What is Learn Arts & Letters Express 7: The Official Guide?
Joli Ballew’s Learn Arts & Letters Express 7: The Official Guide serves as the written manual for Arts & Letters Express versions 6 and 7. Arts and Letters Express is a Windows graphics program that allows you to create original compositions with clip art or your own drawings. Ballew wrote the book for the beginning to intermediate user. She emphasizes business and education aspects of the program.

I own Arts & Letters Express version 6 and The Official Arts & Letters Handbook, 2nd Edition by Michael Utrich ©1994.

What Does Learn Arts & Letters Express 7: The Official Guide Cover?
Learn Arts & Letters Express 7: The Official Guide’s 523 pages contain a Foreword, Acknowledgements, 17 chapters, four appendices, Index, back matter, and a companion CD.

Fred Schoeller, CEO, Arts and Letters Corporation, wrote the Foreword. In it he says, “…the most comprehensive book about Arts & Letters Express ever produced.” He also claims that the book can be used with any version of Arts & Letters Express.

Each chapter contains a short introduction, key terms, hands-on projects, a summary, and review questions. Ballew frequently relates commands and tools to those used in other programs. Most chapters contain numerous cross-references.

Chapter 1: Getting Started with Arts & Letters (22 pages) discusses The Web Site, Arts and Letters Express versions, Installing, Starting the Program, and the different types of Help. The Installation Description covers the default installation only. It doesn’t contain a cross-reference to Chapter 17’s section on Installation Options that describes the four installation types available.

Chapter 2: The Interface (32 pages) briefly describes each Menu item, Toolbox and Styles Bar button and all other parts of the program interface. It devotes several pages to right-click menus. This chapter doesn’t tell you how to use the tools but does indicate when and why to use each one. Since this chapter requires no true projects, and she wants to emphasize the importance and usefulness of right-clicking, Ballew asks you to right-click on the Style Bar buttons and write down the available menu choices in the blanks provided.

Chapter 3: Basic Tasks (46 pages) discusses the Clip Art Manager, working with objects and text, Using the Cut, Copy, & Paste commands, Printing and Saving your projects. Ballew gives a good overview of Cut, Copy, & Paste and reminds you that these commands are available in most programs.

Chapter 4: Working with Objects I (31 pages) discusses Moving Objects with out the mouse and Sizing, Aligning, Flipping & Rotating, Slanting, and Duplicating Objects. It discusses some advanced topics as well.

Chapter 5: Advanced Menu Bar Options (41 pages) discusses the tools and actions available on the Menu Bar not covered in the first four chapters. Ballew discusses some tools in depth. Others are only introduced since they have their own chapters. Some of the tools covered are: Configuration, File Management, Spell Check, Clipboard, Symbol, Character Map, Activity Manager, Group and Ungroup, Work Areas, and Options.

Chapter 6: Advanced Style and Toolbox Options (44 pages) discusses the tools and actions available through the Style Bar and the Toolbox Flyouts not covered in the first four chapters. Advanced Style Buttons covered in detail include Color, Fill, Line, Type, and Custom Styles and the Eyedropper.

Toolbox Flyout tools are only mentioned since the tools were discussed in Chapter 5 or will be discussed in later chapters. When available, keyboard shortcuts are given.

This chapter needs improvement. First, it has sloppy editing. In the Introduction, the following statement occurs, “These custom options and shortcuts will be introduced in this chapter.” ‘Shortcuts’ weren’t mentioned prior to this. They apply to the Toolbox tools, which are mentioned after this sentence. Then the Summary mentions “…the duplication issue with the menu bar.” I have no idea what this means. Duplication isn’t covered in this chapter. The use of the Duplicate tool, introduced in Chapter 2, is discussed in Chapter 4. Neither chapter indicates any ‘issues’ surrounding it or problems with using it.

Second, the Flyout illustrations are poorly arranged or missing. The Effects Flyout is illustrated on a left hand page but you have to turn the right hand page to read about it on the following two pages. Of the 10 flyouts only four are illustrated in this chapter (Clip Art Collections, Arrange, Effects, &Views Flyouts). The Drawing Flyout is illustrated in Chapter 8, page 242. The Construct Flyout is illustrated in Chapter 15, page 356. I couldn’t find a Transform Flyout illustration anywhere although its two tools “…are not available from any other menus.” I couldn’t find illustrations of the Lock/Unlock and Hide/Unhide Flyouts. Their icons weren’t described although there is room on the page for more text. While I could find no illustrations of the Text Flyout, its icons are described.

Third, in this chapter Ballew refers to keyboard shortcuts as key combinations. In Chapter 3 and Chapter 17, she refers to them as accelerator keys.

Chapter 7: The Clip Art Manager (17 pages) discusses the tasks performed with the Clip Art Manager that weren’t covered in Chapter 3. These tasks include Creating New Collections, Getting Clip Art from Other Graphics Applications, Using Multiple Arts & Letters CDs, and Error Messages. One task that’s not perfectly clear is Creating a New Collection. It’s a two step process. First, you name the collection through the Clip Art Manager menu bar. Then you add images using the Save to Collection button.

