Software for stained glass desing - recommendations ?

HI All

Until Christmas most of the stained glass work I've been doing has
been smaller pieces (suncatcher-size) - either to one of my own
designs or on the basis of 'what looks right from the 'scrap' bins.

This year I've been a bit more proactive about selling my stained
glass (and the fused jewellery) - and now have regular weekly markets
that I sell at, and the income is starting to 'balance' my investment
in kit, time & glass over the past few years...

I'm beginning to get enquiries about larger, more complicated, pieces
- window panels, mirrors & suchlike - the kind of thing that really
needs drawing out properly, and, possibly (?probably!), prior approval
by the client.

So - I wondered what the general feeling is about software to help
with the drawing process ? I downloaded a copy of Glass Eye some years
ago - but, at the time, couldn't justify the cost (from $150 to
$lots!).
I'm evaluating it again now - and wondering if it's perhaps a
worthwhile investment....?

The catch22 is that I could imagine the ability to 'grab' a printed /
scanned design and translate it into an editable vector with one
'click' would be very desirable - but this feature isn't in the
entry-level software - you have to buy the $450 version for this....

I already have 'general' drawing software (PaintShopPro) - but, of
course, it doesn't 'understand' pieces of glass like Glass Eye does.

So - I wondered what you use, and whether you'd consider Glass Eye to
be worth the money ??

Thanks in advance
Adrian

Lot's of folks use GlassEye and it gets great reviews. I've never
heard anything bad about it. There's always Freehand. Personally, even
after 27 years of doing this I still use the old PPE program. Doesn't
cost much and gives me lots of flexibility. PPE...Pencil, eraser,
paper.

Chemo

Adrian wrote:
HI All

Until Christmas most of the stained glass work I've been doing has
been smaller pieces (suncatcher-size) - either to one of my own
designs or on the basis of 'what looks right from the 'scrap' bins.

This year I've been a bit more proactive about selling my stained
glass (and the fused jewellery) - and now have regular weekly markets
that I sell at, and the income is starting to 'balance' my investment
in kit, time & glass over the past few years...

I'm beginning to get enquiries about larger, more complicated, pieces
- window panels, mirrors & suchlike - the kind of thing that really
needs drawing out properly, and, possibly (?probably!), prior approval
by the client.

So - I wondered what the general feeling is about software to help
with the drawing process ? I downloaded a copy of Glass Eye some years
ago - but, at the time, couldn't justify the cost (from $150 to
$lots!).
I'm evaluating it again now - and wondering if it's perhaps a
worthwhile investment....?

The catch22 is that I could imagine the ability to 'grab' a printed /
scanned design and translate it into an editable vector with one
'click' would be very desirable - but this feature isn't in the
entry-level software - you have to buy the $450 version for this....

I already have 'general' drawing software (PaintShopPro) - but, of
course, it doesn't 'understand' pieces of glass like Glass Eye does.

So - I wondered what you use, and whether you'd consider Glass Eye to
be worth the money ??

Thanks in advance
Adrian

this is where the artist part comes in. it's what seperates the boyz from
the (wo)men. anyone can copy a pattern. design your own!!!!!
"Adrian" wrote in message
...
HI All

Until Christmas most of the stained glass work I've been doing has
been smaller pieces (suncatcher-size) - either to one of my own
designs or on the basis of 'what looks right from the 'scrap' bins.

This year I've been a bit more proactive about selling my stained
glass (and the fused jewellery) - and now have regular weekly markets
that I sell at, and the income is starting to 'balance' my investment
in kit, time & glass over the past few years...

I'm beginning to get enquiries about larger, more complicated, pieces
- window panels, mirrors & suchlike - the kind of thing that really
needs drawing out properly, and, possibly (?probably!), prior approval
by the client.

So - I wondered what the general feeling is about software to help
with the drawing process ? I downloaded a copy of Glass Eye some years
ago - but, at the time, couldn't justify the cost (from $150 to
$lots!).
I'm evaluating it again now - and wondering if it's perhaps a
worthwhile investment....?

The catch22 is that I could imagine the ability to 'grab' a printed /
scanned design and translate it into an editable vector with one
'click' would be very desirable - but this feature isn't in the
entry-level software - you have to buy the $450 version for this....

I already have 'general' drawing software (PaintShopPro) - but, of
course, it doesn't 'understand' pieces of glass like Glass Eye does.

So - I wondered what you use, and whether you'd consider Glass Eye to
be worth the money ??

Thanks in advance
Adrian

"Adrian" wrote in message
...
HI All

Until Christmas most of the stained glass work I've been doing has
been smaller pieces (suncatcher-size) - either to one of my own
designs or on the basis of 'what looks right from the 'scrap' bins.

