Perl'Art was a jewelry design software. Debuted in 2006 as a desktop application, it underwent a complete redesign in 2016, transforming into an iPad app.
© 2006-2018 WitchLake Studio, Lysann Lamontagne & Alexandre Renevey
La Perle Rare (The Rare Pearl) is an esteemed online boutique specializing in the creation of jewelry. Their collection includes an array of pearls, pendants, dreamcatchers, spacers, and accessories, featuring renowned brands like Swarovski, Miyuki, Toho Beads, and Preciosa. Founded in 2002 by Lysann Lamontagne in the picturesque city of Lausanne, Switzerland, La Perle Rare has been dedicated to offering unique and high-quality jewelry pieces.
In January 2006, Lysann Lamontagne reached out to me to collaborate on the development of Perl'Art, an innovative jewelry design software. Perl'Art empowered users to effortlessly create, illustrate, and showcase their personalized jewelry designs. The inaugural version of Perl'Art was launched the same year, providing both a demo and a paid version for users' convenience. After numerous updates, the software became increasingly comprehensive, incorporating a vast array of pearls, accessories, and new features.
Ten years later, in 2016, a completely revamped version of the software was developed by WitchLake Studio, the company I was working for at this time.
Let's explore the evolution of Perl'Art, beginning from Le Perl'Art (2006).
"It has already been a few years that I've been using the program Perl'Art to create some of my patterns. I recommend and encourage the use of this new version because it is pleasant and easy to use, favoring the creation of beautiful patterns."
"There is a variety of different beads, an abundance of colors... The manipulation on the tablet is very simple, and with each pattern, I discover different manipulations. You can combine drawing and text to explain more in-depth. It's the ideal tool for creating your patterns."
"Perl'Art is a specialized application designed exclusively for beaders - nothing else cluttering things up, and a lot less to learn than Inkscape or similar. Nice simple user interface. Key bead types available ready rendered, accurately sized/shaped. The developers use manufacturer's colours, sizes and other specifications, so you're getting an accurate digital rendering of real beads. Lovely responsive development team - always respond to queries and comments quickly and seem very keen to collect and act on feedback. Lysann Lamontagne, the creator is a beader herself, and her tech team seem very good (Alexandre has been very helpful!). Fantastic grid function - click on a bead and select a couple of settings and Perl'Art will draw you a grid of beads in Peyote (1 or 2 drop) or RAW. This is really, really useful."
I began working on the initial iteration of Perl'Art in January 2006, utilizing Adobe Flash (now Adobe Animate) and ActionScript. I undertook complete responsibility for the software's creation and delivery, encompassing the design of the Graphical User Interface (GUI), various pearls and accessories, the Perl'Art logo, and all programming tasks. During this period, there existed a similar software named Perlographe from l'Atelier de Juliette, which served as my primary inspiration. I aimed to enhance the user experience by incorporating new features such as the string mode, enabling users to draw strings or chains, and a Text mode, allowing the inclusion of text alongside the pearl patterns.
I developed two versions of the software: a free demo version offering a limited selection of pearls and accessories, and a full version available for purchase on the online boutique La Perle Rare. Subsequently, I periodically updated Perl'Art throughout the years, introducing new pearls and accessories and implementing additional features and language options. In January 2011, we released the final iteration of Perl'Art (version 2.2).
From 2014 to 2017, I served as a Senior Game Designer at WitchLake Studio, overseeing a team comprised of four incredible artists and a talented programmer. During this tenure, I initiated discussions with my boss, Stéphane Donnet, regarding the prospect of developing a completely revamped and contemporary edition of Perl'Art intended for release on the AppStore. Engaging with Lysann Lamontagne, we secured approval a few weeks later and commenced development on the all-new Perl'Art software.
Throughout this project, I seized the opportunity to familiarize myself with PaintCode, an exceptional vector drawing application that seamlessly translates drawings into Objective-C, Swift, or C# drawing code in real time, an experience I thoroughly enjoyed.
Perl'Art for iPad was released on May 10, 2016, priced at $29.99. Within a few months, it featured 10 downloadable packs, three of which were offered free of charge.
"With more than 150 different beads and many accessories, available in multiple sizes, Perl'Art is the essential tool to draw your jewelry patterns. Imagine, create and share in all simplicity. Perl'Art elevates the creation of jewelry patterns to a whole new level. From your fingertips or your Apple Pencil, describe in detail the creation process of your jewelry. From Swarovski® to Starman® passing by Miyuki®, find many of the famous brands available in stores in our Perl'Art shop and let your imagination run free."
In September 2016, I secured a partnership with Beads Direct, the leading bead and jewelry making supplier in the UK and Europe. To mark this achievement, for a limited time, we offered a 20% discount on Perl'Art. Additionally, of significant note, I curated and crafted a new pack comprising exclusive Beads Direct Charms, available for free in the in-app shop.
From 2006 to 2008, I tried a few times to enhance Perl'Art by designing new interfaces, as showcased below. While some of these proposals displayed significant potential, I always went back to the original design.
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