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Corel or Adobe?

OADesign

New Member
In my mind (in the twisted knot hole on the back side of the spectrum) its like this in regards to design programs.
Imagine having a slotted screw to turn. And you have a some screw drivers: Long flat head, stubby flat head, a butter knife and a spoon. They will all get the job done. They will take different amounts of time to complete the task. But this amount depends on the skill and the effort of the user. Yes, one of these is the proper to do the job properly. But in the end they will all turn the screw (get the job done). And even then, sometimes, you need a spork. But what separates good sign people from the chaff is the one that jumps in with the closest tool makes it work. Then has the [fill in colorful adjective] to realize there may be a better tool and switches up. Then with the knowledge gained from the first few screws, and sore wrists, knows which is the best tool to turn said screw. I for one am not afraid to admit, I sometimes use a butter knife just because it would take me longer to walk to toolbox than it would to just start turning. Plus I'm already in the kitchen.;)
 

Jonzed

New Member
In our art department we have both experienced Illustrator and Corel users. Both work well. Something can be designed in Corel twice as fast than in illustrator. Also Corel has more options and larger workspaces.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 

Andy D

Active Member
I used Corel Draw and didn't truly appreciate what a great program it was until, due to switching jobs,
I had to start using Flexi... even after almost a year of using Flexi, I can't put in words how much I detest
this program.
 

WildWestDesigns

Active Member
If you accept (and receive) a lot of both file types from the outside (which people shouldn't be sending out the native proprietary files period, but I digress), it's going to be best to have both or at least have a reliable program to view the other type that you don't have the program for. I can count on one hand (and not even taking up that whole hand) how many times I've received CDR files and ironically most digitizing programs are coupled with DRAW (my preferred digitizing program is, even though I do not install DRAW).

Otherwise, it's going to be what works best for you. I prefer Ai (then almost anything before DRAW, even though some are modeled, if not connected with DRAW at some point (Xara), I have found DRAW to actually be harder to learn, but again, it's not what I learned first so I'm sure that plays a biiiiigggg part of that), but as long as one gets used to whatever they are working with, then almost any program should be able to work. Shoot, I can even make Inkscape work with me and have it spit out embroidery files due to extensions that are for it and still maintain quality.

Depending on workflow, issues to keep one from using one program over an other, may be irrelevant. Artboard size tends to be one of the most often mentioned differences between the two. Not even a blimp on my radar. That may not be the case for you or the next person(s) down the line.

Best that I can say, get a trial (if applicable) of the programs that you want to see about and then take them for a spin. I've found that it helps when I have an actual project to do (may want to make it one of your own projects instead of a client one) when learning the program then just trying to blindly see what a program is all about. But that's me, your mileage may vary.

Ultimately, they are tools and it's really going to depend on the person using them and their knowledge.
 

WildWestDesigns

Active Member
I have never gotten a Word or PPT generated logo to my knowledge.

Now, I have gotten a Pages generated logo. Does that elevate the logo somehow that it was done on a Mac versus a different PC OS though?
 

TammieH

New Member
I turned down a position at a sign shop because they were Corel only at the time, and yes I know how to use corel...still hate it!!!


Just depends on how people like to design/draw
 

BigJerm

New Member
We use Adobe products and Flexi 12. Most of our graphics are created in CC brought into Flexi only as a proofing tool and ripping software. Personally, I have NEVER cared for Corel. Think I'd rather them bring back Pagemaker before using CD.
 

WildWestDesigns

Active Member
You can add any kind of keyboard shortcuts you want.

There are actually 3rd party tools for Windows (thankfully much easier for me to do this in Linux, don't have to deal with 3rd party programs) that will allow you to do program specific keyboard shortcuts and even system wide keyboard shortcuts as well.

Macros are way better than "actions" too.

Are you talking about macros as more like extensions/plugins or are you talking about macros in terms of also keyboard shortcuts. I ask, because you specifically mentioned keyboard shortcuts separately.

If it's the former, that's not what "actions" are for, they more like keyboard shortcuts (or at least that's how I use them). If you are talking about along the lines of plugins, there are those as well. My fav are the Astute Graphics ones.
 

