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thredz

Crab Plotter Art

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I ran this last night.I had originally set it up as a three color,with dark and light red.But after it got close to the end of the dark red,I decided to leave it like it was,skipped the light red and ran the black.The red is a fiber tip and the black was done with ball point,on premium bond 8.5 x 11 card stock.The way the plotter ran the design,it looks like a four color job.I was a little upset when it started because I got in a hurry and didn't seperate the overlap.But I couldn't believe the effect I got from what I consider a mistake.

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Billy, I am shocked at what you are able to do with our plotters.  Very nice work....  Are you simply inserting normal pens into the blade holder clamp, or do you use a special holder for the pens?

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On the fiber tips,the're sharpies.I just took one of the worn out sharpies,and cut about half an inch of the end of the cap and then sliced it down the side so it would fit tight in the clamp.The ball point black on the crab was ran with the ball point pen and holder that came with my cutter.I really enjoy playing with my cutter!I also sold my first 3x4 banner sign today for a flea market booth.I've been working on the layout tonight and I have ran two small plots to take to the guys to proof tomorrow.GREAT MACHINE!!Thanks again.

                                    Bill

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Billy,

I saw the pics on your website... Awesome work!

I'm curious to know how you do this.

I can't understand how to get the plotter to color without overlapping unnecessarily. 

I mean... say you are filling in a solid area. A pen with a thinner point is going to require more passes than a thick sharpie.  How do you do this?

And btw, what software are you using to design the images you are printing?

Thanks...

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I use flexisign to do most of my work.I also do embroidery digitizing,and I use the software on that as well.In flexi,you have to select all the design and then go to effects and click on seperate overlap.That will split the blacks away from the colors.Sometimes I have to use the point edit tool to bring the colors to the black.But the crab was a mistake.I had set it for a dark and light red with the black outline and shading,but I forgot to seperate the overlap and got a two color red effect just from the multiple passes on the first red.Sometimes, a mistake can turn out to be better than the image in the mind.I also have my plot pen set to .010 ,so it does go back and cover the area.It takes a little longer this way,but the quality is much better.

                                              Bill

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...I also have my plot pen set to .010 ,so it does go back and cover the area..

Ah.

Is this a setting on the plotter or in your software? (I guess really should read the manual.:huh: )

Also, do you still have it set to .010 even when using a thick sharpie?

Thanks...

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I was wondering how to do plotter art? I use Corel X3 and Sign Cut, do I need something else? cant figure out how to make the multiple passes to color.

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I was wondering how to do plotter art? I use Corel X3 and Sign Cut, do I need something else? cant figure out how to make the multiple passes to color.

I never saw Billy's original art, so maybe this isn't what you are asking. But I would think you'd send your multicolor project to signcut and perform each color individually with different markers just as you'd cut each color individually. But between colors rather than remove the paper you'd scroll it back to the reference point. If Billy was actually able to fill colors with the plotter that process would be a mystery to me without additional plotter software.

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Guest fivestar

He used flexi to do and checked the "fill plot" button and put his width at .10 if memory serves me correctly.  I know it took him hrs to do one drawing but he had did some great work.

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