FreeHand 10 for the Mac will ship from Macromedia next month; the Windows version is out today. The new release offers such productivity features such as master pages, tight integration with Macromedia Flash 5, and the ability to publish to both print and the Web.
The upgrade will be Carbonized for Mac OS X and revamped to help traditional illustrators get their work on the Web, according to Keith Hutchinson, FreeHand product manager.
“Macromedia FreeHand 10 simplifies the lives of graphics professionals through tight integration with Macromedia Flash 5, new creative drawing tools, and advanced features for print and Web professionals,” Hutchinson said in a press announcement. “This is the perfect tool to transition traditional printers to the Web and offer advanced illustration solutions for Macromedia Flash users. We see our beta customers already decreasing costs because of the multi-publishing capabilities of FreeHand 10.”
In overhauling the veteran illustration program, which has been around since 1988, Macromedia focused on three “themes” — illustration, productivity, and multipublishing. The cornerstone of the upgrade is a professional set of vector illustration tools, said Hutchinson. They include “breakthrough” perspective grids, enveloping and auto-tracing features, and editable vector transparency, he added. There are new features such as contour gradients, custom paint and brush strokes, and editable symbols. See our April 2nd preview for more details.