This review could actually be called, Smart Sketch Revisited. One of the first reviews I wrote for this site was for a program called, Smart
Sketch. The program offered some really big league features not available anywhere, while being marketed and sold to the consumer level people as opposed to businesses. It wasn't advertised too well the first time it
was out, but now it gets a new life Broderbund. Actually, the program is from Future Wave Software who sold out to Macromedia and then moved to Australia. For some reason, Broderbund decided to license it
and now markets the program as ClickArt Graphics Workshop.The main use for Graphics Workshop is to edit vector clipart using an interface that is incredibly easy to master, while offering powerful features. There
were two major features that attracted me to the program under it's old name. First is the ability to fill-in or paint color on a vector just like you can a bitmap image. Second, there is an eraser, also formally a
feature only for bitmaps. Third is being able to take your sloppy hand drawn squares and circles and automatically straighten the lines and smooth the curves. It was only recently that you could do those things in
the more expensive vector programs like CorelDRAW! and Macromedia Freehand.
Another great thing about Graphics Workshop is that it is a very small program so there is no problem loading it up for a quick fix on a
piece of clipart while PageMaker, QuarkXPress or another layout program is already loaded on your machine. You can also then easily drag and drop your corrected or edited image into any program.
From a complete color
change to having 200 levels of UNDO so you can correct your mistakes, this little program packs a lot for a suggested retail price of only $19.95. I gladly paid more for this program a few years ago and I know for a
fact it is a great bargain for the time it saves me not having to haul out one of the big boys for a small project. One complaint about the original program was a lack of enough clipart. While the packaging is
different, there isn't much change over the original program although Graphics Workshop sports 5000 images, which isn't great, but is certainly much better.
Hats off to Broderbund for taking a program that was not
given the proper marketing and attention the first go around and giving it another chance.
Requires Windows 95, 2X CD ROM, 8MB RAM, 8MB Hard Disk Space, 640X480 display with 256 colors.
For more information or to
buy the program, visit Broderbund at http://www.broderbund.com