This year I've been a bit more proactive about selling my stained
glass (and the fused jewellery) - and now have regular weekly markets
that I sell at, and the income is starting to 'balance' my investment
in kit, time & glass over the past few years...

I'm beginning to get enquiries about larger, more complicated, pieces
- window panels, mirrors & suchlike - the kind of thing that really
needs drawing out properly, and, possibly (?probably!), prior approval
by the client.

So - I wondered what the general feeling is about software to help
with the drawing process ? I downloaded a copy of Glass Eye some years
ago - but, at the time, couldn't justify the cost (from $150 to
$lots!).
I'm evaluating it again now - and wondering if it's perhaps a
worthwhile investment....?

The catch22 is that I could imagine the ability to 'grab' a printed /
scanned design and translate it into an editable vector with one
'click' would be very desirable - but this feature isn't in the
entry-level software - you have to buy the $450 version for this....

I already have 'general' drawing software (PaintShopPro) - but, of
course, it doesn't 'understand' pieces of glass like Glass Eye does.

So - I wondered what you use, and whether you'd consider Glass Eye to
be worth the money ??

Thanks in advance
Adrian


Any Adobe or Corel suite would be much more versatile. Turbocad is more
versatile and less expensive.
There's more to design than connecting dots, coloring and numbering the
spaces between the lines. You can download nearly every product for a trial
period.

HI Chemo

Thanks for the comments.
OK on the pencil & paper - same system as I currently use - simple &
reliable g - just not so flexible (maybe?) as something like
GlassEye - in terms of re-sizing designs.

I'm thinking specifically of the situation where a client says 'I need
a stained glass panel to fit this window, and I've no idea what I
want'. (Actual situation....)

Thought it might be quicker / easier to go through the 'design'
process (which is sure to involve some 'Well - a bit like that but
whit this bit moved over slightly' using GlassEye, rather than pencil
& paper. Reviews speak highly of the ability to present the client
with a 'coloured in' picture of how their panel would look, before
taking a cutter to glass...

Many thanks
Adrian

On 11 May 2007 16:57:41 -0700, Chemo the Clown wrote:

Lot's of folks use GlassEye and it gets great reviews. I've never
heard anything bad about it. There's always Freehand. Personally, even
after 27 years of doing this I still use the old PPE program. Doesn't
cost much and gives me lots of flexibility. PPE...Pencil, eraser,
paper.

Chemo

Adrian wrote:
HI All

Until Christmas most of the stained glass work I've been doing has
been smaller pieces (suncatcher-size) - either to one of my own
designs or on the basis of 'what looks right from the 'scrap' bins.

This year I've been a bit more proactive about selling my stained
glass (and the fused jewellery) - and now have regular weekly markets
that I sell at, and the income is starting to 'balance' my investment
in kit, time & glass over the past few years...

I'm beginning to get enquiries about larger, more complicated, pieces
- window panels, mirrors & suchlike - the kind of thing that really
needs drawing out properly, and, possibly (?probably!), prior approval
by the client.

So - I wondered what the general feeling is about software to help
with the drawing process ? I downloaded a copy of Glass Eye some years
ago - but, at the time, couldn't justify the cost (from $150 to
$lots!).
I'm evaluating it again now - and wondering if it's perhaps a
worthwhile investment....?

The catch22 is that I could imagine the ability to 'grab' a printed /
scanned design and translate it into an editable vector with one
'click' would be very desirable - but this feature isn't in the
entry-level software - you have to buy the $450 version for this....

I already have 'general' drawing software (PaintShopPro) - but, of
course, it doesn't 'understand' pieces of glass like Glass Eye does.

So - I wondered what you use, and whether you'd consider Glass Eye to
be worth the money ??

Thanks in advance
Adrian

Hi Michele

On Sat, 12 May 2007 03:23:18 GMT, "michele"
wrote:

this is where the artist part comes in. it's what seperates the boyz from
the (wo)men. anyone can copy a pattern. design your own!!!!!

Hmm - thanks for that ! g

I should have made it clearer. I don't intend to make 'carbon copies'
of other designs - never done that and I think I'd find that pretty
boring, and it's not how I do things.

I was thinking more, for instance, of grabbing a basic 'geometric'
panel design and then adapting it to suit a specific client brief....

Regards
Adrian

"Adrian" wrote in message
.. .
HI All

Until Christmas most of the stained glass work I've been doing has
been smaller pieces (suncatcher-size) - either to one of my own
designs or on the basis of 'what looks right from the 'scrap' bins.

This year I've been a bit more proactive about selling my stained
glass (and the fused jewellery) - and now have regular weekly markets
that I sell at, and the income is starting to 'balance' my investment
in kit, time & glass over the past few years...

