Full Version: CorelDrawings
From: Carl (CSEWELL) [#1]
22 Jan 2007
To: ALL
Anyone using CorelDrawings for embroidery digitizing? A local t-shirt/embroidery shop is looking at CorelDrawings for their business. The price has been recently reduced to under $1,000 ($999).
From the CorelDraw website, CorelDrawings X3 is a full-version of CorelDraw X3 plus the embroidery digitizing. I was hoping someone that is currently using it would provide their opinion of the software. The $1000 price tag, compared to other digitizing software, suggests that it might ONLY be worth $1,000.
Any comments would be appreciated. I didn't find any reference to CorelDrawings using the Search on this forum. Too bad they don't offer a trial version of CorelDrawings.
Thanks.
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#2]
22 Jan 2007
To: Carl (CSEWELL) [#1] 22 Jan 2007
Carl,
That's a new one on me.
What are the supposed differences between CorelDraw and CorelDrawings?
Other than four more letters. :-)
EDITED: 22 Jan 2007 by DGL
From: Jim (RETAIL74) [#3]
22 Jan 2007
To: Carl (CSEWELL) [#1] 22 Jan 2007
Drawings is a very good digitizing program, but it has a few limitations. It does not have a lettering component. Most embroidery softwares can do simple keyboard lettering, just like engraving software. It is also tough to resequence your digitized designs.
A digitized design need to sew components in a certain order so it looks correct. A full digitizing software gives you better tools to sequence and manipulate stitches. Digitizing is more complex than simple printing.
That being said, Drawings is an outstanding program for many shops. You should be able to digitize 80% to 90% of the designs that come across your desk. I know a few people that are proficient with CorelDraw that use it for 100% of their digitizing. But the shops that I am speaking about have lettering software for embroidering text.
Drawings is developed by Wings Modular Embroidery software. Search them on the Internet and contact them for demonstration. They should be able to sell you the product along with a lettering component for text.
Good Luck
From: Jim (RETAIL74) [#4]
22 Jan 2007
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#2] 22 Jan 2007
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#5]
22 Jan 2007
To: Jim (RETAIL74) [#4] 22 Jan 2007
Sounds pretty slick.
From: Carl (CSEWELL) [#6]
22 Jan 2007
To: Jim (RETAIL74) [#3] 22 Jan 2007
It doesn't have a lettering component? What's the reasoning behind that? Is the flow of text difficult to achieve? I guess it's not a simple case of converting text to curves and treating text as an object??!?!
CorelDrawings suggests that it can go back and forth between graphics and digitized. Is that true? Is that what you meant about it being tough to resequence digitized designs?
Thanks for the information on Wings Modular Embroidery software. That will help in getting more information than what Corel offers.
From: Jim (RETAIL74) [#7]
22 Jan 2007
To: Carl (CSEWELL) [#6] 22 Jan 2007
You can bring text into Corel and digitize it in Drawings. But an embroidery shop needs to put text on a garment as quickly as an engraving shop needs to put text on a plate. With lettering software, I can embroider 10 items in the time that you could digitize text for one with Drawings. Imagine having to vectorize text every time that you need to do a simple monogram.
As far a sequencing, embroidery jobs do not just print left to right. Sometimes you need to start in the center and embroider out to the edges of a design. Also think about those stickers from vacation destinations. They are black text on top of a white oval. If the Drawings program were to digitize the black first, it would be difficult to fix that without editing capabilities. Plus you need to be able to do a complete oval then put the text on the top.
I believe that Drawings would be a fine program for your friend. His Melco software can handle his lettering needs. I will contact you tomorrow with a person that uses the program on a regular basis.
Check with your colleague that owns the Tajimas. They make a program called DrawFusion that is the same as Drawings. That may be a more appropriate solution.
From: John (ICTJOHN) [#8]
22 Jan 2007
To: Jim (RETAIL74) [#7] 23 Jan 2007
I agree with most of what you said about Drawings except:
When you type text in CorelDraw, it is already vectorized...........no need to convert it. It is a simple matter of typing, clicking on the "Stitch" tab, viola! Now, I would agree a lettering program is still needed in some instances, but those programs are easily available with the machine or 3rd party software.
I have Husquavarna, Melco & Sierra software available and have been running Drawings less than a year and LOVE it. Each program has it's own unique advantages or disadvantages. Are there better programs out there???? YES, but at a much higher price - Are there worse programs out there??? YES, at a much higher price as well. If I run into a tough design or don't have enough time to digitize, I have a digitizing company that has a very quick turnaround for a very reasonable price as close as my e-mail button. It is important to know when to send a job out or to do it yourself -
As far as "sequencing" goes, I have used different techniques and have been able to re-sequence objects to where they are needed. The Text on OVAL is not a problem as well as cutting the text OUT of the oval, if that is what you need..... I'm still in the beginning stages of Drawings but like it more every day.
Your input is very much valued and I as a novice of 8 years am still learning. I will remain a novice since I don't digitize day in and day out.
From: Carl (CSEWELL) [#9]
22 Jan 2007
To: Jim (RETAIL74) [#7] 23 Jan 2007
It isn't a high volume shop for embroidery and I think that they'd rather stay away from the small orders. They have plenty of years of experience with embroidery, so I think they understand the technical issues and processes required. It may take some effort, but if the tools are in CorelDrawings, I think they'll be able to apply them.
While searching for "Wings embroidery", I ran across a PDF file that explains, somewhat, the different levels of CorelDrawings, mainly a standard package and a Pro version.
http://smartdesigns.com/pdf/software/DRAWings%20X3%20Versions.pdf
The Pro version is priced at twice the standard version. Corel only lists the one version. Unfortunately, I know very little about embroidery so the features in the different levels are difficult to decipher. I passed the link on to the local shop to help them decide. Can good-to-excellent embroidery stitch files be obtained with the standard version of CorelDrawings?
From: Carl (CSEWELL) [#10]
22 Jan 2007
To: John (ICTJOHN) [#8] 23 Jan 2007
From: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#11]
23 Jan 2007
To: Carl (CSEWELL) [#9] 23 Jan 2007
If you go to the Drawings page on the Corel site, on the right side is a box about upgrading to the Pro version.
From: John (ICTJOHN) [#12]
23 Jan 2007
To: Carl (CSEWELL) [#10] 23 Jan 2007
Carl,
I have DRAWings Professional vers. 2.2, I bought it through Digital Art Solutions (Smart Designs) - If you sweet talk them, they will throw in some additional software and updates in the package. The few times I have needed tech help, they have either been available immediately or call back in a few hours. Good Peoples! They will be in Vegas and hopefully will be demonstrating DRAWings - it's fun to watch them do MAGIC right in front of your eyes.
hth,