Zoom

[Ballyhoo]

Several of the old-time digitizers whom I have heard speak at various shows say that they like to digitize with a zoom level of 6X. One of them further stated that the level isn't as important as consistently working at the same zoom level so that you have a consistent perspective. This makes sense to me. But... I cannot find how to set (or even see) a zoom level in DesignShopProPlus (still in version 6.xxx). Is it hiding or does it not exist? Thanks.

[Pure Embroidery]

I zoom in and out at will. I find the more I zoom in, the more detail I can add. But, when I zoom out, if the piece is too small, the detail is lost and just adding stitch count without any visual benefit.

My point is, I don't remain any any particular zoom level for digitizing. I zoom in to add detail and shading and zoom out for perspective.

I can't imagine digitizing a piece and not changing your zoom level and/or perspective.

[Jeff]

The Level you are zoomed at is in the Status bar just above the colors at the bottom. Check and make sure it is on. Click on VIEW then near the bottom will be Status Line and make sure there is a check mark next to it. Then click on the Zoom Tool and Click and Drag a box around something, it will Zoom in on it, and display the level of Zoom at the bottom.

I think that perhaps what you are listening to is some of the old timers describing the use of a Digitizing Tablet. Before On-Screen digitizing art work was placed on a Digitizing Tablet and a Puck similar to a mouse was used to go around that art work and enter in points. It was a pseudo standard to use art work that was 6 times the size of the finished design. There were settings in the software to tell it the scale factor and the design would be made to that scale factor. I think in todays On-Screen methods this old standard has changed and what is used to day is what works for the art and the person digitizing. Usually they will zoom in and out as needed.

The statements below are my opinion and I invite comment from others on this topic. I KNOW this is going to get some comments. !

I do believe that the old timers have some good things to teach, but unless they have updated their tools and software as time has passed on they are behind the times in technology and the methods they teach. It is like a carpenter still using a hammer instead of an air nailer which is faster and more efficient. Some of their stuff applies, some does not. I hear about some of these “old timers” still using tablets and hand drawn art work. Perhaps in some cases this is all that there is, but in today’s world Vector Art is easily obtainable and is becoming the standard and using On-Screen methods has replaced the old tablets which are not even sold any more.

If you are not capable of making your own vector art there are companies on the Internet who will convert bit mapped graphics to vector graphics very reasonably. This charge can be added to digitizing charges. Having the outlines already entered and just filling them with stitches of the types needed is much faster than doing the entire thing from scratch. Digitizing companies that are successful will try and obtain vector files when they can. Those who are up on the latest technology will teach the use of the tools to create the vector art. Then the embroidery files are created from the vector files.

Jeff Banks

[Ballyhoo]

Thanks, Jeff. It was right there. I feel very unobservant for not having noticed it!

I appreciate your comments. I took some classes from Tom Moore at a show and he teaches vector art before digitizing. However, I recently watched a DVD from John Deere and what he said seemed to make sense to me (which does not necessarily mean that it does make sense). While he uses 6X zoom, he really seems to be preaching to use a consistent zoom when digitizing. When zooming excessively (guilty!) the (novice) digitizer tends to put too many points on the design which often leads to shorter stitches which leads to harder rather than softer embroidery. Push and pull compensation as well as overlaps are done better because you see the design at a consistent size. He also says that people spend too much time with details and perfection (at a high zoom), that is irrelevant and time wasting, when considering the thickness of the thread. Is there any "significant" validity to this?

Thanks for your comments.

[Aaron]

There is definitely validity to this. You will find when digitizing a small design with lots of detail if you try to get all the details you end up with stitches that are so small it doesn't even look like what you are trying to accomplish but gives extra bulk because of excess stitches. If you go through dakota collectibles for instance you will see some designs in there that are exactly the same in 2 different sizes, a large and small. 9 times out of 10 when a customer picks a design like this they will pick the larger one. Partially because its larger on the page and stands out but also because the larger design contains more detail in it and looks much cooler. You really have to desipher whether or not each extra detail really needs to be there for the embroidery to look good and also what that extra detail will do to the design.

