I need to get started on very basic digitizing for a pro embroidery machine. I've paged through the 15# CorelDraw manual and Wilcom Deco Studio manual for digitizing , watched some of the videos, and they are overwhelming and don't address a simple start with room to grow in knowledge and capability.
What I am looking for is what I have created for everything from my own T-shirt stores; a deli; and a whale watching company with two vessels, crew procedures, engine room procedures; to a full water ops manual for a tugboat company, so I am not a dimwit, even though I feel like one now stumbling through too much to glean the barest of bones to get started. I already plan to use pro digitizers for complex designs, but know I can grasp the basics for simple designs quickly once I figure out the steps.
Does anyone know of or maybe created a sheet that reads something like this with detail as needed?
1. Import image to CorelDraw (I am working on a tif)
2. Use pick tool to select item
3. Go to Arrange>Convert to Curves
This is where I hit a roadblock. Convert to Curves isn't highlighted so I am missing something on how to select item. I tried select all but it didn't work either. I know this is ground zero basic, but I'm missing it. Any help appreciated.
The tiff , needs to be converted to curves.... Hmmm... if the tif is imported into CorelDraw and you need to change it to vector , you could use trace, trace bitmap. that will change it to vector and you can smooth it out and eliminate colors. We use designshop pro, it allows you to convert to vector and sew.
NUTTZ
Heidi, as Nuttz explained, you can't just convert a raster image to curves with just a click.
That said, most professional digitizers use the raster as a backdrop and manually digitize on top of the template.
If, however, you're looking for your embroidery software to auto-digitize for you, then you'll probably need to trace the image either [1] manually or with an [2] Auto-trace option in Corel.......... [3] or in your embroidery software.............. to convert the raster to a vector.
Now there are some programs that will semi auto-digitize rasters but I doubt anyone would really sew the results it produces.
Thanks a bunch! I sucked it up and dove back into the semi-literate tutorials (which I discovered mostly cover v9, not 4!) to delve deeper into bitmaps to vectors. I am seeing the many steps missed with wishful thinking. I'll get there.
What's ironic is I have designed for years for entire lines of clothing and gear, and in the case of embroidered items, badgered my embroiderers relentlessly to achieve my vision. I knew what I was asking of them, and over the years their digitizing abilities ran the gamut. The most recent embroiderers retired and I was too tempted to have total control, so I bought their favorite machine and now I am swimming in it, sometimes above water.
It is a real trip to see the hard work result in a beautiful stitched product, but the learning curve is substantial. The closest I can compare it to is sitting for my Coast Guard Master's license. Overwhelming doesn't begin to touch it, and yet years later, as senior captain of our business and running a big double deck power catamaran in everything the wild Pacific had to throw at us, it was all instinctive. I do have to keep reminding myself of this! Thanks again for pointers. heidi