Next up, you can utilize a lot of the same skills you’ve used before, when you designed something for vinyl cutout and when you outlined an object for print/cut stickers.

You have the opportunity to use our super cool laser engraver to come up with a nifty gift for someone you love, decoration for your home, or just a neat item for yourself.

With the engraver, you can make things like coasters, ornaments to hang in a window or on a tree, earrings, necklace pendants, charms, and more!

Here are some examples:

PLASTIC hangable ornaments/key chain/pendant:

WOOD hangable ornament/key chain/pendant:

WOOD or PLASTIC coasters:

METAL engraving:

You have the opportunity to design and create whatever you like.

The most creative designs will be ones that you CREATE YOURSELF!

The Noun Project is an EXCELLENT source of images for this!

Brands of the World is also good, but remember that you are looking for images that are BLACK and WHITE, so you will have to edit images that have any other colours.

If you must use a source like Google Images, remember to search for high quality images (Tools/Size=Large)

and either make sure they’re Black and White or be prepared to edit them yourself

You can design or create in Photoshop or Illustrator.

Start from a file that is 7.5 inches by 7.5 inches. You don’t have to use all of that space. We could possibly make something larger if you have a good idea. You do not have to fill up the entire page, but please PUT SEPARATE OBJECTS AS CLOSE TOGETHER AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT TOUCHING! (we’ll review that further down)

It is VERY IMPORTANT that you choose RGB Color Mode! You need a very particular colour, and it will not work if don’t you start from a file that is RGB.

Illustrator:

Photoshop:

There are TWO colours you can use to start:

BLACK

and RGB Red

Anything that is BLACK will be engraved

Anything that is RGB Red will be cut.

As with vinyl cutting, we want a SIMPLE outline for our cuts. We do not want lines going all over the place. You can use simple shapes (ellipse/circle, rectangle/square, star, etc.) by using the drawing tools.

If you use a symmetrical shape, your design could be double sided! Here are some circular ornaments that can be double sided:

If you want something that is cut with an irregular shape, you would use the same technique that you used on the full colour stickers to create the outline.

These ones are irregular. The one on the top left could probably be double sided because it’s pretty symmetrical, but the others would not work. :

If you want some items double-sided and some single-sided, they should be SEPARATE FILES. Only files where everything on the page can be double-sided (symmetrical) will be engraved on both sides

Note that the red cut outlines are REALLY thin. The thickness of that cut line HAS TO BE .001 pt

If you are making more than one thing on a page, please PUT YOUR ITEMS AS CLOSE TOGETHER AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT TOUCHING!

BAD:

GOOD:

So… what will you come up with? Be creative and have fun! These make great gifts!

You don’t absolutely have to make the finished product, but you do have to come up with a design. If you don’t follow the directions very carefully, your design won’t work, so it won’t be engraved/cut.

If you would like something cut, you will need to check with me to make sure that you are eligible (you have paid your fee and completed earlier assignments) and you will need to decide what material you would like your items engraved on (wood or coloured plastic are most common.)