I've been using VMP for a couple of years now. Great program with great tech support from Shaun Morrell. Have any questions, ask and he will answer. They've just released the new version... I'm still on 2.5b.

If you can't make a bunch of money using VMP, you might as well get into a new line of work.

There are (or were with my older version) a few things that you need to do to overcome some glitchy situations, but they are so minor.

I highly recommend VMP.

Gray,

In response to your question, YES, you can import a picture and lay your work over the picture.

I use a digital camera (an old, out of date, low resolution - but it works fine camera) to take pictures of buildings, existing signs, vehicles, you name it. Let's say we're doing a vehicle. I take side shots of the vehicle and take a single dimension from some area, like the width of the door. Upload the photos to your computer and import the photo to VMP. Make a box that is the same width as your door dimension. Make it a contrasting color to the photo. Bring the box to the front or top layer. Select your digital picture. Grab the upper (or lower) left or right corner. Press shift while dragging the corner to a larger area. You may have to zoom out. Size the photo according to the door dimension. When the width of the door and the "box" match, your photo is exact size.

Now you have an exact template to work on.

If you are working with a building, do the same thing. You can even take an angled shot of the building and then "fit" your design to the angled shot.

Use the print function to output the sketch. Create a template with your business name and info... print the sketch and present it to you customer. I have had MANY, MANY customers tell me that they chose my design on PRESENTATION ALONE even if my price was higher than the other guy.

Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions.

Watch out Brian!

...an eerie silence falls over the group as the pointer slowly rises... :lol: :lol: :lol:



...if that pointer hits the red - your post gets binned!

Gosh - I got sent a demo version of Vinyl master as well.

What a coincidence

Hi all,
I've been using VMPro for over 2 years now and I love it!
Very easy to use and amazing value in comparison to some of the other sign programs available. I showed it to Mike the shed when he came to visit my place and he was impressed by it!
It has a great "nesting" feature for cutting so you get the max out of your vinyl..try the demo...you'll like it.
Cheers
Joe

Gray:

I mentioned the "box" idea because I'm lazy. It's much quicker for me to simply make the "box" x by y and then size the picture to the box. THERE ARE dimensioning tools and they are good. You could accomplish this either way.

VMP Are coming...VMP Are coming...They're trying to take over the World. I've just got a trial copy too, looks good

I must have upset someone because I havent been sent a demo version of VMP. !!!!

Hi Martin

E mail your postal address to shaunmorrell@future-1.com and I'll send one out to you...

I have VMP & love it! The program is definitely worth the money. However there is one major problem that I have with the program & that is gradient fills! The fills appear as white blocks that cause viewing problems of your design.

Hi Vision

Thanks for your comments. The gradient fill feature was put in some time after the core of the program was written for those wanting to do airbrush previews etc. The white space you’re referring to should only be a problem if the gradient fill is over a coloured background or other pic etc. There are tricks to overcome this but they are a little long-winded to discuss here…

Right now we’re working around the coffee pot on V3.0 and have a much more advanced version of gradient fills and soft shadows etc., which are more in line with programs like CorelDRAW, Quark and Adobe products… In fact the whole program is being updated…

So this will soon be a distant memory…

Shaun, thanks I now have a demo copy of VMP, I think it took about 3 atempts before I got one so there are two copies lost in the post. First immpressions it looks quite good, some of the features seem much better than the software we are using at present. I will play about with it as and when I get time.

If you need anymore assistance you know where to find me!

Thanks,