Software reviews

PROFESSOR FRANKLIN INSTANT PHOTO T-SHIRT Maker: Streetwise Software Rating: 3 stars System: Windows 95/98 Price: $39.95 More information: 310-829-7827; www.swsoftware.com March

Friday, March 24th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

PROFESSOR FRANKLIN INSTANT PHOTO T-SHIRT

Maker: Streetwise Software

Rating: 3 stars

System: Windows 95/98

Price: $39.95

More information: 310-829-7827;

www.swsoftware.com

March is National Crafts Month and the start of spring, so it's time to do something fun with the computer. And when it comes to making things on the computer, designing a personalized T-shirt is immediately fulfilling.

All T-shirt maker software is pretty much created equal, but I'd like to point out the Professor Franklin brand. The fictional professor is one of the new players in the game, and his software issues this challenge: "If you're not ready to apply the transfer within 10 minutes of using this program, return the product within 30 days and I'll return your money -- no questions asked."

Well, the professor wins the challenge, though I have to admit that the more experienced you are, the faster the job. I liked the simple interface that doesn't leave the user wondering what to do next.

Once you are in the program, creating a design is a matter of a few key selections. Choose from art categories such as kid stuff, sports or your own design. I was impressed by the number of templates to get you started if you don't have original ideas.

I imported a photo of my Girl Scout troop into the program and jazzed up the shot with a little art effect, fading the photo's outline for drama. My photo already had been edited in another program, but Professor Franklin provides basic editing tools for those scanning a picture directly into the T-shirt software.

Other tools are obvious as you work. If you're working on two sides of a shirt, the large button with the professor's picture allows you to switch views. Insert keys for text and clip art as well as familiar graphics art functions such as the zoom, the pointer and back and front positioning make up a well-rounded art package.

It's a good time to buy the Instant Photo T-shirt because it's packaged now with two T-shirts, transfer paper, a photo greeting card and the software. My transfer is ready, and now all I have to do is heat up the iron.

PREMIER T-SHIRT MAKER ACCESSORY PACK

Maker: Austin James
Rating: 3 stars

System: Windows 95/98

Price: $24.95

More information: 1-800-426-3728; www.hanes2u.com

While I had T-shirt transfers on the brain and a nice photo to show off, I thought I'd try my hand at crafting tote bags. Austin James, the Hanes T-shirt Maker producer, features an art pack that includes a tote bag, 10 sheets of transfer paper and the Photo Treats CD, which comes with wacky images to jazz up your photos. Be aware that the bonus CD works only with Hanes T-shirt Maker CD, a separate CD-ROM that costs about $20.

For a brief second, I considered giving each of Girl Scouts in the group photo a mustache but decided to play it dignified. I kept the design I originally created in the Professor Franklin software and made a transfer for the tote bag using the special Hanes iron-on transfer.

After ironing the image onto the T-shirt and the canvas tote, I have to give two thumbs-ups to the results from the Hanes transfer sheet. The quality of the Easy-Peel paper, the company's trademarked brand, is indisputable. The T-shirt looks fine, but the canvas tote image is stunning.

The moral of these two tales: Art software for iron-on purposes is created equally. The real difference lies with the paper transfers. Hanes transfer papers also can be purchased separately at computer stores.

Jean Nash Johnson is a Dallas Morning News staff writer. Send questions or comments to her at Personal Technology, The Dallas Morning News, P.O. Box 655237, Dallas, Texas, 75265, or send e-mail to jnjohnson@dallasnews.com. Ms. Johnson is unable to reply personally to each letter.