can continue to put it off until later, but that only limits your productivity.

Ting Mobile Phone Service

2012-02-08T04:00:00.020-07:00

Nowadays it is rare to find someone who doesn't have a wireless phone. It is also increasingly common for people to have a smartphone. Along with the fancier phones have come increasingly costly services. Some people use excessive amounts while others don't use some features at all.

For those of you in the United States, a new competitor has come on the scene by the name of Ting. I'll start with the painful part first and that is you will have to pay full price for your phone. Keep in mind that most providers subsidize quite a bit of the cost to lock you into a two-year contract and they make up the money on the service plans. As for the Ting service plan, you can pick and choose the features you use and pay only for the service you use.

Worried about a new company being able to provide quality service? Ting is using the Sprint network so it will work anywhere that Sprint works.

Will I switch to Ting? As of now, I am happy with the plan I have (with Sprint). It is far less costly than some of the other plans with other carriers. Ting may save me a little money monthly, but I'm not sure it would save enough to make up for the money I save with a subsidized phone. At the very least, you may want to go to the Ting Web site and see if it may be the plan for you.

DAZ Studio Pro 4, Bryce 7 Pro and Hexagon 2.5 for Free

2012-02-07T04:00:00.007-07:00

The folks at DAZ 3D are giving away three of their most popular products. As I understand it, you simply have to provide them with your contact information. I don't know their strategy, but I can only guess that they are hoping you'll like the software and buy an upgrade in the future. I'll keep this message short and sweet, you can visit the DAZ 3D site to download your free copies. I believe this offer expires at the end of February 2012.

How Dr. Seuss Got His Start As A Writer

2012-02-06T04:00:00.020-07:00

I often get asked the story about how I started as an author of CorelDRAW books. Part of the story is working hard and being ready when opportunity knocked. Yet it is just as important that I was at the right place at the right time when I saw an online post looking for authors.

NPR did a recent story entitled How Dr. Seuss Got His Start 'On Mulberry Street' and he followed a similar path. His first book was written and it was rejected 27 times. It was a chance meeting when walking down the street that led to his big break. You could even say that was the day that Theodor Geisel became Dr. Seuss. Now it is hard to find someone who isn't familiar with the work of Dr. Seuss and some of the characters he created are burned into all of our minds.

One thing you can all learn from this is that first you have to work hard. It may seem as though that work isn't paying off. It is then that you will feel you got lucky and got a huge break. It was all of that hard work that led to the good luck!

Stripes Unleashed Volume 2

2012-02-05T04:00:00.013-07:00

Users have loved our Textures Unleashed collections and there are more in the works. They also loved the first Stripes Unleashed collection so we wanted to come up with a new collection that provided you even more stripes. That's why we're thrilled to announce Stripes Unleashed Volume 2. In the collection are a total of 500 stripe patterns and almost all of them will tile seamlessly. There are 400 of them that are "regular" stripes and 100 of them are tartan patterns. You'll find a free PDF catalog so you can check out everything included. Size-wise, they are fairly small. But they are perfect for use on Web pages and printed designs.

Best of all, you get them all for only $10. That's only 2 pennies a piece! More collections are in the works and you'll find each of the collections on the Stripes Unleashed Web page. For those who are unsure how to use these, we have free tutorials for both CorelDRAW and Corel PHOTO-PAINT. They can also be used in software such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Cinema 4D, Bryce 3D, 3DS Max, Lightwave 3D and many more.

Piriform Defraggler

2012-02-04T04:00:00.020-07:00

I've seen debates about whether or not it truly helps to defragment your hard drive. What is defragmenting? As files are saved, small pieces of them get stored all over the drive. Defragmenting the drive puts those pieces back in a contiguous order and that will hopefully make accessing the file faster in the future. Again, some say it isn't needed any more while others say it still helps. I prefer to err on the side of defragmenting as it certainly won't make it worse.

