QualeT Graphics 3 Posted November 5, 2013 Hello Friends, I was just looking for some advice on an excellent cutting and editing program. I am using scalp and inkscape at the moment but want to get deeper into the graphics world. My question is, what is the top notch software to help me out? I am so used to scalp so would like to use that but as far as editing software, what would be a good one? Corel Draw? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Shane Quale Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted November 5, 2013 Oh, boy... that's like asking "who makes the best cars?" or "which NFL team is the best?"... everyone has an opinion and there is no right answer... Although I'm sure there are many wrong answers... I'm a big fan of CorelDraw, but primarily because it's what I started on way back in the olden days (CorelDraw v3 was my first - not X3 which is actually v13, but v3) and I continued to use it up through v6 before switching over to using Xara as my primary vector art program. I still love Xara (now sold as Xara Photo and Graphics Designer), but too many of it's features do not work with cutters, as many of it's effects are rasterized on top of vectors. When I purchased my Graphtec package from US Cutter, it came with CorelDraw X3 and I began using it again because I could cut from inside of CorelDraw, and then upgraded to X6 a few months back. I also have Illustrator CS3 and CS5.5 but I almost never actually use them. I don't like their UI and I am not a fan of how they like to use different words/names for fuctions that are commonly used in many other programs - it also seems like a lot of important functions are buried in layers of menus or palettes or some other UI device and I can just work faster in CorelDraw. I'm sure that people who started with Illustrator probably feel that it's way is the right way and everyone else does things backwards, so it probably all depends on what you start with. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darcshadow 1,625 Posted November 5, 2013 Inkscape while free is pretty powerful and from what I understand does just about everything that the big pay for software packages does in terms of design. There are some file limitations in terms of opening or saving off but most of them can be worked around. I think the question you need to ask in terms of design. What do you want to do that you can't already do? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybyrd 3,770 Posted November 5, 2013 Corel x3 here and happy so far. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pcrat 65 Posted November 6, 2013 I started cutting with flexisign. I love it it does it all print cut plot all the settings ya need. but comes with a price tag. If ya can find a good used copy grab it. But try them all and see what you are comfortable with. There are some free, and cheaper ones out there. I just like to for the most part, use 1 program to do it all. Even tho i still use inkscape alot since it vectorizes very well... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Monkey 252 Posted November 6, 2013 You can get a full version of CorelDraw x6 for like $25 a month subscription instead of shelling out the money to buy a full version ($400 +/-) or $200 for a year subscription. Its by far my favorite design software for this industry so far. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybyrd 3,770 Posted November 6, 2013 There is a free trial of x6 to see if it's for you before you shell out the money. http://www.corel.com/corel/category.jsp?cat=cat4130083&rootCat=cat3610091 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JessXEmoji 46 Posted November 6, 2013 I got hooked on inkscape mostly cause it's free and was the first program i sat down to learn. I doesnt like eps or ai. files but ive found a couple file converters than turn almost all eps and ai. into svg or pdf and uscutter has a plugin for inkscape so you can send your work to SCAL. I'll stick with Inkscape and SCAL until they cant do what I need. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darcshadow 1,625 Posted November 6, 2013 You can install ghostscript to allow Inkscape to open eps files and I've recently discovered that a lot of .ai files, if renamed to .eps will open with Inkscape once you have ghostscript setup. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JessXEmoji 46 Posted November 6, 2013 I read about ghostscript but didnt understand what to do. Sounded like more than ghostscript was envolved. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darcshadow 1,625 Posted November 6, 2013 You install ghostcript then need to edit a couple of windows path variables. Sounds a little intemidating I agree, but it's actualy very easy. http://www.brighthub.com/multimedia/publishing/articles/81749.aspx 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dawn's Design 403 Posted November 6, 2013 I've had x6 for over a year now and it has done a great job for me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blackpaws 18 Posted November 6, 2013 I use Illustrator only because it was the first vector based software I began working with. Most people from what I read use CorelDraw and are happy with it. I tried to use it before but it was just frustrating because I'm used to Illustrator, and Illustrator works great for me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DNA_Vinyl 262 Posted November 6, 2013 Ive been using Photoshop 5 for years now. Im not toooo heavy into graphics but, I do enjoy it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Pampered Peach 1 Posted November 6, 2013 Ive been using Photoshop 5 for years now. Im not toooo heavy into graphics but, I do enjoy it. I , too am a Photoshop 5 user. How do I change images into usable art that will import into the software for the cutter? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrznFire07 217 Posted November 6, 2013 I use illustrator, photoshop, and VE LXi master (cheap version of flexi) i love illustrator and photoshop, i have used the open source versions (gimp, and inkscape) while they are good free programs they can't compare. I , too am a Photoshop 5 user. How do I change images into usable art that will import into the software for the cutter? File>export paths to illustrator. however unless your file is built with shapes and true type fonts it generally will not export correctly, I just save as high-res jpg RGB and trace it. Illustrator's live trace works reasonably well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DNA_Vinyl 262 Posted November 7, 2013 I , too am a Photoshop 5 user. How do I change images into usable art that will import into the software for the cutter? Get InkScape FANTASTIC program for turning just about anything into a cutable vector. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybyrd 3,770 Posted November 7, 2013 I read all the time about people using photoshop for vinyl work and I always come to the same conclusions: why use a raster program to design in when you know you're gonna have to make it a vector in the end. Seems like twice the work than working in a vector based program to begin with so when you're done, you're done. No conversion necessary. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Monkey 252 Posted November 7, 2013 When I first started I used PS to design also. Then I got CorelDraw x6 and never looked back. I even used Autocad in my first design cause I couldnt figure out how to do a simple thing in any graphic program and could do it in cad in less then a min. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites