I always do new projects using chipboard first. Yeah, it doubles up the time because I’m doing it twice but I almost never get it all right the first time 
It’s pretty cheap if you recycle cereal boxes, etc. but not that much more if you buy it as stock from Amazon or Blick.
I was hoping you were going to give a narwhal related mistake based on the first sentence. Like “My mistake was assuming that all narwhals have a horn with a…”. Although this post was far more useful, and helpful to know. It seems to work similarly to those of use used to doing extrusions in a sketch based parametric CAD package (what it defines as “outside” vs “inside” which is something that can really trip you up in complex extrusions)
Also, I love the cut out specular highlight above the eye. Leave it as is!
I am laughing so hard I can’t breathe! 
(Thought the googlie eyes seemed a little harsh, before I turfed him for making me wait…)
I’ll see if I can find some googlie eyes for the narwhal. 
Gonna try to do a few now and then. 
(Testing first, then play).
By the way…the interface works just fine on PDFs as well as SVGs. And I wanted to get the various engraving shades into the narwhals this time. That dark engrave is a rich dark chocolate brown that almost looks black from a distance. Really exquisite.
The hopper is a great place for it right now. It’s not something that a designer is going to get caught by once they know the specifics on how to design for the machine, because it is super simple to set it up the right way. (This only happened because I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing, was still learning what I need to do, and was using a file that was not originally designed for the Glowforge.)
This is fine for now, you give us a light-up sign post to check the design over before we print, and several options to wait before getting down to the actual lasering process…it’s about as idiot-proof a procedure as it can be, with humans in the mix.
(You guys have really built one hell of a machine.) 
Thanks! That’s why I posted it. It’s so easy really, but the User Manual hadn’t been done at that time, so we were shooting blind back then. They have done a super job of listing the design specs in the manual - any designer is going to find them a snap.
And (since you’re working on the team) you know how we’re working on getting non-designers started in designing if they want to get their feet wet.
It’s gonna be so sweet! I can’t wait to see all the fantastic things that people will come up with!
No, masking doesn’t work with this. There are technical reasons why.
It’s a simple process to just subtract the white enclosed areas out though, and I’ll probably write up a little step-by-step tutorial for everyone for Illustrator and Inkscape, so there will be no struggle for anyone else.
Another great idea that needs to go into the “Handy Tips for Using a Laser” category.
Chuckle…I know it’s a tooth, but it’s cuter that way…
That is a lovely Narwhal 
thanks to @smcgathyfay for sharing the file and to @Jules to made two of them and explain us very well all the process 
Great team project and great write-up! Thanks!!
thx again for the fantastic write up! We are all learning tons from you guys “taking one for the team” as we wait and sharing your “post mortem” writeups. BTW, I think the first attempt is super cute as is. Googly eyes are a good idea too…
but, if you’re hoping to give the [first attempt] little guy away (how ironic: you could call him “Ishmael”), I’m sure there’d be plenty of us willing to adopt him. That’s one reason I created Levitada (Levitada ~ a tool designed for us) - very “selflessly” so that those of you who have GF’s and “goofs”/“first attempts” don’t need to be burdened by them taking up shelf space. 
I hadz the dumb Jules…but I are getting the smahts nowz…merci beaucoups…la la la la
This was so helpful and concise. I sure appreciate how willing you have always been to help everyone on the forum and now bonus…with an actual Glowforge. For those of us who have never even set eyes on a laser, you input and descriptions will be invaluable. Thank you, Jules!
LMAO!!! 
Krumm?
hahahahaha 
you made look like I where crazy guy in the office
yay! that looks awesome, congrats! I guess I missed something somewhere.
thanks for the explanation too!
I LOVED that show!
Awesome write up. Really highlights all the collaboration that has been going on.
My pre-flight check before the final save of the design:
Thanks so much!
I’m bookmarking this as well–thanks!
Hey Marion, are you still in Mexico? (Cause that would be a fantastic writeup for the tutorials section if you’ve got nothing to do down there…hint, hint!) 
Yeah. I thought about it. Thumbing on a phone and iPad so it’s just not possible. Staying pretty focused on Spanish. Except those two hours a day needed to read the Forum.
Shoot! Well we miss you up here, get yourself back soon! 
Now it’s stuck in my head again! ROFL! 
