Program To Draw Patterns

[24VOLTS]

Can anyone recommend a computer program that would be fairly easy to use and not expensive for drawing out patterns?

I would like to find something that I can draw them out on the computer and then send them off for plastic template to be cut.

I can't draw, so I thought a computer would help !!

Any advice appreciated!

Thanks

Phill

[billybopp]

There are many, but inkscape is a pretty decent free program.

Bill

[Wraith]

I recent grabbed Inkscape. Haven't had time to really play with it to do much more than a couple basic shapes I needed. I use Gimp for most of my stuff.

Brian

[biglew]

fusion 360 it is great and free .. get 30 day trial and register as a hobbyist and it is free

Edited November 6, 2015 by biglew

[24VOLTS]

I will check them out.

Thanks for your help.

I appreciate it!

[Angie]

Draftsight is a free CAD drawing program. It produces DWT files that can be sent to laser cutting entities for having pieces cut out professionally or you can print them on your home printer or on a professional plotter. The DWT files can also be converted to PDF for printing on a home printer.

I like it, it is easy to learn and comes with lots of free "getting started" and other tutorials.

[OLDNSLOW]

is it advisable to have a pen pad to work with these or are they easy to use while using a mouse? if a pen pad makes it easier to use which of the less expensive one's works the best.

Thanks

And to follow up on the above comment is there one that will work if you have some current patterns that you would like to scan in and modify?

Thanks

[jstar61]

I use Draftsight at home. It works with a mouse not a pen pad, and you can import picture or other works like a scanned pattern.

you can just draw over the picture to create a new pattern. It is also very easy to stretch, re-size or mirror parts or all of a pattern.

http://www.3ds.com/products-services/draftsight-cad-software/free-download/

[OLDNSLOW]

Thanks for the info will be looking at both

[OLDNSLOW]

I downloaded draft sight and will have to look some more, I didn't see where I could import and stretch a drawing sure hope I am wrong. But it didn't cost anything so!

[jstar61]

I downloaded draft sight and will have to look some more, I didn't see where I could import and stretch a drawing sure hope I am wrong. But it didn't cost anything so!

You can, I do it all the time.

To import, click on insert tab at the top left.

[danhux]

Inkscape and Gimp are both great, lots of tutorials on the net for both. The issue with these apps is learning to work with layers and different file types.

[emcniel]

I use autoCAD to get the dimension right and there are several makers of the acrylic patterns

[robbied]

Another vote for inkscape here. Use it for almost everything.

[Chief31794]

Again Inkscape, it has all the capability I need to draw patterns and then to print them out in PDF. Has a learning curve but there's plenty of on line help and tutorials. I've used it for years to include producing .SVG vector graphics flies that I send to Black River Laser and they use them to cut my templates on the laser.

Chief

[Kulafarmer]

I use autoCAD to get the dimension right and there are several makers of the acrylic patterns

Am leaning towards going with AutoCAD myself, used it extensively for construction detail drawings and cabinet layouts,

Vowed to never buy another windows based anything so is nice that they now make a version for MAC OS,

AutoCAD to me is perfect, importing drawings, scaling, resizing, mirroring details and drawing elements, plus the compatability of output to most operating software used by CNC or Water Jet or Laser cutting hardware.

AutoCAD LT is reasonably affordable for a professional design product, but it isnt for everyone, personally is easy as i can do both command line or key entry, but it can be tough to learn.

[geckostraps]

Someone gave me a pen pad for Christmas. A pretty good sized one at that.

What is the best software to utilize this thing? If I can trace something, that would be great

I don't know much about these programs

[TinkerTailor]

You can, I do it all the time.

To import, click on insert tab at the top left.

Drafting programs are made to use absolute measurements to scale, and maintain these relationships accross multiple files, like in a house design. If you change one thing on one drawing it can effect unseen things in other files, especially when working in 3d. For leather patterns, they are generally all in one drawing, and this is not an issue for us, however this is how the software was built and has different methods than adobe products would for example. This means you generally can't scale and stretch things like you can in standard graphics software, You can do it, but the methodology and tools used can be quite different because the software is designed to keep dimensions in check and maintain relationships between different pieces of the design.

Cad software is so much more powerful than is needed for leather patterns in 2d,

Also, Cad or other vector based graphics software need to be used if you want to get the pattern laser cut for example, as Cheif has said

[JLSleather]

I've seen quite a few different 'programs' used to make patterns. In the end, I wonder if some good ole graph paper isn't as good as anything

[TinkerTailor]

I have worked with autocad for years both in my job and at home. I was tech support for an autocad drafting school. I am pretty proficient at it, and i still make all my patterns out of cardboard and glue them to masonite if i want stronger ones.I do not cut against the pattern, i cut freehand on scribed lines. I find this is faster because i can test the size of the pattern in my hands, instead of on the screen. If it is too big, just cut it in half, overlap and tape it back together. Too small and i add a biece