Hopefully you know how to create designs and combine shapes by now. You need to know how to expand text. You may wish to import and trace simple pictures.
I suggest starting from an Illustrator file that is Page/Letter size (8.5 x 11 inches)
On this file, you will create an original design that can be cut out of vinyl and placed on a binder or a piece of plastic board, or it could possibly (with approval, permission, and certain conditions met) be put onto a shirt or shopping bag.
You need to be able to do all of the things we’ve covered in the previous lessons and assignments.
Some tips:
For this, you want to design something that uses ONE colour. Obviously the material you press it onto will add a second colour. You can try two if you want, but it can be hard to properly line up different coloured pieces.
Positive space is the colour you’re designing with. Negative space is the holes that will show the material below. So if I’m designing something that I want to be red, and I’m pressing it onto something black, you’ll see the black through in spots to create your design.
You’ll have to CAREFULLY pick out ALL of the little bits of negative space! For example, if my design has the letter O in it, I’d have to go and pick the middle of the O out. Make sure that your negative space pieces aren’t too tiny! Also make sure that your positive space pieces aren’t too tiny, because those won’t be easy to work with either.
Take your time. If you rush through this and your design is too simple, you’ll lose marks. If it’s too complicated and can’t be cut out, you’ll lose marks.
This is a creative exercise, so you should be designing something yourself. You are not just making a sticker out of an existing logo or design, but those could be incorporated into your overall design.
Everything needs to be OUTLINED. Press Ctrl + Y on your keyboard. The machine has to cut on every line you see. If you see any objects (usually letters) that are filled in with black, those are NOT OUTLINED/EXPANDED yet.
You can incorporate artwork that you didn’t design yourself (consult The Noun Project or Brands of the World if you’d like), but you need to draw some things and/or add text yourself. You can’t just cut things that you downloaded or your creativity/originality mark will be terrible.
You CAN’T HAVE LINES THAT CROSS ONE ANOTHER. You need to know how to use Shape Builder or Pathfinder to eliminate excess lines. (Remember SUNNY?):
This would NOT work:
This WOULD work:
Student samples:
Design: 
Outlines:
Design:
Outlines:
Design:
Outlines:
This one’s kind of nuts and would be super hard to prepare, but it sure looks cool!
