Need some help on creating a stencil

[Guest DLB2]

Hello….just stepped into the world of vinyl cutting and have my new Prism 28 and VinylMaster up and running. 
 

I’m watching videos (most seem to be very old) but it’s still tough for me to get the basics of getting a graphic ready to cut. 
 

For instance…I’d like to make either a stencil/paint mask or could even get by with a simple decal to fix an old decal for a lathe I have. 
 

Can anyone help me with this?

 

 

 

[darcshadow 1,641]

So what are you having problems with exactly? Open your software, type 1 3 5 7, load your cutter, hit cut.

[Guest DLB2]

 

So what are you having problems with exactly? Open your software, type 1 3 5 7, load your cutter, hit cut.

 

So this is what I’m thinking. Basically I can just hit “cut”…..no need to trace or vectorize anything?

 

 

[haumana 1,227]

DLB2 - Cutters will only cut vector lines, so if your circle, arrows and text are not vector, you cutter will not do a thing.

I'd also encourage you to register with the forum, so that you're posts will go up immediately and not be in queue waiting for a moderator to approve it.

[slice&dice 2,467]

The numbers you typed are Sans-Serif typeface and the ones in your original part (as pictured) are Serif font.

Not a critical matter, of course, but just thought I would mention it to a newbie.

[darcshadow 1,641]

 

So this is what I’m thinking. Basically I can just hit “cut”…..no need to trace or vectorize anything?

As haumana said cutter only cut vector lines. There are two types of graphics, raster and vector. Most graphics you see are raster, ie BMP, JPG, GIF, PNG. These images are made up of tiny little blocks, each block it's own color. When viewed from a distance they blocks all merge together to become what you see.

Vectors graphics are graphics created from a mathematical formula. They are nothing more than a series of lines and arcs joined together to form an image. If you create the image in your cutting software you are creating a vector image. If you create the image in photoshop you are creating a raster image. 

Now where it can get complicated, you can import a raster image into a vector file but it is still just a raster image. You can also trace/vector a raster image and turn it into a vector file. Most cutting programs have this ability with varying degrees of quality which largely depend on the quality of the raster image to start with.

So that design you have, if you created that in your cutting software using the various shape and text tools, then yes you can hit cut and it should do it.

It can help sometimes if you turn on the option to view your image as an outline or line drawing. This mode will show only the lines that make of your image and will be what the cutter cuts.

[slice&dice 2,467]

You really should make a dial that goes up to 11.

 

This is Spinal Tap-the movie reference