Monograms

[Steve Clarkson]

Does anyone have a working Corel file of various sample monograms that they would like to share?

I realize that you can buy the monograms from Harold's and that seems to be very popular, but I would think that it would be pretty easy to make your own.

There are hundreds of possibilities for different monogram designs.....three letters in a circle, in a shield, in an oval, in a cross.....and I know that by using the envelope tool, it should be relatively easy to do that. But if someone else has already gone through the trouble, why re-invent the wheel?

If no one has anything, I'll do my own and post the file.

Thanks

[Mike Null]

Steve

Real monograms aren't so easy to make. You're much better off to buy the Harold's versions.

I have a couple of monogram fonts on my Engravlab program but they won't work on Corel--they are also proprietary.

[Steve Clarkson]

Mike,

I guess I don't understand what's so hard about making monograms......just make the middle letter big!

Well, I'm working on it now anyway, and I'll post what I do later.

I checked out Harold's and wasn't impressed.....maybe I'm missing something.....or just disillusioned......or delusional........

[Albert Nix]

Who is Harold?

[Mike Null]

http://www.haroldsfonts.com/monograms.html

[Steve Clarkson]

So here is kind of what I was thinking......

I put together a Corel file with various fonts that I think would look good as Monograms. I also put in the Monogram chart that I think Dave posted a while ago.....just to give you an idea of the different monograms that are typical. I also traced the chart and pulled out a few monograms that I would like to be able to make. I put in a few basic shapes that I think could be used. And I made a few crude monograms for everyone's viewing pleasure.

Monograms certainly aren't limited to the three letter oval.....so does anyone have any good monogram designs that they'd like to share?

Also, my first attempt at the envelope method failed miserably.....has anyone else found a relatively easy and successful method of doing it that way?

I mean.....how hard can it be to shape three little letters............

[Bob Keyes]

So here is kind of what I was thinking......

I mean.....how hard can it be to shape three little letters............

I think you may be finding out! Maybe Harold can tell you ;>).

[Gary Hair]

I mean.....how hard can it be to shape three little letters............

I think it's mostly about time. I looked at Harold's site and didn't really see anything that I couldn't do myself. If I did lots of monograms and didn't want to take the time to create them individually, I would probably consider buying Harolds fonts, otherwise I would just make them myself.

Gary

[Scott Shepherd]

Anyone ever look at making their own fonts? It's a painstaking process if you plan to do it right. If you plan to throw something together for a free font on the internet then it's not so bad.

The real process, from what I recall reading about a year ago, is a very detailed process on how all the letters interact together. Sure, it's easy to make "S, I, Y" look good, but can you take those same fonts and make "I,M,W" and have that look right too?

I looked at it when thinking about trying to produce a font that emulated the rotary engravers. After reading the level of work involved, I decided there was a better way and it was called "figure out how to run the rotary engraver"

Best of luck on this Steve. I know you're not creating fonts, but good luck on the part you are working on.

Steve, you've got a boat load of fonts on there that many people might not have installed. Can you embed the fonts? It's an output option when you save it.

[Mike DeRegnaucourt]

Hi Steve,

I decided to try my hand at few really quick monograms using CorelDraw's envelope tool. By using the interactive envelope tool, you can pretty much manipulate the letters pretty easily. I tried it both ways, manipulating the text straight away with envelope and also by converting the text to curves and then manipulating it. Both seemed to work pretty well. I've included a Corel file below with three quick one's I did using CorelDraw Envelope.

Not sure if I'm missing something or not but I think through the use of the envelope tool, you should be able to easily create what you need.

[Steve Clarkson]

Steve, I tried to upload the file with the fonts embedded......but it was too big.....even compressed....any suggestions?

Gary, do you have a standard process when you make yours?

Mike, yours looked much better than my first attempt......maybe it was because I was just using envelope and not the interactive one.

[Linda Tetreault]

Steve,

Look at some embroidery sites & to see their monograms. I looked at Mikes samples, & I'm not trying to be a critic, because I don't know how to do in Corel either, but I would not be happy with those results, if I was sewing them (I've been in the embroidery business for 30 years) the outside letters should mirror each other in shape, the sides of the letters next to the center letter should be the same height.

It seems that the letters will take a lot more manipulating than you're expecting.

[Steve Clarkson]

Linda......how do you do yours?

[Mike DeRegnaucourt]

Steve,

I've attached another example that mimics something similar to "Harlod's" site. It's one I saw on there constrained to a hexagon. The envelope tool has additional settings. These were created using the envelope tool but using the "Envelope Straight Line Mode". I think these will answer Linda's concerns about the mirroring of the outside letters. Keep in mind that the first set of samples were done in about 1-minute. Corel's envelope tool seems to be pretty easy to use and since Corel seems to be one of the engravers primary tools in their arsenal, why not take advantage of what we already have on hand.

I'd try experimenting around with it and I'm sure you'll come up with what you need.

I'm sure one could also use CorelDraw's "Add Perspective" tool to also help accomplish and tweak the desired results.

[Linda Tetreault]

Steve,

The only ones I've engraved are the straight style, with the middle being larger, I haven't done any by changing the shape.

When I embroider them, I have stock monogram alphabets, usually there are 3 parts, right letters, middle letters & left side letters, that are already pre-programmed. Very few shops digitize their own letters, it's too time comsuming unless you're doing lots with the same initials.