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Makers mark design
- Thread starter pike3e
- Start date
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2007
- Messages
- 451
I have been using some good free apps for design. The Gimp (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a good bitmap editor, and very much like earlier versions of Photoshop (www.gimp.org). Inkscape is a free open source vector image application similar to Illustrator (www.inkscape.org). Of course, there are myriad commercial applications also...
-Mark
-Mark
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2006
- Messages
- 2,418
I also used gimp and some free vector program. I then sent it off to IMG and they made it look better for me.
Since you're probably just going to do a logo or two, I agree with mtredmon that you should just download one of the free programs. The adobe products (illustrator, photosphop, etc) are pretty costly.
Generally, for logos and the like, you want to use a vector-type graphic instead of rastor graphics. The reason being, you want it to be capable of being changed to any size without losing resolution. I have the Adobe CS4 suite which includes Illustrator which I use for vector graphics, but the "inkscape" link provided by mtredmon is probably a good alternative. However, something as small as a maker's mark, you could probably get by with using a rastor graphic (photoshop, the gimp which is free) because you won't ever need to size it extremely large.
Edit* and I say all this knowing almost nothing about knife-making or stencils. I am about a month and a half away from a degree in graphic design though.
Generally, for logos and the like, you want to use a vector-type graphic instead of rastor graphics. The reason being, you want it to be capable of being changed to any size without losing resolution. I have the Adobe CS4 suite which includes Illustrator which I use for vector graphics, but the "inkscape" link provided by mtredmon is probably a good alternative. However, something as small as a maker's mark, you could probably get by with using a rastor graphic (photoshop, the gimp which is free) because you won't ever need to size it extremely large.
Edit* and I say all this knowing almost nothing about knife-making or stencils. I am about a month and a half away from a degree in graphic design though.
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2002
- Messages
- 5,703
#1 choice for the stencils is Ernie Grospitch: http://www.erniesknives.com/knifemaker_stencil.html
As far as design I used an old version of CorelDraw myself.
Patrice
As far as design I used an old version of CorelDraw myself.
Patrice
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2006
- Messages
- 2,418
Ernie has a good name on here, I like mine from IMG. Only thing I didn't care for was the unsolicited e-mail I got from Ernie a few days back.
- Joined
- Jun 4, 2005
- Messages
- 1,154
A vector drawing program is the way to go. But they can be difficult to learn how to use. If you make a sketch of what you want and post it up in this thread, someone will vectorize it for you. I'll do it if no one else does.
It seems like there are many people here who are willing to help.
A couple weeks ago I saw a thread where a guy was asking for help with his logo. I decided to just go ahead and vectorize it for him. But by the time I was finished drawing, somebody else had beat me to it. The other artist had made a logo that was equal in quality to the one that I had made.
It seems like there are many people here who are willing to help.
A couple weeks ago I saw a thread where a guy was asking for help with his logo. I decided to just go ahead and vectorize it for him. But by the time I was finished drawing, somebody else had beat me to it. The other artist had made a logo that was equal in quality to the one that I had made.