What would be the best type of software to use for printing yellow letters on a medium blue background using white decal paper ?
I have been experimenting with MS Paint, but even with a "best" or "max dpi" printer setting, the lettering comes out less than clear (with white copy paper test prints). When I use Autocad, the lettering prints much clearer at the "best" setting, but I cannot provide a blue background.
I have Adobe Photoshop CS (2004) available and an older version of ImageReady.
Any suggestions?
Cedarwoodron
I've never done what you're looking to do, so I'm just taking a guess. Try out Gimp and/or Inkscape. I use them both for adding art work to CGI images. They are both open source, so free to use. Gimp in particular has been billed as an alternative to Adobe.
Since the price is right, they just might be worth a try.
Mark H
Modeling in HO...Reading and Conrail together in an alternate history.
It's not necessarily the program you are using, but rather the format you are saving it in prior to printing. A tiff file will provide pretty decent resolution.
If the original isn't high resolution, setting your printer to high resolution isn't going to make it better.
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ
One thing that you might want to consider is using a completely different type of graphics program. (I was a professional graphic designer for almost 11 years, so these statements are from what I learned from that job.) All of the programs you listed are what are called bitmap programs. Any images that you make when they are resized turn choppy.
The decals that I have done for my own use have been in Adobe Illustrator. (Again as I was a graphic designer, I ended up getting a version of that program so I could do some work at home and later upgraded it to a version that works with Windows 7.) Illustrator is a vector-based program. Any images that are drawn in that type of program can be made any size without losing quality or the choppy edges occuring.
I did a quick search for programs that are similar to Illustrator that are lower cost. While I have no need to use it, I found a program by the name of Inkscape. It is free and open source.
Just a thought.
I agree about Adobe Illustrator. There was a dramatic improvement when I redid a project with it. It is included in Adobe CS.
Ed
Your printer will make a difference. I get much better results from my Canon Pixma printer than I ever did from my old HP inkjet.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
crhostler61 I've never done what you're looking to do, so I'm just taking a guess. Try out Gimp and/or Inkscape. I use them both for adding art work to CGI images. They are both open source, so free to use. Gimp in particular has been billed as an alternative to Adobe. Since the price is right, they just might be worth a try. Mark H
I use GIMP. It has a lot of power. But the documentation is dreadful. Skimpy, full of undefined jargon, lacking in discussion of important concepts. Have you found anything better in bookstores? on the web?
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
I downloaded Inkscape and found it to be fairly easy to work with. I was able to set various font sizes, create a text label, then superimpose the text on a simple colored rectangle background of a darker color- exactly as I wanted to do. Remember, to obtain the opacity for the letters-in yellow- I am using white decal paper, then color matching the blue background to my already painted car shell, using various test print RGB values to get a close match. My test prints are clear and sharp!
Without complicating things by wrestling with a new piece of software that would require a longer learning curve.
Mark H: Thanks for the tip on Inkscape- now I have a new tool for my decal work. And- thanks to others for their input on other Adobe software-based software- I might now become motivated to learn how to use the rest of the CS software, besides Photoshop!
I agree with what others have said above; it more the printer and file configuration than the software. I have used Photoshop Elements, Powerpoint, Word, and one or two other programs with no problems.
The key is to go to the Printer Options from the print screen and set the printer to best print the decal from the standpoint of print quality and paper type. A photo quality printer is an asset for projects like this.
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
Another vote for Inkscape. It does nearly everything Adobe Illustrator does for zero cost.
https://inkscape.org/en/
Being a vector-based app, it can do things that GIMP or Photoshop can't. You can manipulate letters to customize them, like in the pic below.
Steve S
LION uses Serif PagePlus X8. The price on that has come down a bit, and you can get X7 for very little. Very Powerful little programs. I use it for almost everything.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Tried Inkscape and it did just what I needed to do. Very crisp and clean yellow text on a medium blue back round rectangle. The learning curve was easy and the free price was the deal maker. I have turned to white decal paper to expand my custom work abilities, as it is easier to color match the shell color to a backround decal color than to be restricted to available dry transfer or wet transfer decals.