[Pure Embroidery]

Agree 100%! I was guilty of trying to capture every little detail in a design, when if fact you really need the important aspects of a design and should digitize to keep the "feeling" of the piece. Sounds artsy-fartsy but I don't know how else to explain it.

When I look at a piece, I pick out the key elements that make the design. I digitize those key elements first and see what I have. Only then do I go in and add details where needed. I only add the details that enhance the piece, not every detail does that.

[Jeff]

I think to say you are going to use a 6X zoom in all cases would also mean you would have to have consistently the same size of graphic and always the same size of resultant design. A really simple design may not require any zoom, particularly if the graphic supplied is very large. Many times I have seen graphic files that are not a 1 to 1 ratio of the finished product. Unless you re-size every graphic to the same size I do not know how you would achieve using the same zoom level in all cases. This of course excludes vector graphics as it is already outlines ready to add stitches to, but zooming in to see how the stitches lay when you have layers or areas close together is sometimes needed.

But, I do agree to try and use a level that you do not try and put 10 pounds of thread into a 5 pound bucket. I have seen designs where there will be 3 to 5 very close together stitches then a trim or a move to another 3 to 5 stitches trying to make detail of some sort. When sewn it causes thread breaks, and when worn cannot be seen anyway. People who make lettering so small you have to get right up on it to read it is crazy. I do not understand doing that? What good is the embroidery if the you have to be 2 feet or less from it to read it or understand the graphic of it? I have been told by many of the old timers to try and make logos on shirts readable at the normal distance of conversation between people. I would think that this would hold true for details as well.

The amount of points used to define an outline should probably be as few as possible just to save time and make it easier to see the outline. Depending on the object type, points to define outlines should not produce a difference in how many stitches are generated, or produce short stitches depending on the amount of points used. This may also be dependant on the software being used? What seems to cause unwanted short stitches in Design Shop more than anything else is where Input and Output points are placed in shapes for fills or complex columns. The use of and the sequence of Curve Points and Straight Points used in curved areas of columns can produce differences in stitches as well. This is due to the way the math is done when generating stitches and the differences in the math when using straights and curves. Generally, and I say generally, when making Column 1 objects using a curve, then a straight, then a curve, and alternating them seems to produce the best results in Design Shop. This is especially true when making small lettering. Years ago, the Column 1 tool would put a stitch at every wire frame point along the sides of a column. So, if you were making small lettering, and used a lot of points to make curves etc. this could make the density of the column too high and adjusting the column density in the software parameters would have no effect. This was changed a few years ago so that no matter how many points are used along the sides of a column the area is filled with stitches according to the density selected and the stitch type selected. Perhaps other software works differently?

Jeff Banks

[The Embroidery Authority - OLD]

Communicate with the Digitizer.

Remember folks that a digitizer who is up on things doesn't only ask the customer what size they want the design and how many color changes it should have...
But also what fabric will the design be sewn on and what kind of backing and how much will be used. Not to mention what machine are they sewing on and with what software.
Also consider asking will they be needing the design in different sizes as well.

You the digitizer may also make suggestions such as to what type of needle and/or backing to use to get the best results.

Those of you who do not digitize and shop your work out to digitizers over seas may also find that communications with your digitizer is somewhat limited. Especially when it comes to editing the design for you.

--Off the subject...
Say Jeff, I still cannot locate the "Air Nailer Button" in Design Shop. Maybe I need Pro Plus Plus.

Ed Orantes

[Aaron]

Ed,

The Nailer button is right between the automatically fix all thread breaks and unlimited bobbin spool buttons

[The Embroidery Authority - OLD]

Now that's just funny!!!

Thanks for pointing this out because "Magic Wands" are still back ordered at Melco Mart.

[Pure Embroidery]

Nope. They lied to you. Got my "wand" in yesterday. Was only $1 but shipping cost me $3,000. Must have come from back east (middle east)!