CAD - computer aided design

Programs to be tested

• Gimp
• Photoshop
• ImageMagick

Process using Gimp

Using Gimp was a great experience, the user interface is clear, and also is similar to other programs.

I first open up the program it take a while but it was faster than photoshop, I started to explore the how you can move the view of the image. Using the space+mouse to pan around, ctrl+mousewheel to zoom.

I found that the color picker of Gimp has also a different aspect but seems useful. This color picker feels less intuitive than the one on photoshop, but I like it more.

Workflow to delete the background

1. Open up the image using the file menu.
2. Select the white background using the diffuse selection tool, I have to play with the settings to get better results on the edges.
3. Add an alpha channel by right-clicking the layer, use the clear option (supr).
4. Add Text using the text tool, which allows you to pick font, color, and size.
5. Rotate the text using the transform tool.
6. Save the file as .xcf (Gimp editable format), and also export as .png.

Workflow to crop image

1. Open the image using the file menu.
2. Use the crop tool to get a smaller version of the image, you can set a specific pixel size, and frame it using different reference grids.
3. Export the image as .jpg open up a menu to choose quality setting and compression

Workflow to delete background

1. Open up the image using the file menu.
2. Select the white background using the Magic Wand tool, The default settings work great on the edges, although you can modify if that's not the case.
3. Right-click to invert the selection, make a new layer by cutting. delete the base layer.
4. Add text using the text tool, change the font size and color, rotate from there.
5. Save the file as .psd (Photoshop editable format), and also export as .png.

Workflow to crop image

1. Open the image
2. Use the crop tool to get a smaller version of the image, setting the pixel size was a bit complex
3. export the image as .jpg open up a menu to choose quality setting and compression

Process using ImageMagick

ImageMagick is a terminal program, to make this example I used it on the Cmder terminal.

Super powerful but not that easy to use, you need a lot of flags on each command to place the text where it should be.

Workflow to delete the background

1. Open the terminal and move to the image directory using cd
2. Use magick convert -transparent white -fuzz 90% < input image> < output image> this command can eliminate the white background.
3. Add a text using magick convert -draw "0,0 'Isma LB'"
4. Then move the text to the corresponding place adding the tags: -gravity south -draw "translate 100,200 rotate -32 text 0,0 'Isma LB'"
5. To modify the aspect of the text I added: -pointsize 30 -font Roboto-Mono-Bold -fill #0A3359

Workflow to crop image

1. Move the terminal to the image directory using cd
2. Use the crop command, takes the size WxH+offsetX+offsetY: magick convert < input img> -crop 720x720+180+0 < output img>
3. You may need to test with the offset to make the crop fit

Programs to be tested

• Sketchpad
• Illustrator

Learning Sketchpad

This tool of vector drawing was unknown to me, it has a downloadable app you should pay $4.95 to use. But I use the free version that is completely web-based.

At first, I think that the app was too simple, but after a while of using it I realize that being simple is what make it strong, I didn't use any tutorial to learn it, only by playing on the interface I was able to make an illustration that shows my potential final project.

First I use only the pen tool, changing the fill and stroke colors, then I added the labels using the text tool, you can change the font and color easily. As more options inside the pen tool was an arrow generator, that makes it easier to specify elements with labels.

At the end I exported the illustration as .sketchpad file for later editing, and as a plain .jpg to use it on the web

This was a new program to me, the idea of it being open source is something that I really like. But sadly I have never used it before

To start with it I watch a Tutorial, it was a good introduction to Free CAD.

But I really struggle with the programs because the project tree and history are combined, and that was kind of confusing, I even chased the program once. It was hard to learn but also I was motivated to learn new software, the process of getting comfortable using it took a while.

I experimented with the sketch workspace and it was really easy to use, the only thing I miss o don't figure it out yet are some keyboard commands to select the tools easily

The idea with this practice was to make a cube with some holes on it, to test how to create solids form sketch, and use sketches to modify even more.

I started like any Fusion 360 project with a base sketch, and then use extrusions and creating sketches on the created faces. In the end, I use the fillet tool to make features on the edges.