Serif CraftArtist 2 Professional review

CRAFTY DEVIL

In use, CraftArtist 2 is much like a cross between a desktop publishing application and an image editor. If you started from a template you’ll find that the various panes and menus are already populated with suitable content and settings, but if you’ve begun from scratch it’s easiest to start by importing a digikit to work with.

Digikit contents are displayed in a pane at the left of the screen and are divided into various components. If you’ve something specific in mind, it’s a good idea to drag and drop a suitable layout onto the project pane then drag in the background on which you’ll work. Then you can add other digikit items, such as materials that can be cut to shape, lettering, or picture frames into which you can drop your own photos or graphics. In each case, the software applies relevant sizing and crops, but it’s easy to position, rotate and size things further.

The built-in photo editor offers a big range of effects

You can create layers and move items between them to allow more precise editing and to control which parts of overlapping items remain visible, but this is just the start of the more advanced options available. There’s a comprehensive set of tools for drawing or importing content into the project and working with the various on-page elements until they’re exactly as you want. Many of these appear in a context-sensitive toolbar, such as a fairly powerful photo editor that’s available when photos or other images are selected.

Digikits contain some interesting templates, but we wouldn’t use this one with a conventional bulb

Although you can export CraftArtist 2 projects to image or PDF files, or share them directly with the DaisyTrail online community, it would be a shame to never turn the best into reality. Fortunately, it’s easy to choose a paper size and orientation suited to the project. For example, if you want to make an A5 greetings card, the software will automatically size and position the print area on A4 card so that all you need to do is make the fold after printing. You’ll need a colour printer, of course, and for the best results we recommend a good photo inkjet because these handle a wider range of paper weights and special media than a laser.

Whether you’re a casual user or a more committed and enthusiastic crafter, CraftArtist 2 Professional has all the tools you’re likely to need to make craft ideas a reality. Plus, most of them are intuitive enough not to divert the creative flow. Many users will find that they need to download or buy more digikits to get the most from it, but the software itself is good value, and a sound addition to any box of crafting tools.