Windows includes a utility for defragmenting your drive. It works, but it has a limited feature set. Today I want to introduce you to Piriform Defraggler. It's from the same company that produces the popular CCleaner utility. It has quite a feature list, though one of the most important ones is that you can automatically schedule a defrag. I schedule mine to take place around 2-3am when I know I won't be using my computer. OK, I better not be using the computer in the middle of the night! By doing that, it won't slow down the computer when you are using and hopefully the computer will be faster because the drive is defragmented.

There are three versions. The first is free but offers no support. Another is for home users and costs $25. Lastly there is the Business Edition which costs $35. Check it out and I think you'll find it is a good addition to your computer toolbox.

Superago Fonts

2012-02-03T04:00:00.013-07:00

There are only a couple more days before the Super Bowl and I thought we should feature a "Super" font in honor of the game. The Superago font family comes in six different fonts so download and enjoy!

What do you think of this font family? Post a message on the Graphics Unleashed Facebook page and share your thoughts or post a graphic you've created with the fonts. How about sharing a picture of something related to football? Do you have any friends that like free fonts? Of course you do! Can you suggest even one of your friends become fans of the Graphics Unleashed Facebook page. That way they can enjoy the fonts we feature. We've also asked you who think will win the Super Bowl and we want to hear from you!

If you've missed some fonts, don't forget to visit Fonts Unleashed where we keep a list of all of the fonts available for download.

Scaling Outlines With Image

2012-02-02T04:00:00.031-07:00

I often see users post a feature request for something that already exists in CorelDRAW. Last week there was a request for a macro that wasn't necessary because the feature didn't exist. I'm not posting this to knock those asking for the features. We are in the training business and we provide training products that show the features in question. My only request to users who are starting out and even those who are quite proficient is to take advantage of the training resources available to learn to become even more proficient. I learn something new on a regular basis and so can you!

In this case the request was for a macro that would convert all outlines with scale with image off and turn it on. There are a couple of ways to do this automatically. One way is using the Find and Replace Wizard to search for this attribute off and to turn it on. That technique is described in Lesson 40 of CorelDRAW X5 Unleashed. Another technique is a bit more hidden. Just select all the objects in the drawing. Go to the Outline Pen dialog and only change the scale with image attribute. Since that is the only attribute you are changing, it is the only attribute that changes with all objects selected. Objects without outlines won't show a visible effect. You'll find that technique in Lesson 13 of CorelDRAW X5 Unleashed. I use these two techniques on a regular basis and I know they saved me days of work over the years!

One Day Sale On Corel Software

2012-02-01T18:10:00.003-07:00

Corel is offering a one-day sale on some of their software titles. The sales should be live by the time this post goes out and it will end at 9am EST on Februrary 3, 2012. If you are interested, make sure you take advantage of the sales immediately. To the best of our knowledge, this sale only applies in North America.

60% off of PaintShop Pro X4 Ultimate. Only $39.99. For Photos to be proud of. February 2nd Only.
50% off of Corel VideoStudio Pro X4. Was $99.99, now $49.99. Live life. Make movies. February 2nd Only.
Save $70 on Corel Photo & Video Bundle X4 Ultimate. Now Only $79. Two great products, one amazing low price. February 2nd Only.

HP Touchsmart Desktop Computer

2012-02-01T04:00:00.015-07:00

There are two reasons I hear people choose a Mac over a PC. First, they claim that the physical design is more pleasing. Second, they prefer the Mac operating system. If you truly want MacOS, you'll have to buy a Mac. While it is different than Windows, I personally don't find it provides a great benefit. Again, that's my opinion.

One thing I can tell you is that there are vendors who create pleasing hardware designs for running Windows. One such machine is the HP Touchsmart series. The computer itself is housed inside of the monitor (23 inches in the machine pictured). Many of the all-in-one designs will use laptop parts due to heat. In this case, a desktop CPU is included as well as a discrete graphics card so you get some decent bang for your buck.

The monitor is a touch screen monitor. For some things this can be quite handy. Yet I wouldn't consider using the touch screen to actually draw or edit images. For that I would rely on a mouse or a graphics tablet. While I really like this machine, I doubt it is something that will sit on my desk for my day-to-day work. For me, it would probably be best used as a secondary machine for consuming media and/or Web surfing.

