Help! Converting to cut file/ adding text to cut split design file

You know those designs where you can add the name and have a really cool personalized cutout? How do you actually make them cut appropriately after adding the text? I think I have attached an image. I bought the dinosaur design (without the name) and added the name the flattened the image so it was all together. Now I cant change it back to cut out all the pieces and when I try to have glowforge do the outline it just gets the main circle. Is there maybe a good tutorial that could show me how to transform these images like I want? I havent been able to find anything and so far it is not going well :frowning: Thanks in advance! Still pretty new at this and I still basically have no clue what I’m doing.


2 Likes

What design software are you using?

1 Like

This is DesignScape, but I have access to PhotoShop and InkScape as well
I just have a hard time figuring out how to do it and it takes me hours each time and I feel like it’s only by accident that I eventually get it. I’m willing to try out any easier programs as well. I just want to have an efficient process and dont think I have a clue what I’m doing.

It really seems like, if I have a clear and crisp picture right in front of me this should be easy peasy to create a cut file, but it’s not.

When you purchased the file everything should have been ready to cut. All you should need to do is add the personalized text, union the paths and you should be good to go. Unfortunately you cannot share the actual file here since that would be violating the seller’s terms of service,I assume.

How do you union a file? I guess that’s what I’m needing to figure out how to do

1 Like

Hang in there! Learning these design tools takes time and effort, but once you get more comfortable, these tasks won’t seem so daunting.

I’m going to assume you have that image without the name, in a fairly well constructed SVG.

I don’t know DesignScape… but I would turn to Illustrator (or Inkscape) to deal with this.

Here’s the approximate steps I’d take:

(1) open the SVG
(2) Create the text
(3) Convert text into a path / shape
(4) Union the text shape with the original shape in the SVG
(joining two shapes with union in inkscape - Google Search)

Good luck!

3 Likes

Actually the fastest thing may be to open the png in Inkscape and do a trace.

2 Likes

In InkScape, do a “trace bit map”. Then, this particular image will come in with a solid line attached to the right side. Choose the nodes on that line and delete them. It also has a flat side on the left so you have to choose the node there and round things out a bit. Also the pterodactyl (?) on the left has a pretty skinny foot so you might want to shift the node there as well.
To make the circle even more round you can create a new one the size of the outside diameter then duplicate it to fit the inside diameter of the ring and with those both selected choose “Path, Difference”. Then select the new ring and the rest of the art and choose “Path, Union”. Then if you want the small hole at the top just create another small circle, overlay it where you want it and again with both selected choose “Path, Difference”.
It’s just that easy.
Example:
Drake help

3 Likes

This topic was automatically closed 32 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.