Canvas 5 FAQ

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Canvas 5

What's the difference between Canvas 3.5 and Canvas 5?

What happened to Canvas 4? Did I miss that?

Is Canvas 5 a paint program, an illustration program, a layout program or what?

With all those features, is Canvas 5 hard to learn?

I already have Photoshop, Illustrator and Quark XPress, why do I need Canvas?

So Canvas 5 is kind of like CorelDraw?

Can I open Canvas 5 for Mac OS files with the Windows 95 / NT version?

How can Canvas help me publish on the World Wide Web?

Can I open files from other software packages with Canvas 5?

Does Canvas 5 create color separations?

Can I use third-party plug-in filters with Canvas 5?

You say Canvas 5 includes 2,000 URW PostScript and TrueType fonts. Are these the fonts that came with Canvas 3.5?

Can you tell me about the clip art that Canvas 5 comes with?

Can I use the Canvas 5 clip art for commercial purposes?

If I already own a previous version of Canvas, how much does the upgrade cost?

Where can I order the upgrade?

Where can I buy Canvas 5?

What's the difference between Canvas 3.5 and Canvas 5?

Canvas 5 is the next generation in graphics programs. It's not just Canvas 3.5 with a few new tools and features, it's a completely re-designed application re-written from the ground up to put more powerful features at the user's fingertips while making it easier to use.

Specifically, Canvas 5 offers a complete range of image-editing features, while Canvas 3.5 has a basic painting toolset. Canvas 5 has all the illustration and drawing tools of Canvas 3.5, but with a multitude of new features and improvements. The text-handling and layout portion of the program has also seen a quantum leap in power, as has the presentation feature set. Back to Top

What happened to Canvas 4? Did I miss that?

No, you didn't miss Canvas 4 -- there never was one. After examining what we had created, we quickly realized that a "4" did not accurately represent Canvas 5's advances in power, flexibility, and ease-of-use. So we skipped "4" and went straight to "5" instead. Back to Top

Is Canvas 5 a paint program, an illustration program, a layout program, or what?

Actually, it's all of those, and more. Canvas 5 has painting and image editing capabilities that rival or surpass many dedicated photo-editing packages. Plus, Canvas 5 has the most powerful illustration and technical drawing feature set of any illustration program on the market. For layouts, Canvas includes advanced typographic controls, master pages, column guides, linked text, page numbering and all the tools necessary to create professional layouts and page designs. But unlike other applications, all these capabilities are integrated into a single easy-to-use program. Back to Top

With all those features, how easy is Canvas 5 to learn? I already know how to use all the other graphics packages?

If you know how to use any of the competing graphics packages, you will have no trouble with Canvas 5. Most people find Canvas 5 easier to use than any other package because of the intuitive menus, tabbed palettes, and logical command structure. If you are a graphics novice, Canvas 5 includes a handy hint-line in the interface, an extensive help system and a complete tutorial section. And instead of learning three or four separate applications to complete your graphics tasks, you'll need to learn just one. Back to Top

I already have Photoshop, Illustrator and Quark XPress, why do I need Canvas?

We're not suggesting that you throw away these programs, and there might still be times when you want to use them. But when you use Canvas 5 for graphics projects, you'll quickly see the advantages. With Canvas, you won't need to be constantly switching back and forth between programs or constantly saving files so that they can be placed within another application. You won't need to have a mega-megabyte system to run three applications at once. And your creativity won't be limited to what you can or can't edit in one of these other packages. You'll save time, and work in a more natural graphics environment.

How many times have you used a layout program only to be frustrated when you need to go back and edit a photo or graphic? This will never happen to you in Canvas 5, because everything is completely editable. Import, type and edit text, add photos and edit them pixel-by-pixel, apply color correction and effects filters, and create and import vector graphics. Plus, we've included 2,000 URW PostScript and TrueType fonts and 20,000 royalty-free images. Purchased separately, all the software, clip art and fonts would cost nearly $4,500. Owners of Photoshop, Illustrator, FreeHand, XPress, CorelDraw, and PageMaker can trade up to Canvas 5 for just $149.95 with the Deneba Competitive Upgrade Offer. Quite simply, it's the most versatile illustration, photo editing and page design tool. Back to Top

So Canvas 5 is kind of like CorelDraw?

Not really. CorelDraw is many different applications bundled together. Canvas 5 is a single, easy-to-master application that integrates illustration, layout, image editing and presentations. Back to Top

Can I open Canvas 5 for Mac OS files with the Windows 95 / NT version?

Absolutely. And you can also open Canvas 5 for Windows 95 / NT files with Canvas 5 for Mac OS. The files are completely cross-platform. And if you use the fonts included with Canvas 5, your type will match also. Back to Top

How can Canvas help me publish on the World Wide Web?

