Vinyl Cutter: Advanced Tips and Tricks

Vinyl Cutter: Advanced Tips and Tricks

Ben Pepper

Tip #1: Welding

     In the top left hand corner of the screen in Graphtec Studio, there is a button called "Weld selected shapes into one shape." This button can be very useful in making complex shapes.To use it, two or more shapes must be highlighted by dragging the mouse over them. When this happens, the button will turn from a light gray to a dark gray, informing the user that the selected shapes can be grouped together. Once this button is pressed, the selected shapes will combine into one shape. This can be very useful in making complex shapes out of simple shapes. For example, the Mickey Mouse logo can be made easily by grouping one big circle and two smaller circles on top of it. The weld button will combine all of these shapes and make the sticker look just like the logo. Knowing about this button allows people to make exactly what they desire to make by the use of complex shapes.

Tip #2: Roll-1 Front Edge

     Using the "Roll-1 Front Edge" option on the vinyl cutter can help save sticker paper. After the sticker paper is secured in the vinyl cutter, 3 options will show up. The first option, Roll-1 Front Edge, rolls the excess sticker paper back so it is not used. Knowing this allows the sticker paper to last longer, since no excess sticker paper is being wasted while cutting.

Tip #3: Layering

     Layering is a very useful way to make stickers multiple colors. While each layer has to be the same color, stacking different layers of sticker paper on each other will create multiple colors. For example, the Christmas wreath pictured to the right was used combining different layers. This can be seen by the multiple colors of the sticker. Each color has to be in its own file because each color needs to be printed separately. It is useful to use one file at first and create the design completely. To visualize what shape needs to be what color, the "Open the fill color window" button in the top right corner of Graphtec Studio can turn the shape into that color. Make sure not to weld the shapes together, as it will mess the sticker up. After the sticker is fully complete, all of the shapes can be selected to make sure that the sticker is the proper size. Once the sticker is the proper size, they can be split up into different files corresponding to the color that they need to be. It is also important to use the file of the completed sticker to know how to put it together once all of the pieces are printed. Knowing this can allow the vinyl cutter to be used to its fullest potential and can be used to make multicolored stickers.

Tip #4: Text

     Text can be useful to personalize stickers. Text boxes can be placed directly in a shape and will appear on the sticker. Since the text shapes are so small, it is hard to remove the letters so that the text can be read on the sticker. Using the "pick me up" knife tool can be useful to remove the letters from the stickers. It works by scraping the letters off, which completely destroys them. Using this small knife will allow for only the text to be removed from the sticker and will not interfere with the actual sticker itself. This allows the user to have their text carved out of the sticker without ruining it. Knowing this can allow for stickers to be customized.

Tip #5: Dimensions

     Utilizing dimensions is very important on knowing how big the sticker is going to be. The dimensions of the sticker can be changed. They can be changed by selecting the sticker and shrinking or enlarging it by using the mouse to pull on the squares on the corners of the sticker which adjust its size. The exact measurements of the sides are shown directly on the sticker when this is done, so doing this will allow the user to know exactly how big their sticker will be. If a sticker is meant to go on a piece of paper, the user can adjust the design page to make it 8 in by 11 in, the size of the paper. Doing this will allow the user to model their sticker in the size of their paper, therefore allowing them to know not only exactly how big it will be but also how big it will look in proportion to the paper. Knowing this allows the user to make their sticker the perfect size.