# Graphic design programs for Rhinestone decorating?



## rhinestone101 (Oct 3, 2008)

I am new to Rhinestone decorating and looking to start a business. I am looking for a program that will help make custom patterns. Has anyone used SmartCut Pro or SmartCut? If so would you recommend it for making designs or would I be better off with an Adobe Illustrator program?


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## Sports4Less (Jun 15, 2009)

*Re: Graphic design programs*

Try Roland R-WearStudio. The Smart Cut programs don't really work for that.


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## Freakazeenie (Jun 25, 2009)

*Re: Graphic design programs*

i'm gonna look at the r-wear studio .. but i use photoshop cs2 for all my graphics work

WHOA ! 500.00 for the software .. i'm assuming you need their rhinestone machine as well to use the software? I'll stick with cs2 lol


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## RhinestoneFetish (May 8, 2009)

*Re: Graphic design programs*

SmartCut Pro is awesome. You can do outlines and fills. It requires minor adjustments of stone placement but is super easy to use.


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## Vicki Flores (Jun 24, 2009)

I have spent a month or two researching the various machines and software for creating rhinestone templates. I started at the top (found it by accident!) with the rhinestone robot - around $20,000 for one and $30,000 for another. Then I discovered the engravers can do templates and was almost ready to buy into that - $3500 and up for just the engraver. Then I discovered the Digital Art Solutions site - found it through research on the t-shirt forum. I know nothing about engravers or vinyl cutters or the software for rhinestone design so I needed the entire package. I also don't know how to use Corel and figured that would really confuse me because Corel is for a lot of different things, not just rhinestone patterns. I just received the vinyl cutter and start up package yesterday. Tech support talked me through getting everything set up today, but alas, they forgot to put the blade that cuts the stone stencil material to create rhinestone designs but are FedExing it to me should be here tomorrow. Basically I purchased the Stone Stencil system that is specifically geared for creating rhinestone patterns. It came with 30,000 plus rhinestones, stone stencil material (template material), transfer tape, brushes, trays, backer board, Smart Cuts Pro II software, Stone Stencil artwork, ready art, single line fonts and I may have missed something but it was $2500. It is turnkey, all you need are the shirts - after you learn the program & if they remember to put the blade in there. =] They have a Puma III cutter for $1500 - don't think it included the stand $200. I found it a little cheaper through t-shirt forums and Digital Arts matched the price. You can import graphics from many programs - they can answer your question about your specific software. I have read on this forum that people have made that amount back in a very short period of time if you get out and market your product. I haven't sifted through everything yet but it is very comprehensive and specific to rhinestone custom designs and there are several thousand ready to use clip art images and design templates you can use while you are learning. I will be happy to keep you posted as to my progress if you are interested. I am starting at ground zero, I know nada, zero, zilch, I just love rhinestones!!! My only attribute is I am generally a pretty quick learner of computer programs.  Sure hope that applies in this situation.... Okay, all of that and a quarter, okay its probably 50 cents now, will get you a cup of coffee. Good luck!


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## joeshaul (Mar 1, 2008)

Thank you for your experience Vicki, myself and others appreciate the input. I would recommend adding some spacing in there to make it a bit easier to read. A little extra spacing breaks apart the "wall of text" and makes the reader able to focus clearly on the words and the message without their eyes and mind going astray, usually it's best to segment when you're ending a subject or idea and moving onto the next subject/idea. 

An example would be breaking apart your post as such:

I have spent a month or two researching the various machines and software for creating rhinestone templates. I started at the top (found it by accident!) with the rhinestone robot - around $20,000 for one and $30,000 for another. Then I discovered the engravers can do templates and was almost ready to buy into that - $3500 and up for just the engraver. Then I discovered the Digital Art Solutions site - found it through research on the t-shirt forum. 

I know nothing about engravers or vinyl cutters or the software for rhinestone design so I needed the entire package. I also don't know how to use Corel and figured that would really confuse me because Corel is for a lot of different things, not just rhinestone patterns. I just received the vinyl cutter and start up package yesterday. Tech support talked me through getting everything set up today, but alas, they forgot to put the blade that cuts the stone stencil material to create rhinestone designs but are FedExing it to me should be here tomorrow. 

Basically I purchased the Stone Stencil system that is specifically geared for creating rhinestone patterns. It came with 30,000 plus rhinestones, stone stencil material (template material), transfer tape, brushes, trays, backer board, Smart Cuts Pro II software, Stone Stencil artwork, ready art, single line fonts and I may have missed something but it was $2500. It is turnkey, all you need are the shirts - after you learn the program & if they remember to put the blade in there. =] They have a Puma III cutter for $1500 - don't think it included the stand $200. I found it a little cheaper through t-shirt forums and Digital Arts matched the price. You can import graphics from many programs - they can answer your question about your specific software. 