Creating Art From Words Using Wordle

2012-01-31T04:00:00.017-07:00

Recently I have seen a question coming up with regards to creating artwork from arranging words of different sizes into a specific shape. Today I wanted to tell you about a simple way to create such artwork, though admittedly you don't have as many options as you may like.

The word cloud you see above was created in only a couple of minutes. I used a Web site by the name of Wordle to create it. In order to use the tool, you must have Java installed on your browser. Then you can either paste in text or use a link to build the cloud. There are a number of options for manipulating the cloud, but you can't easily choose a specific shape. Once the cloud has been created, there is no way to save it to any format. The only thing you can do is a screen capture. That's exactly how I created the graphic above.

While it wouldn't be easy, you could use the screen capture as a template to re-create the artwork as vector by typing out and sizing each of the words as needed. Wordle is not the only tool for this type of thing. A recent article at the Online Journalism Blog discussed if you should use a Word cloud or bar chart?

Movie Posters For Titles Reimagined For Another Time and Place

2012-01-30T04:00:00.000-07:00

Last week I told you about 10 Alternative Book Covers & Film Posters to help kickstart your creativity. This week I thought I would share something similar, yet different. This time it is movie posters for recent popular titles. But the posters imagine that the films were shot in another time and place. As an example, think of The Hangover set in an earlier time with Dean Martin, Jack Lemmon and Jerry Lewis. Movies reimagined for another time & place should bring you a few chuckles and hopefully some design inspiration.

Beta Test Initiative and Vexillology

2012-01-30T01:00:00.021-07:00

I admit it, there are some TV shows I just love. As a self-proclaimed computer geek, The Big Bang Theory is one of those shows. The most recent episode (before this post was written) was entitled The Beta Test Initiative (you can watch online here) so that piqued my interest since I've done my fair share of beta testing.

Then the episode got started and there was discussion about vexillology. No, I had no idea the word even existed before it was uttered on the show. Yet I found it quite amusing since it is the study of flags and just last week we had launched the US Flags Unleashed Volume 1 collection. Of course Sheldon had to rattle off various factoids about both US and international flags throughout the episode. A factoid he mentioned was that there is one state flag with two sides and I smiled since I knew both sides were in the collection. Enjoy the episode and if you need artwork of US Flags, you know where to find them!

Music Unleashed Volume 1

2012-01-29T04:00:00.022-07:00

It seems everyone loves music, though they may not agree on what type of music they like. Unfortunately I've yet to find a way to make a CorelDRAW file musical, so we did the next best thing and put together a collection of music-related artwork. It contains 77 graphics in CorelDRAW format. Each of the files has been keyworded so you can easily search using ROMCat or Corel CONNECT. Files are provided in both CorelDRAW 9 and CorelDRAW X5 format so all users (who have upgraded in the past ten years) have a file they can use. The CorelDRAW X5 files support more keywords, larger thumbnails and embedded color profiles. The collection is priced so every user can afford to add it to their collection. Thumbnails of each of the included images is shown below and you can download a free PDF catalog of the artwork for free from the product page. To see more low-cost clipart, make sure to visit Clipart Unleashed where there are currently twelve collections with many more to come.

Irfanview File Viewer, Converter and Editor

2012-01-28T04:00:00.013-07:00

It seems at least once a year I feel compelled to tell you about the wonderful Irfanview utility. Loyal readers are aware that I had a failing hard drive and had to re-install my system. Prior to the re-install, I made a list of all the software I needed to install and Irfanview was near the top of the list.

First, it is free. When you download it, make sure to also download the free plugins/addons offered. My number one reason for using it is as a bitmap file viewer. So I associate it with common formats like JPG, GIF, PNG and TIF. Why? Because it loads the image instantaneously even if the program hadn't been running in advance. Yes, it is that fast.

