Looking for an Illustrator type program?

Hi All,

Years ago I used adobe Illustrator (Mac) for producing facsimile tool labels and logos for the cutter boxes for old Stanley planes.

IIRC the file format was Postscript and was fully scaleable.

I sometimes just printed them myself or sent them to be made into decals or sticky labels at a print bureau.

Recently I have had a need to do this again in a VERY small way and can not possibly afford to pay a permanent subscription to Adobe in order to do so.

I am no longer Mac based (Win10).

Can anyone please suggest a program that can be bought outright or free that will do this for me? Not sure whether Postscript is still around?

Cheers, Martin

Have a look at Inkscape that is free and can export in EPS format

I Use GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation which is opensource, all platforms, and free; exports as Postscript
Very powerful but not the simplest user interface, often resort to youtube to do something new.

Open Office's DRAW is also good, and free on all platforms.... Look for OpenOffice suite... A free and good alternative to Microsodt Office if you don't need Visual Basic for anything.

+1 for Inkscape. As always with powerful software it takes getting used to but it can do exactly what Martin wants. Moving to Inkscape from Illustrator is common enough for there to be a Wiki on the subject here.

Dave

+1 for OpenOffice and LibreOffice.

Affinity Designer might suit. it is a direct competitor to Illustrator.

It is not free but it a single purchase. i have it for about 5 years and all regular upgrades since have been free of charge.

However, it might be overkill if all you want in a simple text editor

Occasionally, Serif, who own Affinity, have special offers,

In similar vein, after Luker's excellent article in ME I've been looking for a way of doing curved text for nameplates. I don't have MS word, and later versions of Libre Office don't seem to support it according to Google. Any ideas? Will have to be free!

I had a go at writing an article on making nameplates with a 3D printer and Inkscape and couldn't make it interesting. Packed full of tedious software details, and I had trouble reliably converting Inkscape into G-code. However, Inkscape can run text along paths and a host of other tricks. Some examples:

Dave

SOD,

That is exactly the type of thing that I need to do, then print to decal paper or sticky label stock.

Almost exactly like the Andrew Barclay file above.

I have downloaded INKSCAPE and having a go at my first label, although similar in many ways to Illustrator (which I have not used for YEARS! I am finding it less than intuitive and the built in tutorials are pretty thin.

I have got the hang of using layers to build up the label, saving colour swatches etc

My immediate need is to create text on a circle or path but cannot seem to get there!

Can I use a circle shape and convert to path somehow? How do I add the text to the path when created?

Probably dead easy but only if you know how!

Any help most welcome.

Cheers, Martin

Have a look at the tutorials for Inkscape by TJ Free - lesson 6 Text and fonts will start you off. He has quite a bunch of them but they do cover all the basics you will need.

Edited By Bizibilder on 08/11/2020 13:15:37

Edited By Bizibilder on 08/11/2020 13:19:42

Edited By Bizibilder on 08/11/2020 13:19:58

+1 for Inkscape.

Not just for this but as a general 2D drawing package. You draw a fancy nut, then put hat on a bunch of parts, that make a whole engine. You can then zoom from the whole drawing to the detail of the nut and the files are tiny.

Robert G8RPI.

Sounds like you've made a good start Martin. There's a lot to Inkscape, and finding your way round it is half the problem. It's like learning to ride a bicycle, keep trying.

You can convert an object like a circle from the Path menu (first option listed), or by selecting it with a mouse click and typing ctrl-shift C (hold down ctrl and shift, then C)

To put text on a path, type some text, then draw a path. Select both with the mouse, then open the Text menu (next to Path on the top line), and click the 'Put on Path' option.

My example is text on a Bezier Line:

Then type the text. Note that clicking on objects produces arrow handles allowing the object to be resized or rotated. (Inkscape doesn't change font size like a word processor, the whole object can be resized. The difference confused me!)

After 'Put on Path':

Then arrow handles can be used again to turn the whole lot, for example:

Useful tricks - paths can be hidden by drawing them in background colour, here white on while. As text can be edited on the path line, spaces can be added to position words or letters. Letters can also be kerned and shifted, fonts changed etc. Don't try to do too much with a single technique: the Andrew Barclay example is mostly built as an overlaid stack of simple ovals aligned to look right. Raising or lowering objects within the stack can reveal or hide detail, but it sometimes needs thought to organise the sequence.

The more you do the easier it gets.

Dave

OK, I've worked out the way to put text on a path but cannot get the top and bottom text elements the correct way round, top is OK but bottom (Kilmarnock in above example) is upside down?

Driving me nuts!

Martin

OK Got it now, Many Thanks

Hi All,

Just got the first logo done in Inkscape, found out that in order to print you have to save as a pdf version?

I now need to find some "paper" to print to.

Ideally I would like to make old fashioned transfers or decals with a clear background. Alternative would be clear sticky backed vinyl.

There seem to be loads of different types all with very varying ratings and reviews.

Most seem not to be waterproof and need a spray coating of some sort which would be a pain.

Has anyone done this type of stuff with success? If so can I have a few pointers please?

Cheers, Martin

Hi Martin Used to use the "Crafty Papers" decal sheets quite a bit. Available in white or clear. Unfortunately the waterproofing issue is common with all of them. Its not the paper its the ink if you are using inkjet. I used artists acrylic varnish matt. Three very light coats would provide the waterproofing necessary. Another little tip. A statement of heresy. I found on occasion that cheap inks do not have enough pigment in them and had to resort to (heaven forbid the cost) OEM ink. Another route you might consider is dye sublimation onto aluminium coated sheet. Its used for mugs and tee shirts as well

The kit is a bit specialist but there are companies out there who will print your designs for you. I used to have the kit and its a good process.

Regards

Ian

These logos etc are to replace lost originals on old tools, things like plane cutter boxes and Taps & Dies inner label art work etc, some will need to be sticky backed vinyl but the smaller tools (like chisel handles) need the slide on decals. I use blonde shellac an awful lot for refinishing would this be OK over the inkjet print?

Cheers, Martin