Canvas 5 is an excellent complement to HTML editing packages such as Adobe PageMill, Claris Home Page and Microsoft Front Page. While Canvas 5 doesn't create HTML documents, the program does excel at creating graphics to include on web pages. You can easily render ("rasterize") text and vector graphics into anti-aliased GIF or JPEG images. You can edit these images and combine them with other images using Canvas 5's painting and image-editing tools. To get you started, we've included ArtBeats' WebTools on CD-ROM. WebTools contains thousands of pre-made graphic elements like buttons, banners, icons and symbols for including with your web pages. Back to Top

Can I open files from other software packages with Canvas 5?

Canvas 5 includes more than 30 file filters for importing and exporting graphics files. For many of the popular packages, you can simply import that file into Canvas 5. In other cases, you might need to save the file in an intermediary file format or metafile and then bring it into Canvas 5. To see a complete list of the filters, take a look at the comparison sheet. Back to Top

Does Canvas 5 create color separations?

Canvas 5 can generate professional, color-calibrated spot and process color separations. The separator contains options for trapping, dot gain and screen angle adjustments; object or global level overprinting; and plate-by-plate on-screen previews. If your service bureau doesn't support Canvas 5 files yet, please send us an e-mail message at sales@deneba.com. Back to Top

Can I use third-party plug-in filters with Canvas 5?

Yes, you can use Photoshop-compatible plug-ins with Canvas 5 . If you have Kai's Power Tools, The Black Box, Paint Alchemy, Andromeda Series, Gallery Effects, or other similar plug-ins, you can use these filters to extend the power and flexibility of Canvas 5.

You can also use any tool developed specifically for the Canvas 5 plug-in architecture. Simply drag it into the Canvas 5 tools folder. Depending on the tool, it may add a menu command, a filter, or a new tool in the toolbox. Sometimes we release additional tools to Canvas 5 users for free. Visit the Software Library (requires active internet connectivity) for information and to download new Canvas 5 tools. Back to Top

You say Canvas 5 includes 2,000 URW PostScript and TrueType fonts. Are these the same fonts that came with Canvas 3.5?

The fonts shipped on CD-ROM with Canvas 5 are not the same fonts that came with Canvas 3.5. (So if you own Canvas 3.5 and Canvas 5, you have over 4,000 fonts!) Canvas 5 includes fonts licensed from the famous URW type foundry in Germany -- the originator of many modern and classic font designs.

The URW fonts are premium quality and the perfect complement to Canvas 5's powerful text-handling and layout features. In many of the type families on the Canvas 5 CD-ROM, there are extensive font options for any situation. For example, the Baskerville family includes Narrow, Condensed, Bold, true Italic and all the possible combinations. In addition, many of the families come in Text, Display and Poster versions. URW sells these fonts for $595 per 500 fonts. So with Canvas 5, you are getting nearly $2,400 in value from the fonts alone. Back to Top

What can you tell me about the clip art included with Canvas 5?

Canvas 5 comes with more than 20,000 images, plus a bonus of 19 high-resolution photographs. These come on three CDs. The 20,000 images cover a variety of topics: animals, business images, maps, flags, computer art, abstracts, frames and borders, environmental art, and more. Included in the clip art are about 3,500 buttons, borders, bevels and icons for web documents and a 5,000-symbol technical illustration library. We've included an indexed keyword search system to help you browse and locate the images. Back to Top

Can I use the Canvas 5 clip art for commercial purposes?

The clip art is royalty-free and may be used for commercial purposes. Contrast that with the clip art included with Adobe Illustrator. The Illustrator clip art is limited to "personal, non-broadcast, non-commercial purposes."You may use Illustrator clip art only for "newsletters, distributed free of charge, internal memos, internal presentations, and other uses not designed to promote a business." If you wanted to use the Illustrator clip art in a commercial project, you would need to purchase additional clip art that does not have restrictions, or you would need to contact the manufacturer and request permission for using the art in that particular project.

With Canvas 5, you are free to create public, broadcast and commercial projects with the clip art. There are no restrictive details to follow, and no additional royalties to pay. We think this kind of clip art is much more useful and valuable to the user. Back to Top

I already own a previous version of Canvas. How much does the upgrade cost?

The price of the upgrade is $149.95. But, if you purchased Canvas 3.5 between July 1, 1995 and August 1, 1997, your upgrade is free. Back to Top

Where can I order the Canvas 5 upgrade?

If you qualify for a free upgrade, you can order by calling us at (305) 596-5644 or by visiting the Free Upgrade Information page and returning the order form to us by fax or mail.

You can order the $ 149.95 upgrade by visiting our secure Order page, by calling our upgrade partner Mac/PC Connection at 1-800-986-2297, or by calling or visiting a mail order house or retail store.

Of course, you can also call Deneba at (305) 596-5644 for all your upgrade and customer support needs. Back to Top

Where can I buy Canvas 5?

Canvas 5 (both the regular and upgrade / competitive upgrade version) is carried by thousands of stores across the country. You can buy Canvas 5 through many mail order and catalog resellers as well. For the name of a dealer near you, send an e-mail message to sales@deneba.com. Be sure to include your zip code and the version you are interested in.

Canvas 5, and Canvas 5 Upgrades and Competitive Upgrades can also be ordered through Deneba by visiting our secure web ordering page, or by calling (305) 596-5644. Back to Top