I'm beginning to get enquiries about larger, more complicated, pieces
- window panels, mirrors & suchlike - the kind of thing that really
needs drawing out properly, and, possibly (?probably!), prior approval
by the client.

So - I wondered what the general feeling is about software to help
with the drawing process ? I downloaded a copy of Glass Eye some years
ago - but, at the time, couldn't justify the cost (from $150 to
$lots!).
I'm evaluating it again now - and wondering if it's perhaps a
worthwhile investment....?

The catch22 is that I could imagine the ability to 'grab' a printed /
scanned design and translate it into an editable vector with one
'click' would be very desirable - but this feature isn't in the
entry-level software - you have to buy the $450 version for this....

I already have 'general' drawing software (PaintShopPro) - but, of
course, it doesn't 'understand' pieces of glass like Glass Eye does.

So - I wondered what you use, and whether you'd consider Glass Eye to
be worth the money ??

Thanks in advance
Adrian

Hi db

On Sat, 12 May 2007 08:44:41 -0400, "db" wrote:


"Adrian" wrote in message
.. .
HI All

Until Christmas most of the stained glass work I've been doing has
been smaller pieces (suncatcher-size) - either to one of my own
designs or on the basis of 'what looks right from the 'scrap' bins.

This year I've been a bit more proactive about selling my stained
glass (and the fused jewellery) - and now have regular weekly markets
that I sell at, and the income is starting to 'balance' my investment
in kit, time & glass over the past few years...

I'm beginning to get enquiries about larger, more complicated, pieces
- window panels, mirrors & suchlike - the kind of thing that really
needs drawing out properly, and, possibly (?probably!), prior approval
by the client.

So - I wondered what the general feeling is about software to help
with the drawing process ? I downloaded a copy of Glass Eye some years
ago - but, at the time, couldn't justify the cost (from $150 to
$lots!).
I'm evaluating it again now - and wondering if it's perhaps a
worthwhile investment....?

The catch22 is that I could imagine the ability to 'grab' a printed /
scanned design and translate it into an editable vector with one
'click' would be very desirable - but this feature isn't in the
entry-level software - you have to buy the $450 version for this....

I already have 'general' drawing software (PaintShopPro) - but, of
course, it doesn't 'understand' pieces of glass like Glass Eye does.

So - I wondered what you use, and whether you'd consider Glass Eye to
be worth the money ??

Thanks in advance
Adrian


Any Adobe or Corel suite would be much more versatile. Turbocad is more
versatile and less expensive.

OK.
I guess it's less 'glass orientated' - but maybe that's not a big
issue ?

There's more to design than connecting dots, coloring and numbering the
spaces between the lines.

Yes thanks - that I understand.....

You can download nearly every product for a trial
period.


True
What do you use ??

Regards
Adrian

The last thing I want to do is spend time in front of a computer
screen drawing a pattern (although I have done it). I draw up a
thumbnail for my client...pretty close to scale. They can come in and
look at it and it's easy to make any changes. I pick glass
suggestions. Then I take a nice 2 block walk to the blue printer and
have them blow up the thumbnail to the correct size. If it's a design
that's geometric I can just redraw the design to full scale. I look
at drawing the design with pencil as just one step in the artistic
endevor. For me, it keeps me grounded to the entire project. But
that's just me.

Chemo

Adrian wrote:
HI Chemo

Thanks for the comments.
OK on the pencil & paper - same system as I currently use - simple &
reliable g - just not so flexible (maybe?) as something like
GlassEye - in terms of re-sizing designs.

I'm thinking specifically of the situation where a client says 'I need
a stained glass panel to fit this window, and I've no idea what I
want'. (Actual situation....)

Thought it might be quicker / easier to go through the 'design'
process (which is sure to involve some 'Well - a bit like that but
whit this bit moved over slightly' using GlassEye, rather than pencil
& paper. Reviews speak highly of the ability to present the client
with a 'coloured in' picture of how their panel would look, before
taking a cutter to glass...

Many thanks
Adrian

On 11 May 2007 16:57:41 -0700, Chemo the Clown wrote:

Lot's of folks use GlassEye and it gets great reviews. I've never
heard anything bad about it. There's always Freehand. Personally, even
after 27 years of doing this I still use the old PPE program. Doesn't
cost much and gives me lots of flexibility. PPE...Pencil, eraser,
paper.

Chemo

Adrian wrote:
HI All

Until Christmas most of the stained glass work I've been doing has
been smaller pieces (suncatcher-size) - either to one of my own
designs or on the basis of 'what looks right from the 'scrap' bins.