Another situation came up earlier this week and Irfanview handled it perfectly. I got a bitmap in Gimp format. Personally, I don't use Gimp and therefore don't have it installed. Yes, it is also free so I could have easily downloaded and installed it. Yet I didn't need to do that as Irfanview was able to convert the Gimp file to PNG for me. Even with the things I described, I am severely under-utilizing Irfanview. It has a lot more features for those who want to explore it in more depth. I just wanted to bring it up again for new readers or for longtime readers who had yet to take advantage of this great tool.

Octin College Fonts

2012-01-27T04:00:00.001-07:00

If you create artwork for a school of any kind, then you are probably in need of a "college" style font. It is the style of font with block letters so commonly found in school-related artwork. Octin College Fonts gives you a collection of eight different weights so you'll have exactly what you need.

What do you think of this font family? Post a message on the Graphics Unleashed Facebook page and share your thoughts or post a graphic you've created with the fonts. How about sharing a picture of something related to a college? Do you have any friends that like free fonts? Of course you do! Can you suggest even one of your friends become fans of the Graphics Unleashed Facebook page. That way they can enjoy the fonts we feature.

If you've missed some fonts, don't forget to visit Fonts Unleashed where we keep a list of all of the fonts available for download.

What Is That One Feature For You?

2012-01-27T01:00:00.017-07:00

We ask two questions on the Graphics Unleashed Facebook page and we'd love to hear from more users about these questions. You can either click the link on the question to answer directly on Facebook or you can post a comment to the blog if you don't use Facebook. Please read both questions before answering as they are very similar.

The first question:
If there was one feature added to the next version of CorelDRAW that would make it a must-have upgrade for you, what would it be? Remember, only one feature! Please post a comment and share your thoughts.

The second question:
If there was one feature added to the next version of Corel PHOTO-PAINT that would make it a must-have upgrade for you, what would it be? Remember, only one feature! Please post a comment and share your thoughts.

Don't worry, the folks at Corel will be reading these posts so your answers could definitely influence what may be added in the future.

What Is The Best Way to Learn CorelDRAW?

2012-01-26T04:00:00.029-07:00

Not a day goes by where I don't see someone asking the best way for them to learn CorelDRAW. I am certainly biased since I create training products, but there is not a universal answer.

The first place to start is by RTFM (read the fine manual...though some have another definition for the acronym). CorelDRAW does come with a good manual that covers the basics of the software. It also comes with a help file and some tutorial videos (with X4 and X5 specifically). One issue I have with the included training materials is they don't necessarily tell you about problems areas. That could be features to avoid or important workarounds.

Another suggestion I often hear from others is to search the Internet for free tutorials. There are some good ones out there and there are some that are just plain awful. Searching for the good ones is an investment of your time and I honestly don't think the payoff is worth it. Not only are some of the tutorials poor, they can also teach you wrong information and that wrong information could lead to costly mistakes for you. Again, there are some good ones out there, it just takes time to find them and a new user may not know the difference between the good ones and the bad ones.

There is no doubt that I feel my CorelDRAW X5 Unleashed Training DVDs are the best training resource available for both new and experienced users. Yes, I'm biased since I created it. Then again, my career has been creating training materials for CorelDRAW since 1993 so at this point I feel I know what users need to know and how to teach it to them. I got a very long e-mail from one happy customer. Below is part of that e-mail.

"This is so clearly laid out. The fonts are large and easy on the eye to read with the diagrams large and clear also. Your writing style is very conversational which makes me feel as though I'm sitting across a table listening to you in person. The videos are superb with their clarity and sharpness. I'm just sitting here entertained by the quality and simplicity of the tutorials. I'm really enjoying this learning process. This eBook is going to make my PC learning quick and efficient. Thanks again for producing such a wonderful product. I would genuinely recommend CorelDRAW X5 to anyone just for this DVD eBook."--Steve Bolack, Colorblast

Thanks Steve, you described the DVDs quite well. I do my best to cover all the features you need to know about. That does not mean every single feature. Some are pretty obscure and few users need that feature. I'll also warn you about features that could cause you problems. If there is a workaround for the problems, I'll give it to you. My goal is for you to have the best experience with the software. I want you to get projects done as quickly as possible. Ultimately, I want you to be profitable with the software.