I have read on this forum that people have made that amount back in a very short period of time if you get out and market your product. I haven't sifted through everything yet but it is very comprehensive and specific to rhinestone custom designs and there are several thousand ready to use clip art images and design templates you can use while you are learning. 

I will be happy to keep you posted as to my progress if you are interested. I am starting at ground zero, I know nada, zero, zilch, I just love rhinestones!!! My only attribute is I am generally a pretty quick learner of computer programs.  Sure hope that applies in this situation.... Okay, all of that and a quarter, okay its probably 50 cents now, will get you a cup of coffee. Good luck!


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## Vicki Flores (Jun 24, 2009)

Yeah, I tend to do everything in a hurry - I sometimes have to remind myself to stop and breathe!! Will try to break it down better in the future. Better yet - I will try to keep it short!


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## rhinestone101 (Oct 3, 2008)

Wow! Thank you everyone for this great information. Can't wait to get started.


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## rhinestone101 (Oct 3, 2008)

Oh and please keep me posted I am new at this too! Just love the Rhinestones.


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

I have the Roland engraver and R-wear...great combination...I also have Digital Arts stone stencil system...also a great program

But....there is another machine..The Eagle that has two machines and a very good software program according to a couple forum members who have their system.. I have not used it but I have seen the 101 page PDF manual and it ...the manual...blows away the documentation of the other two. I think there is some sort of special going on..but I am not sure..any case I can't really recommend the machines as I have not used one..but if the machine is as good as their manual...

In the end..each of these systems have good points..salient points in their favor.
The Roland EGX can engrave signs. ADA compliant, and metal engraving and rhinestone templates
The DAS system does vinyl and rhinestone templates and comes from a good established company
The Eagle Ultraforce can do what the DAS does plus it will do metal engraving and drawing w/pen

The Roland system does NOT come with R-Wear...that is another $500 plus expense It comes with Engrave studio, a barely adequate program. R-Wear is great but lousy documentation.. The best part of R-Wear in my opinion is that it comes with SFedit...a software package that lets you make single line font from any font on your system...aqain...not very good docs

DAS comes with some videos, software and a really thick manual plus manuals for design etc..very well done

Eagle...I only know the manual was very well written...I will leave opinion to those who have it...

Sandy Jo...chime in!


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## SandyMcC (Jul 23, 2009)

Well, I will chime in and say, "Thank You! Thank You!" I wrote the user manual for the new ACS Eagle/Falcon cutters and I do take pride in my work... so your review of the manual obviously just made my day! 

I just joined this forum today and will be actively visiting here to answer any questions from owners of the Eagle or Falcon who need help with their designing. I truly believe this is the software program that just keeps on giving! 

Sandy M


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## Vicki Flores (Jun 24, 2009)

rhinestone101 said:


> I am new to Rhinestone decorating and looking to start a business. I am looking for a program that will help make custom patterns. Has anyone used SmartCut Pro or SmartCut? If so would you recommend it for making designs or would I be better off with an Adobe Illustrator program?


I tried to reply to a PM you sent me but I got an error message that your mailbox is full..... Let me know when you 'empty' it.


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## rhinestone101 (Oct 3, 2008)

it's empty now sorry and thanks


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## Vicki Flores (Jun 24, 2009)

Just an update on using the DAS software. I am a brand newbie to the t-shirt industry so the learning curve was a pretty big one for me. But it has been soooo worth the effort. I still have a long way to go - I still have to weed by hand, not sure why, the holes are cut and it isn't through the backing, but its like it makes an almost complete circle but leaves the tiniest piece or the glue isn't sticky enough to make the dots stick to the backing. Or there is something wrong with the glue that it doesn't want to let the dots go - maybe the material got hot and altered the glue. But I am still having a blast. I am still using up the stone stencil material that came with the system.

Also, as far as brushing the stones in - I can get about 1/2 - 2/3's and have to do the rest manually. I have a feeling the more I practice the easier it will get. Plus the size of the hole really makes a difference.

The backer boards run around $1 each but I found some 30"X20" 1/4" Foam Boards at Dollar Tree and so far they have worked well. They are almost like a very thin sheetrock but instead of sheetrock between the paper it is a firm stiff foam. So for $1 each it was worth trying. As long as I don't abuse the templates they should last for a long time. Basically I cut my stencil, as many as 3-4 on a strip, I weed the strip, then apply the entire strip to the foam board. Then I use a ruler and an exacto knife to cut the templates apart. This way there is very little waste of the "backer board". Not sure how to organize storage of the templates yet as I haven't made enough of them to think about that too much yet.

I am a firm believer in reading the manual and watching the tutorials (more than once). Every time I do, I pick up something new about this system. There is still so much to learn! But this is a far cry from doing it all by hand!


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