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Clipart is one of the best file formats you can use for lasering because it is
made up on vector lines, making it easy to change the size of the image without
losing resolution quality, as well as to create a vector cut around the outside
of the image.
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1)
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You
can download the original snowman image by right clicking
on the file below and choosing "Save Target As."
Snowman.cdr (Corel
8 or higher).
This file, as well as the other ornaments
found in the Sample Club, were all created using clipart
images that we downloaded from Microsoft's clipart
site at office.microsoft.com/clipart.
You can find many great clipart images at this site
for engraving and cutting.
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2) |
Create
a wireframe and ungrouping the image.
Every clipart image is made up of numerous
individual shapes that together create the entire image.
To see what
these individual elements are, click on the image and
in the View menu at the top of the page, choose "Simple
Wireframe." This will show us the outline of every
shape making up the picture. To make the image so that
we can select individual elements, right click on the snowman
and choose "Ungroup All".
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3)
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Remove elements we won't be engraving.
Next, we can remove all of the parts of the image that we won't be engraving
or cutting. First, delete the snowflakes by using the Pick Tool (the arrow)
in the tool bar and click on each snowflake and click delete. You can do the
same for the shapes at the bottom of the snowman making up the ground as well
as the circles inside the snowballs, snowman's body, and his face. Also delete
the inner shape of his nose. When you are done, your file should look like
the image below.
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4)
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Remove the shading.
This image has several areas of the snowman and snowballs that are shaded using
a shape covered by several lines. When we simplify this image, we want to remove
these areas of the picture. Since we have the image in wireframe, we can easily
see what shapes we need to remove to get rid of this shading. Select each of
the pieces making up the shading and delete them. Your image will look like the
snowman below.
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5)
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Change
the view to "normal".
Now that we have removed the sections of the image
that we don't need, change the image back to normal
view by choosing the View menu at the top of the
page,
and "Normal". Your image will look like the picture below.
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6)
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Create the vector cut outline.
The snowman now has a solid black section that needs
to be changed to an outline. Select the black shape
in the image, then in the color palette on the right
side
of the page, left click with your mouse on the white box with the "x" in
it to remove the color from the shape, then right click on the black to set the
outline to black. This will also set the outline to "hairline" width
so that it will be cut out. (If this menu is not on your screen, you can select
Window, Color Palettes, Default CMYK Palette to make it appear.)
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7)
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Change the colors to black.
When you send an image to the laser, it reads any colors within the image as
a percentage between 0% (white) and 100% (black). If we send the image over with
the tan and blue in the scarf and hat, those areas will not be engraved as deeply
as the black buttons and nose. Since we are engraving on acrylic, and want an
even, frosted appearance on the sections we engrave. Select each of the colored
shapes and change them to black.
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8)
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Smooth out the bottom of the vector line.
We need to smooth out the area where the snowballs were so that we get a nice,
smooth cut around the snowman when we cut him out. Select the Shape Tool in the
toolbar (circled in red) and click on the outline to the snowman. With this tool
selected, all of the nodes making up the outline will appear. (Nodes are the
individual points that make up a line.)
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9) |
Delete
the nodes outside the circle.
The first step in smoothing the curve is to delete all of the nodes between the
two red arrows in the image below. Using the Shape Tool, draw a marquee (box)
around some of the nodes and click delete. You can also select individual nodes
and delete them. Continue selecting nodes until you have deleted all of them
between the two red arrows.
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10) |
Reshape
the curve.
When you have finished deleting those nodes, the curve should look similar to
the one below. If you select either of the end nodes of the misshapen section
of the curve, you will see two dotted lines coming out of the node (like in the
image below). These lines control the shape of the curve. If you click on the
end of either of these lines, you can drag them in closer to the snowman's body
so the lines are perpendicular to the curve, which will smooth the curve into
a circular shape.
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11) |
And
you're done!
If there are nodes to the line that are out of place, use the Shape Tool to select
them and drag them into place, or delete them as necessary This article is meant
to help you learn the basics of working with clipart, but as you run into problems,
play with the nodes and learn how you can work with any clipart image! Find another
clipart object and try to use these concepts to create an ornament of your own!
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