New Software Makes it Easy to Experience the Creative Freedom of Vector-based Embroidery
March 30, 2006 – Ottawa, ON
Corel Corporation and DRAWstitch Ltd. today announced that Corel® DRAWings® X3 will be unveiled at the International Sign Association (ISA) Expo in Orlando next month. From April 6th to April 8th, 2006, show attendees are invited to stop by booth #3654 to get a first look at the latest version of Corel DRAWings, a unique vector-based embroidery solution that combines the award-winning power and simplicity of CorelDRAW® Graphics Suite X3 with the industry-renowned embroidery expertise of DRAWstitch. Corel DRAWings X3 gives embroiderers an unprecedented level of ease-of-use, while offering the digitizing control and flexibility professional users need over their custom designs and final stitched results.
This complete, all-in-one, design-to-stitch solution offers true vector design and digitizing, making linear workflow a thing of the past. Now users can work dynamically, back and forth between vector art and embroidery, increasing the accuracy of their projects. This affordable software makes it easy to create, edit, and change designs without having to redo previous steps, and see the stitching output immediately.
"Building on the strengths of CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X3 – the platform of choice for professionals throughout the specialty graphics industry – and the expertise of DRAWstitch, one of the world's foremost embroidery technologies, Corel DRAWings X3 packs a powerful punch that can't be matched by any other embroidery tool," said Nick Davies, Corel's General Manager Graphics. "Any design professional or hobbyist will find that Corel DRAWings X3 can make embroidery an easy, fulfilling, and lucrative addition to their work."
Corel DRAWings X3 includes a special edition of CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X3 to make creating custom designs for embroidery projects easier than ever before. Complete with CorelDRAW X3 for graphics creation and Corel® PHOTO-PAINT® X3 for image editing, new design capabilities in Corel DRAWings X3 include:
- New Corel® PowerTRACE –Integrated into CorelDRAW X3, Corel® PowerTRACE makes it quick and easy to convert bitmaps into editable vector graphics, enabling low-quality bitmaps to be transformed into high-quality embroidery designs. In addition, the resulting vector artwork can be easily edited and customized for embroidery projects.
- Enhanced Interactive Fit Text to Path –A common design element found in logos and graphics used in embroidery, placing text along a path has never been easier. Whether users are creating designs that wrap text around a circle or along a wavy line, the interactive Fit Text to Path tool lets users simply select text, move their pointer along a path, and then click to set the text's position.
- New Image Adjustment Lab –For users who wish to include bitmap images and photos to be cross-stitched in their embroidery projects, the Image Adjustment Lab makes it simple to work with images that have poor color balance and contrast by offering manual and automatic controls for common color and tone corrections. Users can create snapshots of their adjustments to easily compare each snapshot against the original and choose the best result.
- New Hints docker –The new Hints docker provides context-sensitive information on the currently selected tool to make getting started a snap. Available whenever the user needs it, the Hints docker makes it easier than ever to learn to use the tools in the toolbox and also gives longtime CorelDRAW Graphics Suite users helpful tips that they might not have previously discovered.
- Valuable content and training materials –More than 10,000 hand-selected professional clipart and images; 1,000 OpenType fonts, plus 35 Windows® Glyph List 4 (WGL4); printed User Guide; training videos by lynda.com; Digital Content Guide; and a Quick Reference Card.
These new enhancements to CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X3 complement the powerful digitizing capabilities of DRAWstitch which enable users to convert any vector design into embroidery with premium stitch quality – all the while giving users ultimate control over the final output. Corel DRAWings automatically calculates embroidery parameters, such as underlay, compensation, branching, thread trimming and stabilizer requirements, and also provides real-time updates between the artwork design and stitch results. New embroidery enhancements in Corel DRAWings X3 are designed to save users time and make them more productive. These include:
- Automatic sequence strategy –Users can now choose between any one of the following embroidery strategies – top to bottom, bottom to top, left to right, right to left, small to large, large to small, inside to outside, and outside to inside.
- Keep sequence of overlapped objects –By default, Corel DRAWings X3 simplifies the embroidery process by automatically stitching overlapped objects in the order they appear in the artwork.
- Re-sequencing of objects –Wings' Modular now gives users ultimate control with the ability to change the embroidery sequence.
