Debossing stamp question

[tshatraw]

I would like to engrave some delrin maker stamps and debossing stamps. How can I make a file that will engrave the background, but not the text? I have Adobe Illustrator, but not much experience with it.

Here is a photo of what I am trying to do.

[kittski]

This first example can get you started and it’s exactly what you’d need to do to make your stamp, but you’ll need an additional step of inverting your file so the image is facing the correct way when stamped. The example talks about using Inkscape, but it applies to AI too. (The commands may be called something different though.)

Glowforge Interface - Vector Files Made Easy

I’m doing everything I can do avoid the monthly cost of AI and so one of the things that has taken me the longest to learn is the cut out function. In Illustrator it looks pretty straightforward and though I found some tutorials that described the function in Inkscape, I thought I’d share here to add to the @Jules original. So in this simple tutorial I’ll explain how I cut out the shape above in to the shape below using a black circle and a simple top graphic. [image] If you just draw a cir…

This has a ton of resources too.

Glowforge Customers Training Center - 2D Vector Design

This one is specific to AI

Adobe Illustrator - Pathfinder Menu - Merging, Subtracting Objects, Trim, Difference, Outline

Adobe Illustrator - Pathfinder Menu.pdf (1.4 MB)

Here’s other discussions about making stamps and some of them are specific to leather.

https://community.glowforge.com/search?q=making%20stamps%20

[ekla]

Essentially your artwork needs to have the high/ stamp parts be white and the low/background parts be black.

[kittski]

Just remember to save it as a bitmap if you go with a black background/white text, otherwise it won’t work right. If you want to leave it as a vector, you have to “knock-out” the white text from the black background first.