Question 1

Creating Templates with Journal Filler - Video Tutorial

Accepted Answer

This video shows you how to set up template slides in Powerpoint with Journal Filler

Question 2

How to create a 'Labyrinth' style pattern with POD Graphics Maker

Accepted Answer

This Youtube tutorial shows how to create Labyrinth style patterns with POD Graphics Maker.

Pattern 00-1 - Labyrinth is part of POD Graphics Maker Starter Edition and XL Edition.

Question 3

Link Finder (Plugin for Powerpoint) tutorial video

Accepted Answer

Link Finder (Plugin for Powerpoint) tutorial video

Question 4

Is there a video overview of Puzzle Maker Pro - JigSaw Squares?

Accepted Answer

For those who prefer video tutorials instead of written text, here's a video overview of Puzzle Maker Pro - JigSaw Squares

Question 5

How can I use a date in the Free Style grid of Ultimate Planner Maker?

Accepted Answer

This video tutorial shows how to use date fields in the cells in the Free Style Grid of Ultimate Planner Maker

Question 6

Puzzle Maker Pro - Mazes 2D Squares Video Overview

Accepted Answer

Puzzle Maker Pro - Mazes 2D Squares Video Overview

Question 7

How to add Connections to your design in Geometric String Art Designer

Accepted Answer

Connections

This tutorial will show you how to add connections (the strings/wires) between shapes in Geometric String Art Designer

Introduction

Please check the Glossary of Shapes and Segments to learn more about the use of 'Segments' in Geometric String Art Designer.

A "Connection" connects two different segments, and will draw the strings between both segments.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/100NCVrsI1/Geometric%20String%20Art%20Designer%20Shapes%20Segments%20Connections.PNG (Geometric String Art Designer Shapes Segments Connections.PNG)

In the example you can see a connection between Square (1) Left and Square (1) Top. "Left" and "Top" are two segments of Square (1). You can choose to rename the shapes; otherwise the "(1)" helps to identify the shape if you have multiple squares in your design.

The number of strings between both wires, depend on the 'Pin' settings for both segments.

Add a Connection

To edit a connection, go to the "Connection" tab and click the "New Connection" button.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/ZaeovuODoT/String%20Art%20Designer%20-%20New%20Connection.jpg (String Art Designer - New Connection)

This will open the edit panel just below the button, where you can select the shapes and segments that need to be connected. First select a shape in the dropdown menu "Shape 1", then you can select a segment for shape 1. Repeat for Shape 2.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/AbnUMCsCWG/String%20Art%20Designer%20-%20Connection%20Segments.jpg (String Art Designer - Connection Segments)

If the pins of the segments are connected in the wrong order, select "Reverse" to reverse the order of the pins.

Edit a Connection

To Edit a connection, select the connection in the dropdown menu at the left of the New Connection button. The name for each connection is made up from the names of the shapes and the segments.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/hutEcDgQDg/String%20Art%20Designer%20-%20Edit%20Connection.jpg (String Art Designer - Edit Connection)

You can change the shapes, or just the segments, or only the color and/or gauge. Click "Save" to save the changed color and gauge. (The other options will be saved right away).

Edit Multiple Connections

You can edit the color and gauge for multiple connections at once, making it easy for you to make sure the same settings are applied to different connections.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/wLBCOsv8Kh/String%20Art%20Designer%20-%20Multiple%20Connections.jpg (String Art Designer - Multiple Connections)

Open the "All Connections" tab, and you'll see a list of all connections in your current design. You can use the "Refresh List" button if not all connections are shown.

Now select one or more connections in the list, select a new color and/or gauge, and click Apply.

Geometric String Art Designer

Introduction

Geometric String Art Designer (GSAD) is a tool to help you design string art creations. You can use this to:

Create your own unique designs
Analyse existing designs, without having to re-create it with pins and string
Create drawing images or coloring images

Tutorial Overview

The tutorials for GSAD have been split into different topics:

Overview and Design Approach

For Geometric String Art Designer, or GSAD, we developed a specific approach that will allow for a lot of flexibility when creating your design:

You can add different "shapes" to the canvas, such as squares, circles, polygons and lines.

