Computer Drawing Software For Making Leather Patterns

[Leerwerker]

I have a set of instructions for doing line drawings from photographs in Inkscape. Have a look at INKSCAPE at LEATHERLEARN

[amuckart]

Inkscape is the Right Tool for design work like this. It's free, multi-platform, saves its output in an open standard format (that you'll still be able to open in 10 years), and works.

It has a bit of a learning curve, but the help is pretty good and there are books on it. For symmetrical stuff, explore the clone tool.

[cem]

I have Photoshop and have used it for my Photography for years now and fell that I am knowledgeable of it and it took a while to learn it. I love the layers features and stuff but it wasn't designed to be a drawing program it is more of a manipulation program.

I have access to a couple of other applications like photoshop. I also have two printers a Brother Laser and an Epson 1400 which can do 13x19" prints. My Plan would to be print out the pattern on over head projector film once it is complete and use that film to transfer the pattern directly to the leather. That is why I am looking for the computer drawing program. It was years ago when I took my Technical drawing class and back then we use pencil and ink. We drew straight lines and circles to draw the items out. I need a program that will draw circles, arcs and lines to scale and be able to use layers and image manipulation.

I am living and working out of a 40' toy hauler. Space is a minimun with my other activities, Cowboy action Shooting and Photography. I like to keep as much data in digital form since I have a network with closs to 3TB of storage on it. I plan on buying all the digital books that I can so that it is only a keystroke away. I would like my patterns to be the same because using the poster board my patterns only last a few items befoe they start breaking down plus I am working on a new system for transfer points on a pattern and then redrawing the lines to complete the design on the leather. Now i am doing it with paper and pencil. I would like to modernize my process. I guess I will keep looking for a program that I can understand and will fit my needs.

If you are used to Photoshop, Illustrator won't be that hard to pick up most of the Adobe products work the same way in regards to layout you can get some good online videos for it from here though www.lynda.com I think it's $30 a month, you would probably only need a month to learn what you want to do. Illustrator works with measurements you can type in what size you want circles, arcs and lines are all easy to do. Images can be imported and turned into line art and altered as you see fit if thats what you mean by image manipulation otherwise you can use it in conjuction with Photoshop.

Illustrator also has layers and you can turn them on and off for what you want to print, I'm lucky in that I have access to printers that range in size from A4 to A0 (office paper to movie poster) Illustrator can handle any of these sizes with ease. Adobe does a trial version of Illustrator that you can download from their website, the only other program I can think of that may suitable for you would be Corel Draw I've never used it but they should do a trial version as well. I believe lynda.com do training videos for it as well though not as extensive as those for Illustrator.

For patterns under A3 size I work completely digital I use a machine that can trace directly onto the leather www.knkusa.com if you want to check it out I have the 13 inch model but considering your space contraints I'm not sure if you would want another machine but the option is there if you wanted to go completely digital in the future and not have to use printed out patterns at all it uses it's own software which is similiar to Illustrator,Illustrator files can be imported into it though.

Hope this is of some help

[K-Man]

I am living and working out of a 40' toy hauler. Space is a minimun with my other activities....

Sounds like me. I'm doing the same in a 39' 5th wheel bunkroom edition. It seems like every square inch is critical, as well as watching the weight.

[Ferg]

I am referencing your third paragraph. I see nothing on this company site that would suggest they have a machine that will trace onto leather. The machines are all "cutters". Can you clarify?

ferg

If you are used to Photoshop, Illustrator won't be that hard to pick up most of the Adobe products work the same way in regards to layout you can get some good online videos for it from here though www.lynda.com I think it's $30 a month, you would probably only need a month to learn what you want to do. Illustrator works with measurements you can type in what size you want circles, arcs and lines are all easy to do. Images can be imported and turned into line art and altered as you see fit if thats what you mean by image manipulation otherwise you can use it in conjuction with Photoshop.

Illustrator also has layers and you can turn them on and off for what you want to print, I'm lucky in that I have access to printers that range in size from A4 to A0 (office paper to movie poster) Illustrator can handle any of these sizes with ease. Adobe does a trial version of Illustrator that you can download from their website, the only other program I can think of that may suitable for you would be Corel Draw I've never used it but they should do a trial version as well. I believe lynda.com do training videos for it as well though not as extensive as those for Illustrator.

For patterns under A3 size I work completely digital I use a machine that can trace directly onto the leather www.knkusa.com if you want to check it out I have the 13 inch model but considering your space contraints I'm not sure if you would want another machine but the option is there if you wanted to go completely digital in the future and not have to use printed out patterns at all it uses it's own software which is similiar to Illustrator,Illustrator files can be imported into it though.

Hope this is of some help

[cem]

I am referencing your third paragraph. I see nothing on this company site that would suggest they have a machine that will trace onto leather. The machines are all "cutters". Can you clarify?

ferg

Hi Ferg,

They are cutters but can also be used with pens, stylus etc whatever fits in the holder for marking, there is an option in the software for swapping between the knife and a pen. They have a pressure setting so you can determine how dark the tracing is.

Heres a pic of a tracing

Before anyone asks about cutting the knives are tiny so aren't suitable for cutting leather, I did managed to cut 1.5mm thick leather once but definately wouldn't try anything thicker.

The flatbed machine they do would cut through thicker leather but are over $5000 I think, definately not something I could afford they use an air suction system to hold down the piece. My model uses grip wheels to move the mat back and forth and the leather needs to fit between the wheels as they are textured and you wouldn't want them to run over the leather, I use double sided tape to hold the leather to the mat.

Let me know if you would like any other info.

Cheers,

Clair

[Ferg]

Curious to know what the financial damage is on the machine you have.

ferg

Hi Ferg,

They are cutters but can also be used with pens, stylus etc whatever fits in the holder for marking, there is an option in the software for swapping between the knife and a pen. They have a pressure setting so you can determine how dark the tracing is.

Heres a pic of a tracing

Before anyone asks about cutting the knives are tiny so aren't suitable for cutting leather, I did managed to cut 1.5mm thick leather once but definately wouldn't try anything thicker.

The flatbed machine they do would cut through thicker leather but are over $5000 I think, definately not something I could afford they use an air suction system to hold down the piece. My model uses grip wheels to move the mat back and forth and the leather needs to fit between the wheels as they are textured and you wouldn't want them to run over the leather, I use double sided tape to hold the leather to the mat.

Let me know if you would like any other info.

Cheers,

Clair

[cem]

Curious to know what the financial damage is on the machine you have.

ferg

Ferg, I think mine was about $1300 don't have the reciept handy at the moment, that was in Australia and from an Australian supplier though so will be higher than the American price, we get charged a higher price on everything in Oz. For the amount of time it has saved me from tracing by hand though I think it has been worth it there are cheaper models around, but I thought this one looked the most robust for leather and being able to import directly from Illustrator was a plus.

Cheers,

Clair

[dickf]

I see no reason to use Illustrator when your patterns aren't going to change size or be sent to a printhouse. I scan the gun/blue gun then use Photoshop to create the pattern. When printed, it's actual size and easy to reprint for a quick alteration or when the pattern gets too boogered up to use anymore. I've been using Photoshop since v4...I still have the disc! The Gimp is the open-source equivalent - if you don't have the funds for PS, get the Gimp and learn it.

[Blackey Cole]

I have PS CS4 but I would need a full tutorial to be able to use it like you say can you work one up for me. I plan on sending it off to Grey Ghost for having a plastic template made if all works well plus being able to reproduce the pattern as needed and doing away with poster board for patterns print it out from the compute and coat it with self liner or the laminate stuff.