Prepwork for print/cut graphics in Illustrator CS2

[pshawny 410]

So far I've only print/cut a couple of designs. I could use some advice on the proper way to do it instead of my improvised way of doing things. I'm printing on a 24" printer, then cutting with a 24" Graphtec.

 

My first test was with the Coors Light logo. I ended up with this as my shape to cut. I don't know how to add bleeds, so there were a couple of spots where the cutter was off by a hair that showed white around the design.

 

 

What is the proper way to get cut lines around a graphic?

 

How do you add a bleed around graphics?

 

[MZ SKEETER 4,708]

Is this what your looking for?  Many videos on youtube.com

 

[pshawny 410]

I already have that part figured out. I was wondering more about adding cut lines & bleeds.

 

This video helped me to understand how to create cut lines easier and faster than I was doing it.

 

What about adding a slight bleed in case the cut isn't exactly on the cut line?

[mark-s 1,126]

Take read through this.

 

mark-s

AI_CS_-_How_To_Contour_Cut_(03.08.2005).pdf

[Wildgoose 4,200]

Bleed is on the print side of things. In CS2 I think you have to set bleed in the print dialog box. Once you push print in the file menu it will open the print dialog box and on the left side is a box with a bunch of options including marks and bleed. Max bleed is 72pt. 

[Moody Blue 505]

Easiest way is to take the background image...let's call it the black blob and just add a stroke to it. You can increase the size of the stroke until it is larger than the top layer. To cut you will need to "Object>expand" and then weld the two parts together in turn making the background image appear larger without skewing the shape or resizing causing worlds of alignment issues. Hope this is what you are talking about.

[pshawny 410]

Here is what I finally decided on for a cut shape.

 

[patrickjohnson 2]

The use of Silhouette Cameo.