In this Artista Designer College 38 movies with voice-over will take you from the basics up to a "college degree" in the BERNINA Artista Designer embroidery software (Version 2 and the Designer Level of Version 3 and many of the tools in Version 4 - see green notes below). Everything you see in the movies is written down for you in two detailed step-by-step guides: the Workbook and the (advanced) Special Projects Book. Both books can be printed from this CD-rom, using the program Acrobat Reader® version 4 or later. Below you will find detailed information about the contents of the CD.

This CD is made with version 2 of BERNINA Artista Designer, but is also suitable for the Designer Level of Version 3 and 4: Kim Goodwin about the Artista Designer College in relation to the Version 3 software: "Everything will still work the same way.The icons are the same, but more have been added.The main thing that is different is the magic wand. You now need to run the image through the image process before using Magic Wand. a few other things, but not enough to matter. "

"As an owner of Bernina Artista Software Version 4, I was unsure whether or not the Artista College program would be helpful to me in learning my program.
After receiving and installing it, I discovered a world of excellent instruction, projects, and answers to many of the questions that I had previously encountered.
This program details the basic tools that are in versions 2, 3, and 4 in a very simple, easy to understand language. Each tool bar is covered with an explanation as to what each one does and what the terms used actually mean!
Both the workbook which you print out yourself from the C. D. and the C.D. itself teach the order in which you should select the tools, the color palette, and all of the other many choices available to you in digitizing objects. Frequently certain things happen in the Artista software that make no sense, so I especially appreciate the explanations as to why some of these things work or do not work. It's almost like having someone there to ask!
The "basics" are followed with more advanced techniques and tools: digitizing and changing shapes of objects, angles, creating new fills. This program goes far beyond the program's manual.
Anyone who owns any of the versions 2, 3, and even 4 which have a few more advanced tools, who would like to feel more comfortable with their Artista software program should consider using the Artista College!"
Barbara.

The Main Menu is Artista Designer College's "Campus". From here you can access all classes by clicking the links to the chapters. The sequence of the various chapters is the same as used in the Workbook (114 pages) and the Special Projects Book (46 pages), both printable from the CD. Clicking a link will take you to the desired class, "Basics", "Digitizing/Reshaping" etc. and there you will find the movie-buttons: click and a movie will play, showing the exercise described in the Workbook (or Projects Book) with my voice explaining the technique. And remember, you don't have to memorize anything you see in the movies; it's all written down for you in the 2 books!

In Chapters 1 through 3 of the Artista College Workbook you will learn the basics of the Bernina Artista Designer program: how to use the various design tools to digitize simple shapes, how to include notes with a design, how to open and edit an existing design and how to send it to your embroidery machine. (3 movies for this part)

This part of the Workbook will teach you the actual digitizing work: with the Magic Wand, or with the Closed Curve tool. And, how to edit/reshape your design of course!
Take your time and watch the movies to learn when to use the Magic Wand, why it doesn't work sometimes, how to use the Closed Curve Tool, how to perfect / reshape designs, how to reshape outlines and how to outline a design (and get one continuous outline). Remember: every step (and more) you see and hear in the movies is described in the printable Workbook! (6 movies for this part)

The Artista Designer program is "object-based": everything you create has its own set of object properties - stitch type, fill, stitch length, angle etc. Chapter 9 of the Workbook teaches you how to use and change those properties and shows you what Pull Compensation means. Chapter 10 teaches you more about existing designs and which option to choose when opening a design in another format: as object based or as stitch based design. The chapter also explains how to use the Artista Portfolio program (4 movies)

Chapter 11 of the Workbook will teach you how to change the colors in a design, how to use the thread charts in the program with hundreds of colors of Madeira, Mettler, Sulky etc., how to make your own color palette, how to make your own Template, how to travel through your design, how to change the sewing order and how to use that great feature "View by Color".(3 movies)

With text it's easy to add a personal touch to your designs. An item with an embroidered name is a quick and welcome gift and when you look at embroidered garments in shops, lots of designs are text-only designs in multiple colors and effects. Therefore, text can do a lot for you, surely with 24 different fonts that can be rescaled, skewed, changed with special effects! Chapter 12 and 13 will teach you all about lettering objects, monogramming, elastic lettering, reshaping individual letters, combining text effects... It's playtime! (7 movies)

When you start working in the artista Designer software you will find that sometimes straaange things happen! In Chapter 14 "Oops!" you will find explanations, workarounds and tips for those occasions that things just don't do what they're supposed to do! The message "Generic Read Error" won't be scary anymore...
There's no movie for this Chapter - only detailed descriptions in the printable Workbook.

The Addendum in the Workbook is intended for the beginning embroidery-fan with not too much knowledge of computers. It gives you enough of the Windows95/98 basics to get started with the embroidery software as soon as possible, which is the ultimate goal of course. And you'll see - computers are fun when you use them to do something nice: digitizing embroidery designs for example.

In this Special Projects Book you will find projects, using different techniques explained in the Workbook. But also new - more advanced - techniques are introduced. This Special Projects Book is a complete Advanced Workbook in itself!

The first project shows the Magic Wand and how to "fix" a graphic in MsPaint. Project 2 teaches you how to create quilting designs with a few clicks, Project 3 shows the Remove Overlay feature and how to create a hole in an object and Project 4 lets you create a log cabin in fancy fills, for a gorgeous pincushion. (5 movies)

Project 5 will open a new (very addictive!) world for you: it teaches you how to create your own Outline Patterns, using the Open Curve Tool or the Closed Curve Tool!
Project 6 shows how to use parts of existing designs to create new designs - advanced customizing!
Project 7 will make your designs look very professional: learn how to apply shading in your designs.
Project 8 shows the professional block digitizing technique: beautiful embroidery designs guaranteed!
Project 9 lets you create lace effects. Have fun! (6 movies)

If you were new to the artista Designer software, you started as a 1st grader and earned a College degree now! You have learned that practically anything you can think of is possible in this software, just by combining the various techniques. You're an advanced digitizer now and at this level, you will find anything easy and you may even start wondering why some techniques are called "advanced". After all, it's just a bit of clicking, moving the mouse, pushing some buttons and choosing some commands; there's really nothing to it! If you see it that way, I am happy and I hope that my books and the various movies on the CD took you to this level.    This Grand Finale is a project using four "advanced" techniques to create three designs for a beautiful wallhanging. The techniques used here are: Fringe (3D), Plaid, Outlining without jumps (Redwork) and Appliqué! Enjoy this Finale. After this, you're on your own, but I hope this CD will be a loyal companion to you in your digitizing adventures. Good luck! (4 movies)