If you decide to learn without using my training DVDs, that is certainly your choice. I simply feel they will help you learn faster and give you the best end result. So while it is an investment up front, you'll get a great return on that investment in time and mistakes saved.

Graphics Unleashed Newsletter for January 26, 2012 Now Posted

2012-01-25T20:45:00.004-07:00

We've posted the January 26, 2012 edition of the Graphics Unleashed Newsletter. Make sure to check out the thirty-seven new articles and a lot of exciting new products.

Cables To Go USB 2.0 to IDE or Serial ATA Drive Adapter

2012-01-25T04:00:00.017-07:00

I shared the ordeal of my hard drive failing with you in a post last week along with the way I set up my systems to help make sure the data gets properly backed up. There was a small amount of data on the system drive and I transferred almost all of it to my data drive before replacing the old, failing drive.

Installation of the new drive went well and I've gotten almost everything installed on the new drive. I'm sure there are a handful of utilities left to install and that will happen as I find a need for them. Once I got up and running again, I realized there were three files I had forgotten to copy from the failing drive. None of them are particularly hard to re-create, but it would sure be easier to copy them from the drive that now sits on my desk. One solution would be to re-open the case and install the drive in an empty slot. While that would work, it is a bit of a hassle for the three files I want to grab. OK, so there are probably more than three if I look hard though I've only missed three so far.

An easier solution to this problem was to get the Cables To Go USB 2.0 to IDE or Serial ATA Drive Adapter. It will allow me to quickly attach the old drive (or other old drives I have laying around) to a USB port so that I can grab the files I need. While I got this cable specifically for this situation, I'm sure it will become a valuable addition to my computer toolkit.

Free Update for Corel® Painter™ 12 Customers Further Enriches the Creative Experience for Digital Artists

2012-01-24T15:30:00.025-07:00

Building on the success of Corel Painter 12 announced last year, Corel is excited to announce the availability of a new free update to the world's most powerful art studio. Loaded with enhancements and valuable additions, this free update provides artists with fresh, new ways to explore their creative vision. Corel® Painter™ 12.1 offers new brush sharing and management options, workspace management, and Photoshop® plug-in support, along with the enhanced Live Brush Stroke Preview that now enables artists to quickly view and select brush attributes on the fly. These updates, along with general usability and performance enhancements, equip artists with everything they need to create stunning and realistic digital art creations.

Free Update Offers Painter Community Even More Flexibility and Creative Freedom

In direct response to feedback from the Painter community, the Corel® Painter™ 12.1 update includes the following enhancements for even greater levels of creative power and freedom:

New! Brush Sharing and Management – Easily install and share brushes with other digital artists by emailing, posting online or downloading to a memory device
Enhanced! Live Brush Stroke Preview – Now preview the brush stroke and attributes prior to painting, significantly speeding up and simplifying the brush selection and customization process
New! Moving and Copying Brush Variants – Quickly move or copy a brush variant to any category
New! Workspace Management – Delete, replace and reset default workspaces
Enhanced! Color Mixer Palette – Easily import a color collection as a RIFF, PSD, JPG, PNG or TIFF and use it as a baseline color mixer
New! Drag and Drop Support for Panels – Drag and drop panels to specific locations in the workspace allowing for more control of the workspace layout
New! Panel Resizing and Panel Presentation Option – Quickly resize individual panels and hide context sensitive information when not in use adding extra room to the workspaces
Enhanced! Photoshop Plug-in Support - Take advantage of 3rd party Photoshop® plug-ins on Mac® (32-bit) and 32- or 64-bit Windows

"Artists are always looking for ways to make their work stand out and to spark an emotional response in their audience. We are inspired by what our Painter users create and our focus is to provide them with new tools and workflow options that enable them to push their creative curiosity even further," said Andy Church, Senior Product Manager, Corel Painter. "Artists want to focus on what they are creating, not on the software they’re using. With this in mind, Corel Painter 12.1 was designed to give our Painter community free access to more artistic and workflow options so that it is now even easier for them to experiment with new techniques, collaborate with other artists and share their work."