This year I've been a bit more proactive about selling my stained
glass (and the fused jewellery) - and now have regular weekly markets
that I sell at, and the income is starting to 'balance' my investment
in kit, time & glass over the past few years...

I'm beginning to get enquiries about larger, more complicated, pieces
- window panels, mirrors & suchlike - the kind of thing that really
needs drawing out properly, and, possibly (?probably!), prior approval
by the client.

So - I wondered what the general feeling is about software to help
with the drawing process ? I downloaded a copy of Glass Eye some years
ago - but, at the time, couldn't justify the cost (from $150 to
$lots!).
I'm evaluating it again now - and wondering if it's perhaps a
worthwhile investment....?

The catch22 is that I could imagine the ability to 'grab' a printed /
scanned design and translate it into an editable vector with one
'click' would be very desirable - but this feature isn't in the
entry-level software - you have to buy the $450 version for this....

I already have 'general' drawing software (PaintShopPro) - but, of
course, it doesn't 'understand' pieces of glass like Glass Eye does.

So - I wondered what you use, and whether you'd consider Glass Eye to
be worth the money ??

Thanks in advance
Adrian

"Adrian" wrote in message
...
HI All

Until Christmas most of the stained glass work I've been doing has
been smaller pieces (suncatcher-size) - either to one of my own
designs or on the basis of 'what looks right from the 'scrap' bins.


I tell my students to be careful before getting involved with larger
pieces. You need to not only know how to design, but how to make it
structurally sound, and let's not forget about liability insurance as well.
You can't get in too much trouble with suncatchers, but a real window can
weather, buckle, leak, fall apart, cause house damage, cut someone, fall on
their heads, and who do you think will get sued? As for software, I am not a
fine artist, but have no trouble drawing up SG patterns by hand.


--
JK Sinrod
www.SinrodStudios.com
www.MyConeyIslandMemories.com

I use Adobe Illustrator (AI) and Turbocad (TC) for layout of leadlines. I
prefer AI if I have a lot of curve work to do, and I prefer TC if I have a
lot of arithmetic and snapping to precise places (Say for example I need to
experiment with different mesh sizes of diamond pane, or I need to adapt a
geometric design to a cabinet window shape.). I use Adobe Photoshop to
experiment with color, to do complex designs, to simulate glass painting.
etc. I probably spend more time with Photoshop than with the other two. For
sketching and linear experiments I use a pencil. With Glasseye, you draw
lines, and fill in the spaces with color. I start with Photoshop, and make
an image with color and shading, and might work the lead lines into it as I
go or at the end. Then I'll typically take it to TC or AI and make a cutline
drawing for it. But I start with AI or TC if there is complex geometric
stuff going on. I'd take any one of the three over Glasseye. The Corel
products have equivalent functionality to the Adobe products for the most
part.


"Adrian" wrote in message
news
Hi db

On Sat, 12 May 2007 08:44:41 -0400, "db" wrote:


"Adrian" wrote in message
. ..
HI All

Until Christmas most of the stained glass work I've been doing has
been smaller pieces (suncatcher-size) - either to one of my own
designs or on the basis of 'what looks right from the 'scrap' bins.

This year I've been a bit more proactive about selling my stained
glass (and the fused jewellery) - and now have regular weekly markets
that I sell at, and the income is starting to 'balance' my investment
in kit, time & glass over the past few years...

I'm beginning to get enquiries about larger, more complicated, pieces
- window panels, mirrors & suchlike - the kind of thing that really
needs drawing out properly, and, possibly (?probably!), prior approval
by the client.

So - I wondered what the general feeling is about software to help
with the drawing process ? I downloaded a copy of Glass Eye some years
ago - but, at the time, couldn't justify the cost (from $150 to
$lots!).
I'm evaluating it again now - and wondering if it's perhaps a
worthwhile investment....?

The catch22 is that I could imagine the ability to 'grab' a printed /
scanned design and translate it into an editable vector with one
'click' would be very desirable - but this feature isn't in the
entry-level software - you have to buy the $450 version for this....

I already have 'general' drawing software (PaintShopPro) - but, of
course, it doesn't 'understand' pieces of glass like Glass Eye does.

So - I wondered what you use, and whether you'd consider Glass Eye to
be worth the money ??

Thanks in advance
Adrian


Any Adobe or Corel suite would be much more versatile. Turbocad is more
versatile and less expensive.

OK.
I guess it's less 'glass orientated' - but maybe that's not a big
issue ?

There's more to design than connecting dots, coloring and numbering the
spaces between the lines.

Yes thanks - that I understand.....

You can download nearly every product for a trial
period.


True
What do you use ??

Regards
Adrian