ScheelsPR

New Member
As being a designer first - the integrations between adobe products is intense and very well thought out (for the most part). Being able to use Lightroom, then photoshop, then into indesign, and add vector elements from Illustrator to output a final color matching profiled product is amazing. I had tried to learn Corel - but invested so much time into Adobe already and had the software - I didn't see a point to really switch. My time was more valuable than just learning new ways in a different program to do the same thing. Could it been faster in another program...potentially. But now that I'm leading a print shop I can tell you it doesn't matter how great the software is, it's about how well you want to learn it. I spent 10-12 hours a day in that ecosystem and knew it inside and out. We get new designer projects now that are just out of school and try to filter the crap out of everything and think it's great design. They don't know what's raster or vector, profiles, bit depth, embedding links and thinking .PNG is the way to go...and complain when their output isn't exactly matching the uncalibrated monitor. It's a learning experience every day.

It's not always the machine or software that makes the finished product, two steps into the future on knowing what you want to do goes a lot further for custom work than actions or scripts will ever be able to do until we are all locked into VR headsets and virtual Alfred the Butlers are at our beckoning. Again, whether that's flexi, corel, or adobe, what you put into it is what you'll get out, and when you get that luxury option to get dedicated tools for JUST one aspect (vector cut programs for example) where all you mostly do is that, then hats off to you. It's not wrong, and not it's not right, but preference and if you're making money - who's to argue with you except the guy that charges less.

Post-script: I hate software subscriptions now - I don't care how affordable it turns out to be a month, if I have to always pay for a tool to use it comes to a point where the job may not be worth it to me. We'll come to a point where maybe one day, customer demand for this new method will supercede older "bought" versions of software that cannot do whatever the new software can, but until then - long live PHYSICAL COPIES OF SOFTWARE I OWN IN MY OFFICE!
 

WildWestDesigns

Active Member
While I do not like subscription based software at all (to me it depends on how much it costs me over lifetime of use, not just monthly), and now MS has their OS on a subscription for Enterprise users, we don't actually own the software period.

All are licensed, the question if it's perpetual or subscription is where it differs. Considering optical drives seem to be phasing out, I have no problem with downloading an ISO or better yet, have it as a portable program, just so long as it's perpetual license.

Unless one has the source code to the program legally, the software is licensed.
 

Natalia21

New Member
Corel is faster but I love Illustrator most. In both application you may do almost everything if you know how. Effects like gradients and shadows was better in AI before corel X6. Some people love Corel only because it is faster.
 

myront

CorelDRAW is best
There are actually 3rd party tools for Windows (thankfully much easier for me to do this in Linux, don't have to deal with 3rd party programs) that will allow you to do program specific keyboard shortcuts and even system wide keyboard shortcuts as well.



Are you talking about macros as more like extensions/plugins or are you talking about macros in terms of also keyboard shortcuts. I ask, because you specifically mentioned keyboard shortcuts separately.

If it's the former, that's not what "actions" are for, they more like keyboard shortcuts (or at least that's how I use them). If you are talking about along the lines of plugins, there are those as well. My fav are the Astute Graphics ones.
There are actually 3rd party tools for Windows (thankfully much easier for me to do this in Linux, don't have to deal with 3rd party programs) that will allow you to do program specific keyboard shortcuts and even system wide keyboard shortcuts as well.



Are you talking about macros as more like extensions/plugins or are you talking about macros in terms of also keyboard shortcuts. I ask, because you specifically mentioned keyboard shortcuts separately.

If it's the former, that's not what "actions" are for, they more like keyboard shortcuts (or at least that's how I use them). If you are talking about along the lines of plugins, there are those as well. My fav are the Astute Graphics ones.

Macros and Actions are basically the same thing. You cannot apply keyboard shortcuts of your choice to actions.Nor can you write your own actions as you can with macros.
 

Marlene

New Member
Gerber for most of what I need to do. Photoshop for raster. Illy for what Gerber can't do. As said by all the rest, it is personal for what you think will work best.
 
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