Customer Reviews

Print Artist Platinum 22

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(18)

 

 

I have used Print Artist since 1997 and have loved it. It has always been very versatile, easy to use, and had a good selection of clipart. I was extremely disappointed in version 22, now from Nova Development instead of Sierra. At first I thought I had a bad disk, I couldn't get the program to launch at all so I exchanged it. The exchange process was quick & easy with Amazon. After trying the replacement and getting several IT personnel involved we finally gave up and I returned it and we reinstalled the older version. Also, Nova does not support the versions produced by Sierra so I couldn't even access my old files. What a waste of time and effort.

If you have used Print Artist in the past, you will be very disappointed in this version. I have used several older versions of Print Artist and have been quite satisfied. They were very easy to use. I recently bought a new computer and thought I would install the newest version. I have been extremely disappointed. It is quite time consuming to search for graphics. You must identify a category before searching for the graphic you want, but many of the graphics I have used successfully in the past do not fit into any category. I cannot locate them. Also, many of the calendars I have tried to use come out blank. This software is only a huge step backwards for Print Artist. I am reinstalling my 2003 version as I am writing this review.

The Print Artist program is ok. I find it to be more complicated then the older version I had on my computer but at the same time I find it has more graphics though they are more cartoonish then the version I had.

The option of using your own graphics is nice but you have to save them in a photo file or adobe file on your computer. The version I had you could just add them to the programs library of graphics which eliminated having to retrieve your graphics from another source.

Overall you have to get used to using this program since it is different from the versions of years gone by.

I agree with most of the reviews here, the search feature is a disappointment. You must be within a category to do a search, you cannot search across all categories which is a shame since this program is loaded with really beautiful graphics.

This new version of Print Artist Platinum has an abundance of gorgeous pre-designed layouts. The designers loaded the program with really modern layouts and left the trite, tiresome designs out. I especially like the many scrapbooking templates that come with the program along with the many scrapbooking elements that are included.

The features of the program didn't change a whole lot. If you used Print Artist 2003 then you really are not going to find anything new here. Its features are comparable to other programs of its price & purpose. It offer body/title text effects, special effects (such as extrusions, shadows, blending, etc...), color effects (brightness, hue, saturation, etc...) and shape effects. It does have a print preview which is helpful. One thing I do miss is the quotes. This new version does not include the 100's of quotes that came with the 2003 version, therefore, I kept the older version loaded on my computer.

Version 22 also seems to be a little stubborn when moving elements around. I often have to click on a text box several times before it is grabbed.

As far as features, I give Print Artist Platinum three stars. However, with the addition of the gorgeous graphics and abundance of well designed projects, I had to give it four stars.

I have used older versions of Print Artist for years and loved them. This version is so frustrating I hardly ever use it. There are lots of graphics but you have to search each subdirectory individually and there are lots of subdirectories. Hope you have lots of time.

Another negative is the graphics don't paste into WordPerfect. They come out as big black boxes.

I have an older version at work and the projects created on this version won't open in the older versions.

If you just want to make a birthday card by putting a picture and a few words on a card and you aren't too particular, this will probably be OK for you and you will have a nice card.

In this version, change was not good-only costly and frustrating.

There is a program for creating great slide shows with your photos. You can add music, videos, transitions, pan, zoom, add text, and more with lots of editing power. The basics were easy, some of the more advanced tools (trimming the music to a selected portion) were a little complicated. It looked great! Until I burned it to the CD as a finished project. Then it probably looked OK to people with very large cataracts. Though the photos were high resolution, it was burned in a low resolution. Acceptable if you don't care about the expressions on the faces of the people pictured. If you want to burn them in good resolution you can buy an unlock code from Nova Development's website for an additional $12.95. Having spent hours developing an involved slideshow for a presentation, I tried that. Nova Development charged the credit card and sent an email with the unlock number blank. I emailed Nova's tech support and the automated email said we'll get back to you in 2 business days. I called Nova's tech support when they opened on a business day. After several long holds (40 min) and transfers to numbers that don't work, the Nova Development customer support rep said I had to prove that I had paid for it by faxing them proof from my bank or credit card company. Finally he agreed to accept the purchase confirmation email that they had sent me as proof if I emailed it back to them. He said he was going to watch the inbox for my email. The only thing I got back was an email that said we will get back to you within 2 businss days. Then I got an email from tech support asking what program I bought. I responded and they sent me an email that said they would get back to me within 2 business days. Well, by then, my presentation had passed. I still don't have the unlock code. So far, all I have been able to get is emails that promise to get back to me within 2 business day. Nova Development promises free tech support. But I wouldn't count of it.