Each shape has a number of "Segments", e.g. for a square you have the top, left, bottom and right.

In most cases each segment is split into two further (smaller) segments.

To add a string, you can add a connection between two segments. The following screenshot illustrates this:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/100NCVrsI1/Geometric%20String%20Art%20Designer%20Shapes%20Segments%20Connections.PNG (Geometric String Art Designer Shapes Segments Connections.PNG)

In this image a square shape is used ("Square (1)"). Of this shape, the segments "Top" and "Left" are connected, resulting in the purple lines (the 'connection'). At the right of the screenshot you can see how the connection can be found in the list (or dropdown menu): "Square (1) Top - Square (1) Left".

Creating a design with GSAD means you have to add shapes, and then select the scale and position of the shape, define the segments for each shape, and finally add connections. These steps will be explained in detail in separate tutorials.

If you prefer to learn by doing, instead of reading, you can also:

Click the "Demo" button and then look at the tabs for Shape and Connection, and make changes, or
Go to the Shape tab, and click "New Shape", and add one or more shapes.

You can also go to Glossary of Shapes and Segments and read more about the shapes and segments.

Preview and Export

The goal of creating a design in Geometric String Art Designer is to have an image of your design.

Canvas Size

On the "Settings" -> "Canvas Size" tab you can set the details for your canvas:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/DAkFYanspA/String%20Art%20Designer%20-%20Canvas%20Size.jpg (String Art Designer - Canvas Size)

Trim Size: the size of your image in centimeters, inches or pixels (internally it will be calculated in pixels, because that's how the size of JPG and PNG images is determined).
DPI: Dots Per Inch. If you plan to use the images in books for KDP (or elsewhere) where commercial print settings are required, choose 300 DPI. Otherwise you can choose 72 DPI, which is still good for display and web use.
Margins - set margins that will be kept empty
"Check Page Boundaries" - this will always make sure that shapes are drawn within the margins. If you uncheck this, you can move shapes partly outside the canvas as well.

Save Project

Always save your project before exiting the software or resetting the design. This can be done at the top right (similar to the Preset options in Puzzle Maker Pro).

Just type the name, and click the "Save" icon.

Preview Options

Geometric String Art Designer has separate settings for the Preview and for Export. While previewing you'll probably want to see the shapes and margins, which you may not want to include in an export.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/rqFOXzv0J5/String%20Art%20Designer%20-%20Preview%20Settings.jpg (String Art Designer - Preview Settings)

You can set the preview options on the "Settings" -> "Preview" tab. Current options are:

Draw Shapes
Draw Pins
Draw Strings

The margin will always be shown in the preview.

Export Options

Select the "Export" tab to set the export options:

Include Shape Outlines - whether or not to print the shapes.
Include Pins - for string art designs you'll need to print the pins. However, if you want to print the image as geometric art, you don't need the pins
Include Margin Lines - Usually not needed, but it's available, just in case
Include Strings - Usually this will be included, but if you want to create 'pin art', you can omit the strings.
Project Name
File format - PNG, JPG or Transparent PNG

Export

To export your image, click the Export button at the bottom. This will use the current Export settings. You can select (or create) the folder where the file will be saved, and you can change the filename as well.

Creating Templates with Journal Filler - Video Tutorial

How to create a 'Labyrinth' style pattern with POD Graphics Maker

Link Finder (Plugin for Powerpoint) tutorial video

Is there a video overview of Puzzle Maker Pro - JigSaw Squares?

How can I use a date in the Free Style grid of Ultimate Planner Maker?

Puzzle Maker Pro - Mazes 2D Squares Video Overview

How to add Connections to your design in Geometric String Art Designer

How to get started with Geometric String Art Designer

How to Preview and Export in Geometric String Art Designer

How to create Lombart style patterns with POD Graphics Maker