Why I love My Glass Eye 2000

There may be a few other CAD type programs out there that glassers can work with, most of which I have trialed, to which I can only say . . .

No comparison, whatsoever!

This amazing stained glass pattern product has had a profound effect on the way I design and even the way I do business. Whether it's a photograph, my own or a client's rough drawing of what they imagine they would like to be constructed into glass, I am able to scan any image into the program, trace the glass cut lines over the image, place appropriate coloring within the design, and show it to a customer before I even construct it!

Here is an example of a design I created from a photo: This is "Tabby" Resident of E.A.R.S. Endangered Animal Rescue Sanctuary, An, incredible organization lovingly devoted to saving abused and neglected wildlife. (note: please contribute to their mission)
Original Photo

Resulting Design

Better yet, supply a photo of the location for the project and I will incorporate the design directly into your photo, giving you a realistic image of the project as it will look when completed.
Before	After, Showing new kitchen window with coordinating vase on shelf.

The following information is intended for glaziers interested in further detailed usage of their GlassEye2000 program:

So Easy to Use!

With this software you can create precise designs that are easier to view and edit than any pencil and paper drawing. It supports your design work with a set of custom tools that make drawing, alignments, symmetry, measurement, and resizing easy.

There's no need to import or export your work to or from any other drawing package. You create, edit, scale, and print completely within the program! It has the essential features found in expensive high-end CAD systems, but it's designed specifically for the stained glass industry by user interface experts who know how to make software easy to use. For those of you new to computer-aided design, there is a tutorial that explains each program feature step by step. It also has an extensive help system built right into the software located on the top right corner of the menu.

Pattern Library:
Click the "browse patterns" icon and treat yourself to a huge library of over 400 patterns. You can also incorporate a number of terrific additional Glass Eye patterns, available online through their web site, directly into the program's browsing feature.

Bevel Library:
I do love working with jewels and bevels in my work. You can form the shapes and specify the dimensions of any jewel size directly within your design, itself. As to bevels, Glass Eye allows you to choose 89 bevel clusters or 72 stock bevels for incorporation into your design.

Bevel Clusters

Stock Bevels

Importing Images:
Get the image right from your scanner or digital camera without your having to worry about files and file formats. You can also import an image from your hard drive.

Auto Trace Feature:
With the Professional Plus Edition, which I highly recommend (see program feature comparisons), a scanned or imported drawing can be converted directly to a Glass Eye 2000 design using the AutoTrace Background feature. This particular feature, along with the 3-D Design feature (Lamp Wizard), is one of the additional reasons why most buyers will very wisely opt to invest the additional cost when purchasing the program.

3-D Design:
I've heard horror stories of glassers who have tediously cut, foiled and assembled a lamp pattern only to find out the the pattern was off center when it came to assembly, one considerable misfortune that would not occur with this wizard.

If you enjoy making lamps, jewelry boxes, candle holders, vases, candy dishes, Christmas ornaments, etc., you'll need to purchase the Professional or Professional Plus editions of Glass Eye.

This is a tool for the design of symmetrical, three-dimensional artworks. You'll design right on your computer screen using an interactive 3-D viewer.   Calculate the dimensions of lamp panels in seconds by simply specifying the shape of the 3-D form. The "Lamp Wizard" will then generate outlines of the individual panels for you to use as a template for construction.

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