For July 4th, I went to my friend’s house for a barbeque, and got to check out his mouse doors.
Jordan’s history includes legendary creations like Battletech and Shadowrun, and he’s worked as everything from a Disney executive to a professor to a startup CEO (the last one, many times). He’s one of those people whose imaginations defy limits. In fact, his latest creation is a way for you to create and publish your own games, just like he does.
This time, though, his vision was tiny. His house was inhabited by very civilized mice (he decided) and there are a few carefully-placed doors around where they enter and exit.
The creation of these was such a joy. I didn’t do much - a little help with Adobe Illustrator - but there’s something truly magical about creating together.
Going Farther Together
One of the most remarkable things about the Glowforge community is how warmly we welcome and support new Glowforge makers in our shared spaces. These are our places where creativity thrives, support is kindly offered, and a spark of an idea can ignite into a full-fledged masterpiece.
It all started here, in the Forum, where we’ve been chatting together since 2015. I can’t believe the wellspring of knowledge and creativity that’s poured forth here.
More recently in our Community Chat, launched last summer, thousands of messages fly past each week with members from all walks of life sharing their knowledge, their experiences, and their passion for creating. I usually have this chat open myself while I’m at my computer, and I love both reading and jumping into conversations.
It’s in these interactions that the magic happens while making. A newcomer posts a question and is immediately surrounded by experienced makers offering guidance. An artist shares a new design and sparks a flood of inspiration and collaboration. A entrepreneur learns the efficiencies needed to take their craft to the next level.
And it’s all thanks to the generosity and enthusiasm of this amazing group of makers, and your willingness to lean into this group of people who are building their own creative visions alongside you. This is what it means to go far, together. By leaning on each other’s strengths, by learning from each other’s perspectives, we can achieve things that none of us could easily achieve on our own.
Want to join us? Learn how to join our Community Chat discord here.
Expanding Your Creative Tools
Brand new this month, we have released nine updated Art Styles in Magic Canvas to help you continue to explore your creative ideas faster and see your unique visions come to life.
First, we dramatically improved the most popular styles like Sticker, Charcoal Drawing, Watercolor, Black & White Photograph, and Super Cute.
But we didn’t stop there. We also developed four new styles that can be cut, scored, or engraved: T-Shirt, Icons, Silhouette, and Grownup Coloring Book. These are vector designs - SVGs, not just bitmaps. That means they open up a whole new world of added creative possibilities! Try them with stamp maker. Use Eco Iron On to make a T-shirt or tote. Use a silhouette to decorate a custom gift. Try turning a sticker design into a one-of-a-kind leather patch.
Here are some samples from @cynd11:
Going Faster Together, too
In addition to inspiration and know-how, you also need the right tools to bring your creative vision to life. That’s where our team comes in to help. When you bought your Glowforge, you weren’t just buying a machine - you were investing in yourself and your creative potential. We take that investment seriously, which is why we’re always looking for ways to make your Glowforge even better, even after you buy it.
I’m so excited about the speed changes.
Whether you’ve owned your glowforge for five days or five years, it got so much faster. It accelerates faster, there are faster top speeds, and you can now make more mouse doors (or anything else) than you ever could before.
We’ve also fixed up some rough edges - a problem with vector engravings was resulting in strange lines; that fix is rolling out right now. Folks’ reports to our support team (support@glowforge.com or at 1-855-338-2122!) helped us find this, track it down, and get it fixed.
At the end of the day, what makes this community so special is the people. It’s the educators inspiring the next generation of makers. It’s the entrepreneurs turning their passions into thriving businesses. It’s the dreamers and doers, the tinkerers and trailblazers, all coming together to create something extraordinary.
So let’s keep dreaming big, pushing boundaries, and lifting each other up. Because together, we all can go a little bit farther than we can alone.
Happy creating!
–dan