- Eliminates thread trims inside combined objects –The software now gives users the option to remove all thread trims between combined objects including text.
- Export to Image –Users can now easily create a bitmap representation of the final stitch results which can be printed out for proofing, on garments, postcards, and used in various designs.
- Increased compatibility –Supported file formats now include PFAFF PCS and Barudan FDR for Compact Flash Memory Cards.
In addition, customers who require more options and control over the embroidery process may choose Corel DRAWings X3 Professional that also offers:
- Offset control –Users can control the offset of running as well as Satin Serial to outlines/lineart objects and borders.
- Offset control for Appliqué –When working with Appliqué, users can control the offset of the tack-down stitches.
- Direction control –Users can now change the direction of the stitches when working with Satin, Step, and Piping stitch types.
- Divide or split control –By dividing Satin and Piping objects, users can create sections in an object to customize the way it will be embroidered.
- Professional adjustment controls –Users can manually adjust characteristics including density, compensation, length, underlay, and offset.
"Corel DRAWings X3 is having a dramatic effect on the productivity of our business – in some cases, we've found that we're completing projects 25 percent faster than before!" said Peter Steffny, owner of MPST Digital Design. "With the new Create Boundary, enhanced Contour, and the incredible PowerTRACE, not to mention the overall performance and rendering boosts, we think Corel DRAWings X3 is the essential design and digitizing tool for anyone in the embroidery industry."
"Within a few hours of using Corel DRAWings X3, it was clear that this new version would have a big impact on the way we work! With features like the new automatic sequencing options and the ability to eliminate thread trims between combined objects including text, Corel DRAWings X3 makes many of our day-to-day embroidery tasks much easier without sacrificing the control professionals like us need," says Diane Huyler, owner of Color Your World, a promotional graphics company that specializes in embroidery. "When you're under the pressure of constant deadlines, software that makes you more productive is a must. The latest version of Corel DRAWings delivers the tools we need to get the job done right -- on time and on budget."
Pricing and Availability
Corel DRAWings X3 is now available for order and will be shipping in mid-April 2006. This multilingual product includes English, French, Italian, German and Spanish, and can be purchased through Corel and reseller partners around the world including: Digital Art Solutions (www.smartdesigns.com) in the United States; Wings Digitizing Center (www.wingsdigitizing.com) in Canada; and Wings Systems Ltd. (www.wingssystems.com) in Europe and Asia.
In North America, Corel DRAWings X3 is available at the suggested retail price (SRP) of $1299 US. Registered DRAWings 1 customers may upgrade to Corel DRAWings X3 for $479 US SRP. Registered Corel DRAWings 2 customers may upgrade to Corel DRAWings X3 for $179 US SRP.
Customers who wish to access the additional features found in Corel DRAWings X3 Professional may purchase online activation for $999 US SRP. Registered Corel DRAWings 2 PRO customers may upgrade to Corel DRAWings X3 Professional for $179 US SRP.
For more information about Corel DRAWings X3, please visit www.corel.com/drawingsx3 or www.drawstitch.com/DRAWings.htm. For more information about CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X3 or to download a full-featured, free trial version, please visit www.corel.com/cdgsx3.
About Corel Corporation
Corel Corporation provides full-featured, easy-to-use productivity, graphics and digital imaging software that helps millions of people worldwide run their businesses and extend their productivity at work and at home. For more than twenty years, Corel's award-winning portfolio has earned the loyalty of value-conscious consumers, small businesses, legal firms and government agencies with software that is easy to learn and use, feature rich, and priced to address the demands of those seeking more affordable, flexible software alternatives. With hundreds of industry awards for customer-focused innovation and design, the Company has established itself as a world leader in desktop software with flagship products including CorelDRAW® Graphics Suite, Corel WordPerfect® Office, Corel Paint Shop™ Pro, and Corel® Painter™. Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, Corel distributes its products in over 75 countries.
© 2006 Corel Corporation and DRAWstitch Ltd. All rights reserved. Corel, Painter, CorelDRAW, Corel PHOTO-PAINT, WordPerfect, Paint Shop, and the Corel logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Corel Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. DRAWings and DRAWstitch names and logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of DRAWstitch Ltd. Wings' modular name and logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Wings Systems Ltd. All other product, font and company names and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