Availability

The free Corel Painter 12.1 update (Windows® and Mac®) is available in English, Japanese, German, French, Italian, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese and Korean for Corel Painter 12 users.

E-Mail Newsletters and Good Screenshots

2012-01-24T04:00:00.001-07:00

It seems that about every week I see somebody asking questions about how to create an e-mail newsletter in CorelDRAW or how to take a screenshot. Both of these topics have been covered in previous blog posts so I'll first give you links to those and then I'll share some additional information about screenshots.

First and foremost, an "e-mail newsletter" is nothing but a Web page. CorelDRAW is not the right tool for Web pages and is thus the wrong tool for e-mail newsletters. It is a great tool for creating graphics for those newsletters. Read the post I wrote about designing e-mail newsletters.

In another post I told you about the free Greenshot tool for creating screenshots. Along with that, I mentioned that I didn't use any special tool for the thousands of screenshots I do each year for my CorelDRAW Unleashed Training DVDs. I use the PrintScreen (whole screen) and Alt + PrintScreen (active window) shortcut keys to capture what I want. Then I select File | New From Clipboard to paste the results into Corel PHOTO-PAINT. In most cases, all I need to do is save the file at that point. There are a few where I need to delete a little extra stuff that isn't relevant to the shot. Quick work with the masking tools in Corel PHOTO-PAINT gets the job done.

Often I see users talking about the resolution of screen shots. I will make this as crystal clear as I possibly can. Resolution doesn't matter! The only thing that matters is capturing the pixels exactly as they appear on screen. Some tools will upsample the image if you use a higher resolution and this actually makes the image worse. Please don't overthink screenshots, they are really easy with the information I've provided in this post.

Graphics Unleashed Media Marketplace Now With More Than 1500 Products

2012-01-23T16:00:00.002-07:00

The Graphics Unleashed Media Marketplace was built as a resource for products of interest to users of graphics software, most notably CorelDRAW users. There are now more than 1500 unique products available, such as vector artwork, seamless bitmap textures, add-ons, fonts, training materials and much more. Included are products not only created by Unleashed Productions but a wide variety of products from other companies.

"Graphics Unleashed Media Marketplace has grown from an idea to a destination for designers to have access to reasonably priced design assets and tools." says Foster D. Coburn III, President of Unleashed Productions.

Of the more than 1500 products in Graphics Unleashed Media Marketplace, there are currently 78 that are completely free and another 1141 are priced at $5.00. There are 56 products priced between $5.01-$10.00, 56 priced from $10.01-$20.00, 73 priced between $20.01-$50.00, 51 priced from $50.01-$100.00 and 44 priced above $100.00.

Graphics Unleashed Media Marketplace is constantly growing with new products. Unleashed Productions is also looking for new products to add. Information on adding content can be found in the Media Marketplace FAQ.

The Like Economy: How Businesses Make Money With Facebook

2012-01-23T04:00:00.021-07:00

I know from your interaction with the blog and the Graphics Unleashed Facebook page that some of you are big fans of Facebook. It is also clear that some of you absolutely hate it and you've written to tell me about it. Many of you have your own businesses and the rest of you may be influential in the marketing of your employer. Today I wanted to tell you about a book entitled The Like Economy: How Businesses Make Money With Facebook.

One thing I find important in books on hot topics like social media is that they are current and this book was released in December 2011. I got my copy immediately and have already read it cover to cover. There is no doubt that I've picked up enough good tips to easily cover the cost of the book.

For those of you who are already fans of Facebook, you can learn how it can benefit your business. In fact, numerous methods are described and surely one of them applies to your business. Those of you who are not fans of using Facebook may see why it would be a good reason to give your business a presence in the world of social media.

This book has definitely shown me the things I was already doing right, but also some of the things I was doing wrong and how to correct them. For many small businesses, Facebook is one of the most economical methods of marketing and this book will help you take advantage of it. Spend the small amount of money for the book and read and absorb the great advice provided!