Chapter 8: Drawing Freehand (24 pages) and Chapter 9: Working with Points (15 pages) discuss the tools used to draw your own images. Topics covered include: Setting up Arts & Letters for Optimal Drawing, Advanced Drawing Techniques, and More on Point Handles and Freeform Points

Chapter 10: Working with Freeform Objects (18 pages) defines freeform objects. It explains the need to convert objects to freeform. It also describes which objects can not be converted, including BMPs, GIFs, JPGs, TIFs, and scanned images. (You can convert WMFs to freeform.) The chapter then tells you how to edit freeform objects.

Chapter 11: Charts (16 pages) discusses Types of Charts, The BAR Chart Interface, Creating Charts, and Importing, Exporting, & Editing Data. I found this chapter one of the weakest in the book. Ballew neither tells nor shows me why I should create my charts in Arts & Letters Express instead of in MS Excel 97 (or similar spreadsheet program). I have created much more elaborate charts in MS Excel 97 than this chapter illustrates. For example, I use exploded 3-D pie charts frequently with many gradient colors and textured fills. After reading this chapter, I don’t know if I can create similar charts in Arts & Letters Express.

Chapter 12: Import and Export (15 pages) discusses File Types, Importing From & Exporting to Other Applications, and the Decipher Utility. Arts & Letters Express can import more formats (19) than it can export (10). Version 7 can handle GIFs and JPGs; version 6 can’t. The Decipher utility converts PostScript vector images into a format that Arts & Letters Express can use. You can also use Decipher to import several images at once, manually convert images, or troubleshoot images.

Chapter 13: Colors and Printing Options (15 pages) discusses Working with Complex Objects and Types of Color Configurations. If you professionally publish your artwork, this is a must-read chapter since it explains Pantone color, spot color, separations, and process color. If you need a new printer, this chapter tells you why to consider a post-script printer.

Chapter 14: Gradient Fills (22 pages) discusses Understanding the Key Terms, Defining Gradient Fills, Better and Faster Gradients, and When not to use Gradients. This chapter emphasizes the cost factors associated with commercially printing gradients.

Chapter 15: The Construct Tools (14 pages) describes The Construct Flyout and discusses the Construct Commands. These tools offer advanced editing capabilities of lines and curves.

Chapter 16: Warp/Perspective and Extrude (20 pages) discusses The Warp/Perspective Dialog Box, Using Warp/Perspective’s Edit, Save, Recall, and Remove Commands, and The Extrude Dialog Box. You use Warping to change the shape of an object, its orientation, and its symmetry. You use the Extrude tool to create 3D artwork and text. You can change the object’s depth, color, perspective, and more.

Chapter 17: Tips and Tricks (24 pages) discusses Minimum Requirements, Installation Options, Version 7 Features, Arts & Letters Tips & Techniques, Fonts, the BOSS Font Manger, Adobe Type Manager, Accelerator Keys, Backing up Data, and Enhancing Performance. Other people call accelerator keys keyboard shortcuts. The accelerator keys list includes the Cut, Copy, & Paste commands that allow you to copy and paste in situations where menu commands aren't available, such as dialog boxes.

Appendix A: Additional Projects and Resources (25 pages) discusses the resources available in Arts & Letters Express and on the web site particularly suited to small business owners, teachers, and youngsters. Even if you’re not a member of one of these groups, quickly read through this section. Home users will find useful information. If you’re involved with a club, church, or neighborhood association you’ll find the Small Business section useful. If you home-school or want to supplement your child’s learning experiences, you’ll find the Teachers section useful.

Appendix B: Applications, Downloads, and Services (21 pages) discusses the Arts & Letters Web Site, Member’s Cafe and other software available for purchase. This material expands on the information presented in Chapter 1.

Appendix C: Troubleshooting and Reinstalling (34 pages) discusses a variety of topics concerning problem areas. These include lengthy discussions of fonts and obtaining and installing device drivers. Specific error messages are covered. The section on When It isn’t Arts & Letters contains some good general computer maintenance advice.

Appendix D: Review Answers (19 pages) provides the answers to each chapter’s review questions.

The Back Matter consists of five pages. Hidden between Appendix D and the Index is a Notice to all readers from Joli Ballew. Essentially she asks for Arts & Letters Express project submissions for a forthcoming “application’s project book that will contain templates, tools, and instructions for creating personalized artwork.” If you would like to contribute or want more information, contact her at Waymark.net, or NorthTexasGraphics.com.

After the Index comes an ad page for North Texas Graphics. Then comes the $40.00 Discount page. If you buy the book, you can receive a $40 discount coupon for the Office Edition of Arts & Letters Express 7.1. If you already own Arts & Letters Express 7.0 they tell you how to receive a free upgrade to Arts & Letters Express 7.1.