I regret purchasing this. I bought it in a store relying on past experiences with older versions. I wish I had looked on Amazon first.

I hate this program. Tech support emailed me the instructions for downloading the bonus discs. Could not make either one work from their instructions. I get half-way through the steps, then find there is no way to continue because the tabs they tell me to choose are not there!

Also, they tell me I have to perform the above instructions for EACH font I want to install. Hey, if I buy a program with 1000 fonts, then I want ALL of them. Do you really think I'm going through that 1000 times?? Not this girl. I'm returning this puppy in Monday's mail.

As for the graphics... I ran into the same problem trying to download them from the bonus disc.

I really think tech support sent me the wrong instructions for my computer, though I sent them detailed info about it with my request for help. Sooooo, I tried calling the number they provided and reached a fax machine.

I loved Print Artist Gold. I would never recommend this version to anyone.

After few emails to Nova, they responded to me about the PA 22 search limitation/blundder.

- "Handful of complaints about it". Please complain about it, because it look like it is not a big issue to them. Or I'm the only one that can not find graphic without going to a painful "look around and good luck, if you can find it"

- "hopefully to get it fixed in the next incarnation of Print Artist" I read it, as wait for the next version and pay for them to fix it, Please don't wait for a patch for this version.

If you decide to return it, you have only 90 days, plus few limitations.

I guess, I'm now an ex-Print Artist user. I have use it since the first version called Instant Artist by Autocad!

Does any one have a good workaround for the search problem with PA 22? Just my last HOPE.

Please understand my frustation.

Qoute

Hello,

Thank you for contacting Nova Development Technical Support.

That's the way the program was designed. We have had a handful of complaints about it, and it has been passed on to the developers, hopefully to get it fixed in the next incarnation of Print Artist. There will be no fix for this version however.
Thank you,

Jeff
Technical Support Representative

Nova Development
23801 Calabasas Road, Suite 2005
Calabasas, CA 91302-1547

Phone: (818) 591-6245
[...]
Unqoute

My recomendation will be, wait until the next version of PA ...

Having used versions of Print Artist when it was developed by Sierra - and loving them - I was extremely disappointed in this Nova Development version.

Perhaps the most frustrating problem is that, when using "save as" to rename an existing project (previously saved in its entirety), not all components of the old project are saved. After contacting their "Ask a Tech" support, and following their recommendations, I am still having the same problems and, just moments ago, submitted my request to return the software directly to Nova Development.

Of course, having the program shut down unexpectedly (this program has experienced an error and must shut down...) is also very frustrating!

Running XP SP3 on a Dell.

I recently purchased PA22,and I am so dissapointed! I have used other Nova products and never had a problem.It is definately not user friendly!!

I love Print Artist 8, but I am VERY DISAPPOINTED with Print Artist 22 Gold. I have yet to find out how to format my fonts to Italics, Bold, etc. and this is after going by what the manual says. The "Tab" it tells you to select is not to be found. PA 8 has many more features, it is easy to use, and if PA 22 has them, they are very evasive, and the program is not user friendly at all,not to mention that graphics do not print nearly as sharp and clear as PA 8. I am not a novice. My first computer was a K-Pro 4 in the mid 1980s, I am a web designer, and do most of my own hardware and software installation and maintenance. But this program is a waste of time. I went back to PA 8, and will stay with it.