DaVinci by Wizard

Bandsaw

MGF, Master Grumble Framer
Joined
Feb 17, 2006
Posts
973
I'm looking for someone using DaVinci by Wizard to ask a few questions - very little information on the Wizard site.
 
I'm kind of curious myself. One of the framers in our local PPFA chapter is always saying how great it is for them and how much money they make, but I have never gotten any specifics from her???

anyone?
 
I worked for a company that has it. Their business was very pointedly targeted to designers and they sold a lot of framed prints. I sold more framed art, and wrote more framing orders using art from our own bins there than in all of the other twenty years of my career.

As an ardent fan of hand drawn ink lines and painted panels I didn't love the finished product - clearly printed. For a specific look on reproduction botanicals and architectural prints, with a specific price point in mind, it worked very well.

I was not involved in the actual operation of it so I can't speak to whether it's easy to use and maintain, or the cost of running it.
 
I've had it for 3 or 4 years. We've used it. What do you want to know? You'll pay half of what I paid if you buy it now.
 
Wizard tells me there is a major update on the way - I wonder if they will tie it in with Integrated Framer.

As we have wide format printers it seemed there might be a profitable use in printing on mats.

The Wizard site and brochure shows about 4 samples of French panels and that's it.

I'm wondering what's in the Wizard library in DaVinci.

We've been asked about school and company logos

Also sports tournament stats mats.

How do you use DaVinci?
 
Warren, I am curious what aspect of the product you use the most, what turns the best profit, and how you promoted it?
 
I honestly think the DaVinchi is a total rip

You can do any thing that it will do with photoshop & have better color control.

Another problem with the davinci is getting the mat opening lined up with the printing.

I find it faster to do buy hand, and a lot better looking.

Just my 2 cents
 
Clif, we've used it most for adding text to mat openings and we've done a few french mats with lines and panels. The french mats look, to me at least, very authentic. The ink is, after all, sprayed on the mat, not "printed" and it doesn't looked printed. We don't promote the service much except. Mostly customers ask us if we can print on matboard and then we say we can.

We could probably do with Photoshop what we do with DaVinci but it would be more trouble. DaVinci actually uses the Wizard matt design engine to place openings. You could do that with Photoshop, but it would be a lot of effort. There is a very steep learning curve with Photoshop; DaVinci is a lot easier.

Of course, you have to have an Epson Stylus Pro printer to use DaVinci.
 
Thanks Warren,

We are good at Photoshop but there are no French Mats - they would have to be created.

I'm hoping Davinci has a good library and many templates for text - does it?

I have searched the Internet high and low and never found anyone actively promoting the type of product DaVinci would produce.

In the current custom frame market I find the more unique products and services you have the better business is - DaVinci seems to have a place.

Next week - Integrated Framer install and I think the month after I'll have a go at DaVinci - 100 bucks will rent it for a 4 month trial.
 
All the davinci does with F-mats is to draw lines and the panels are just copied patterns.

I don't know if the new version has allows you to set ICC profiles. We could never I repeat NEVER get the colors right.
 
You don't really need profiles for DaVinci but if anyone wants them I can make them using Monaco Profiler and an X-Rite DTP41. The simplist solution is to print out the pallets on each type of matboard you're planning on using with DaVinci and pick out the color your printer actually prints out. Pretty simple. You really are limited to white and off whites. Ypu wpuld have to create your own pallets in Photoshop or profile each type of matboard.

We bought our version.

DaVinci could use a major upgrade. Currently text is limited to just one line but there is a work around.

The panels don't have to have patterns. We use solid colors as with water colors.
 
Yes, lord help you if you want a colored mat. Yoy'll go broke in ink costs.
 
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