The Companion CD page tells you how to install Arts and Letters Test Drive 7, what’s on the CD, and two cautions (do not install the Test Drive if you’ve already installed version 7.0 and opening the CD envelope makes the book non-returnable). The flip side contains the Usage License Agreement.

Using the Book I found the layout of the book very well done with adequate white space. The text is large and easy to read, especially for older eyes. Headings are bold and black. Icons are clear not blurry. My major complaint – while screen shots take up the whole width of the page, it’s not easy to see the menus, toolboxes, etc. However, the example objects are large and easy to see and read. I would have liked to see an illustration of the Toolbox and Style Bar Button under discussion placed in the margin. While not a small book, Learn is compact enough that I can hold it in one hand for short periods. The pages don’t bend down but remain stiff.

Unlike many computer books, Learn Arts & Letters Express 7 doesn’t include a section on the conventions used in the book. However, I had no difficulty understanding the icons and I always knew what I was supposed to do.

While Ballew has a list of key terms in the beginning of each chapter, she doesn’t always provide a concise definition for each term. Sometimes she scatters information about the term in several chapter sections. Since this is an introductory book, a glossary would be helpful. The Index lists many of the terms.

Instead of focusing on just one way to accomplish a task, Ballew tells you all the ways available. You can choose the one that’s best for you. Ballew tells you when version 6.0 and 6.1 differs from version 7.0.

From Chapter 3 on Ballew gives step-by-step instructions for using tools and completing tasks. She then gives you step-by-step directions for completing a project. Sometimes, for extra practice, she’ll tell you to recreate one of the book’s illustrations.

If you haven’t installed Arts & Letters Express, you should read Chapter 1 and the following sections of Chapter 17 before you begin installing the program: Minimum Requirements
Installation Options (to avoid problems install all the image libraries to your hard drive)
Upgrade to Version 7.0 and Take Advantage of Additional Features
Enhancing Performance - Some suggestions won’t make much sense until you start using the program.

What’s Included on the CD-ROM?
The CD contains the Arts and Letters Test Drive 7.1, Project Files, Additional Files & Project Ideas, and Files for Teachers.

Arts and Letters Test Drive 7 is “provided for your evaluation of the interface and functionality. You cannot Save, Export, or Print from the Test Drive version.” If you tell the install program that you are a new user, when the program loads for the first time a practice file opens with exercises for you to complete. (It doesn’t load after that.)

System Requirements
CPU: 486DX minimum
Operating system: Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000 & XP
Required RAM: 4 MB RAM; Recommended RAM: 8 MB RAM (Ballew lists these on one page, later in the chapter she tells you that 32 MB is ideal.)
Free disk space: 42 MB minimum hard disk space; 239 MB or more hard disk space recommended
Display properties: Set to 256 colors or higher; 640 x 480 screen resolution or higher

Project Files
This folder contains seven files used in the book’s projects. You can use them as-is or as templates for your own projects.

Additional Files & Project Ideas
This folder contains 21 actual logos and designs for business and gift cards used by North Texas Graphics and their clients. “You can use these files as templates for your own designs, but remember that these logos are in use by other companies throughout Texas.”

Files for Teachers
Sam Andrews, a full time computer graphics teacher, created the 23 files in this folder. They contain a class syllabus, teaching aids, 14 projects for use in high school classrooms, and student artwork samples. This artwork can be used as templates for your own artwork. You’ll need additional materials if you want to teach a course.

Other Comments
Neither the book illustrations nor the sample files on the CD convey the wide range of images, symbols, and compositions available in Arts & Letters Express. They don’t convey the true power of this program.

Bottom Line
Learn Arts & Letters Express 7 will teach you how to use every tool available in Arts & Letters Express. It will make you aware of all the resources available to you in the program and at the web site. It will make a good course textbook. It can even save you money, if you want to purchase the Office Edition. However, it won’t teach you how to draw and it won’t inspire you in creating your own compositions.

While Arts & Letters Express comes with a digital User’s Guide of 262 pages, Help Files, and Tutorials, they are outdated. They don’t reflect the current organization of the clip art collections. They don’t reflect the changes in some commands, dialog boxes, and graphic file formats handled. If you are a new user or need the printed word, this book is worth the investment.

Web Resources
Visit their website where you can download the book preview file that contains a description of the book, the complete Table of Contents, and the first page of each chapter and appendix.

Visit their website for information on all Arts & Letters products and free image and font downloads. You can also order a copy of Arts and Letters Test Drive 7. There is a $5.00 fee for shipping and handling.

Vital Statistics
Title: Learn Arts & Letters Express 7: The Official Guide Author: Joli Ballew Copyright: 2003 Publisher: Wordware Publishing, Inc. ISBN: 1-55622-969-0 523 pages Retail price: $39.95 US, $61.95 Canadian Amazon.com price: $27.97 (It qualified for free Super Saver shipping on December 16, 2003.)