Smart Designer?

[mcentyre]

Anyone here use SmartDesigner from Digital Arts Solutions? I've seen them at a few trade shows and have always been very tempted, but haven't bought. For those who don't know, their SmartDesigner software integrates with CorelDraw and allows you to use their design templates.

Their demo makes it look very easy and powerful. However, the price is a little steep and that's what's prevented me from buying.

Any thoughts?

[Fred Weiss]

I was never very impressed with the concept of Smart Designer and never very impressed with Digital Art Solutions approach to the sign business.

If what you are looking to do is to avoid designing unique work of your own, then this product is specifically aimmed at you. I think it cheapens the entire design process and reduces what we do to a canned commodity ... reinforcing that perception among our client bases.

[Techman]

I looked at it.. Am not impressed at all. Plus I have never heard of anyone using it. I am sure there are some who do. But, I personally have not met a single user..

Corel Draw with cocut is much better. I wouldn't talk to them about buying it either. I would talk directly to Cocut via Summa who does not add a surcharge..

[Cadmn]

with signs we are supposed to be professional designers why would we want a program to do it for us ??Make your own templates ,layout files in corel & use them if you want cookie cutter stuff

[mcentyre]

My impression was that it was more than preset layouts. It's a package that has fonts and clipart and also plug-ins for CorelDraw. Maybe I misinterpreted or they were demoing a seperate package?

[Fred Weiss]

My impression was that it was more than preset layouts. It's a package that has fonts and clipart and also plug-ins for CorelDraw. Maybe I misinterpreted or they were demoing a seperate package?

Yes it probably does have those things and for sure it is designed to interact with CorelDRAW. It is nonetheless, in its primary objective, an application to pick a template ... pick a font ... pick an image ... send to plot.

Not unlike a Chinese restaurant menu approach. It is decidedly aimmed at newbies looking for an "Easy Button".

[Arlo Kalon]

reduces what we do to a canned commodity ... reinforcing that perception among our client bases.

Completely correct. I've been hit with that all too pervasive mentality this week already. Quoted a guy a price I've worked for before. He said "geeez, it's only vinyl! I can get it right up the street". They think it's all the same thing. Any product helping that along I would think is a sure way to box yourself into a future of having to cater to this mindset - thereby losing out on the ability to establish a higher earning potential for yourself.