Best Vector Programs?

whattodo · January 8th, 2010, 03:20 PM

I am fairly new to the business. However, I have run a six head machine for a fews years.

Mandy Jenkins · August 13th, 2010, 04:25 PM

just my 2 cents, go with illustrator! corel gave me a headache!

sgsellsit · August 20th, 2010, 11:24 PM

We use Corel and AI but prefer Corel. We utilize some other software and equipment that will work right out of Corel without other interfaces or having to save, export, import and then utilize the file. I also have a lot of school students that work for me from time to time and the learning curve in Corel is much shallower than AI. Corel bundles a lot of heavily used functions into one click right out of the box. Also, Corel is cheaper and you don't have the registration headaches that Abobe products bring with them. As far as Mac or PC really is judged by what you are doing. We have equipment that is not MAC compatible. Macs are a little more expensive as well as the software and a lot of computer companies are not set up to work on them. The offering of MAC compatible peripherals, software, add ons and such are growing but are still greatly outnumbered by PC based programs and peripherals.

DecalDude · August 28th, 2010, 05:33 PM

AI. Definately. I have a brand new cs5 if you wanna buy it. Selling for half of retail. Contact me at [email address]

WhiteFX · October 11th, 2011, 12:53 AM

AI all the way.

It's been a while since I've used Corel but if I'm not mistaken, I believe that when you draw with the pen tool in Corel, you don't draw with bezier curves. I have heard that working with type in Corel has more flexibility. Either way, I'm glad that I chose to learn AI in the beginning.

fwscreener · October 11th, 2011, 07:54 AM

We use both AI and Corel, Hands down AI is better and has more options. With that being said your learning curve for AI is hands down going to take a long time, maybe classes at night. While we use both AI and Corel and I do think AI is better, but Corel wins, here is why. Corel will do 95% maybe everything you need to do, Corel's cost compared to AI, hands down Corel wins, training new employees on Corel, hands down this is a no brainer! If you plan on having employees Corel is the only way to go!!!!! If you try to hire employees with AI experience, you might be shutting your doors in a short period of time. AI users are very proud people and demand $$$$$. As far as getting work done and ready for screening, in our opinion hands down, a Corel user will get that artwork to production before an AI user. I don't know why........

FYI, you will also need to have AI because you may have customers send you vectored artwork in AI format. Hands down here also, you can open (I am going to say all here but could be wrong) all Corel drawings in AI, but you cannot open all AI files in Corel.

Thanks and hope this helps

tpitman · December 16th, 2011, 05:27 AM

One thing I don't see mentioned, is that CorelDraw isn't available to run on the Mac OS, unless Windows is installed on an Intel Mac machine. That said, most screenprinters buy Corel because it's cheap. If you produce any work that might venture out into the offset print world, get Illustrator. Native Corel files are laughed at, and declined, outside of screenprinting.
And, while more expensive, a Mac is generally more stable. PeeCees are for people who like to mess with the hardware. Macs are for people who want to get something done besides play World of Warcraft in their Mom's basement. (There, that oughta be good for a fight!) JK

Printwizard · December 18th, 2011, 10:29 AM

I don't do the art so I don't really know. We use mostly mac and illustrator and Photoshop. Don't really use cdr much.
BUT I do hear from anoer printer they have some amazing new program and they won't tell what it is that redraws and vectorises Jpegs really quick and easy, as a specific program. We get lots of bad files and would love to get my hands on that. When we get busy we had been farming work like that out to India to do. Cheap, definitely better than the customer ever had, although never 100% happy with it, you get what you pay for, and it sort of works, being too busy to do it ourselves, and the customers not having the budget it has it's place, but if we could find some magic conversion program it would be awesome.

inkman996 · December 21st, 2011, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Printwizard

BUT I do hear from anoer printer they have some amazing new program and they won't tell what it is that redraws and vectorizes Jpegs really quick and easy, as a specific program. We get lots of bad files and would love to get my hands on that. When we get busy we had been farming work like that out to India to do. Cheap, definitely better than the customer ever had, although never 100% happy with it, you get what you pay for, and it sort of works, being too busy to do it ourselves, and the customers not having the budget it has it's place, but if we could find some magic conversion program it would be awesome.

It is probably Vector Magic. It is a fantastic stand alone trace program that is miles ahead of Corels trace or Ai's Live trace. But it is not free so if you need it often you should buy it, if only occasionally stick with an out source.

This whole thread got retarded as usual. The OP simply wanted to know what the industry standard is nothing more. Of course it turned into a ******* match and users defending why their software choice gives them a bigger D I C K. Seriously the answer to the OP question is Corel. It does not mean it is the best software it is just the truth as being the most common in our industry. Our industry is not off setters so AI is not as strong. When it comes to price Corel has the most bang for the buck and is not slightly cheaper than AI but much cheaper, not to mention you get the whole suite in the price.

As for the comment of CDR's being rejected by other industries who cares Corel excels in File Exporting, there is a reason files such as EPS exist use it. Thats another Corel is always pursuing the best import options unlike AI, in Corel you can import almost any Adobe extension but not so in reverse. Its like Adobe does not recognize Corel even exists.

varsityink · January 27th, 2012, 10:12 PM

The truth is you should be able to be versatile enough to use, Corel, Illustrator, Photoshop or Freehand. They ALL have better/worse features than the other one.