Tutorial: How to prep artwork for Layered Signs in Illustrator

[new2this 1]

Thanks, Ive been wanting to try a 2 color cut, guess its time to give it a try

[JoeCamaro 11]

Your welcome Tim S!

Check the step 3 in this tutorial

http://forum.uscutter.com/index.php/topic,3339.0.html

Joe

[Guest Schramm]

What version of Illustrator???  I have 8.0

[JoeCamaro 11]

I use CS2

[Cartierusm 0]

Thanks for the Tutorial. I'm cutting my first piece now. A couple of questions, I've used AI for 15 years or so in the printing and graphic design biz but this is slightly different.

So after I make the outline behind the text it makes an inside path and outside path, no problem I just ungroup and delete the inside path as the other path that is left has the same area as the part just deleted. I only mention this so people who are not familiar with AI CS2 would know that if you leave it, it will automatically do a punch out if using Signblazer.

My quesion is in Signblazer it cuts the outline behind the text as individual letters, which is not really all that bad, but most of the time the outline will be overlapping each other. So is there a way to make all those individual cut outs one single blob in AI? This would make weeding easier. Thanks.

[JoeCamaro 11]

Yes, it can be done. Just select everything you want to make 1 element (1cut) in this case all the background letters, then go to the pathfinder window and click union. This will weld everything that is selected so there will be no overlapping. Pathfinder window can be found under the window pull down menu. I hope this helps. Thanx for asking. Thats a very important step. Joe

[Cartierusm 0]

No problem, glad I could help, help ask the question that is....sounds like a Barry Manilow song..."I ask the questions, the sign guys answer, I ask the question about vinyl things...." Maybe it's just in my head. I made my first 4 color decal PITA. But I learned a lot. Now it's time to get some inkjet vinyl and just print and contour the suckers. Leave the vinyl cutting for signage...decal that small are a pain.

[Cartierusm 0]

Plus if you're putting together element from different files make sure all the color you are trying merge are the same color. It's best to click on all the pieces you want to merge and then click the color you want it to be, just to be safe. I opened a file from a client and it was RGB and I work in CMYK and I couldn't get it to merge, then I remembered.

Plus in CS2 it's not called Union, it's Merge.

[JoeCamaro 11]

Well I work with 3 different vector softwares, so I get them all mixed up

Anyways, in my Pathfinder, when I go over the button that welds it says "Add to shape Area", not weld, or union or merge

[ralais 0]

I am trying to do this now with a word I made, but added a "tail" to... I am not getting the "create outlines" option.  Any idea why I cannot select it?

[Cartierusm 0]

I have no idead what a "tail" is, please describe it.

[ralais 0]

It the little swoosh you see on sports jerseys, etc... It underlines the word.

[JoeCamaro 11]

Ralais, cuz you already created the outlines when you applied the tail. Skip that step and see if it works.

[ralais 0]

Hmm... maybe I do not have the terminology right.  What I want is for a border for the font that cuts.  I know how to make a border with the text, but I don't think it cuts that way.  Am I making sense yet?

[bowhunter012004 4]

awesome thanks 

[bowhunter012004 4]

Made my trailer lettering with this tutorial . Thanks a ton again!

[JoeCamaro 11]

Made my trailer lettering with this tutorial . Thanks a ton again!

Thats geat news!!!  Thanx for sharing that! I am very glad to know I helped. Will you show the trailer?

JOe

[buddy 7]

Joe Baby.....

I have to tell yaz...I have been working with Illy for not too very long, but for months now I have been trying to figure out HOW IN THE WORLD TO "off set paths" and in one blog you showed my how to do this. I did see this blog a few months ago but never paid any attention to it cause I thought "what would I EVER do with that information"  DUHHHHHHHH.. Thanks so much for your tutorial, it is they KEY ELEMENT I was searching for in my design.  YOUR DA BEST! I followed your steps and I was so happy it worked with my logo. Whew!

Thanks and Blessings

Dazzel

[JoeCamaro 11]

DazzleMe, I am soooo glad that it worked for you!  I think it is one of the most important things to know, at least for this business.

Thank you for the complimments and for letting me know that this was useful for you!

Joe

[buddy 7]

Joe

You are SO RIGHT, in this business I am finding LOT'S of things are Important to know...hence why this board is so great!   Thanks for all you do for everyone...tough job I can see!

Thanks again good buddy

Dazzel

[Guest]

Joe this walk through was very good. Thank you so much for posting this as it seems to of helped many people (myself included). If you have the time and feel like doing another one know that we will very much appreciate it

[JoeCamaro 11]

Yourwelcome 

Im happy to know I've helped you.

[ralais 0]

Joe... it was very good... but I'm still waiting for my private lesson! 

[Guest]

Hey Joe have you ever heard of Fraps? If you plan on making any more tutorials I would recommend checking it out. Basically fraps takes a recording of whatever is on your screen until you tell it to stop. If you have a microphone then you can record everything you are doing on your screen while you are explaining it. Just an idea. I am about to start using Fraps to make tutorials for our support site, should be fun!