software for freehand drawing for polymer plates
Hi, can anyone recommend software they use (or started out with) for free hand drawing for images that will be turned into polymer plates? Looking for the usual; easy to use; inexpensive or free; works with stylus; outputs correct file format for polymer plates. I am going to use boxcar for polymer printing.
Thank you
K Petersen
Turnrow Letterpress
Memphis, TN
I’m not sure about free software that works well but I know what doesn’t. I tried some web based drawing and graphics programs when I first bought my tablet and there was lag time that made it impossible to use. I actually thought I was just bad at it until I installed the software that came with the tablet.
Have fun!
Inkscape is a FOSS (Free/Open Source Software) vector drawing program available for most modern operating systems which should be able to output decent quality PDFs
You don’t say whether you’re using Mac or Windows or Android or ???
Your tablet will work, if your OS supports the tablet drivers.
OSX (Mac) is usually no problem at all. I can’t tell you about others.
See inkscape.org to download Inkscape, and learn more about it.
Cheers!
Peter
PS, as part of my upcoming series of Letterpress.Expert Classes, I’m offering a free one-day workshop, Weds April 27, on Typographic Finesse for 21st C Digital Letterpress, including hints for Adobe and Open Source software, font adjustments for letterpress, and polymer platemaking. This workshop will be free for anybody signing up for the C&P (Apr 25-26) or Windmill (Apr 28-30) class that week.
This will the final series of seminars at SlowPrint Letterpress Studio in Dubuque. Iowa, since we’ll be relocating by the end of May. More on that to come…
See http://letterpress.expert or my posts here on Briarpress!