Photoshop question....

[jayfil23 0]

i just purchased a MH 25 inch cutter and it says that it comes with signblazer. i am very experienced with photoshop but i am totally new to cutting vinyl. will i be able to design things on photoshop and import and cut them with the included software? thanks

[haumana 1,220]

First off ... to the forum!!

You can definitely design in PS. Although I don't think that PS has a vector plug-in. Cutter graphics need to be in vector format. So for you (or anyone else not designing in vector) the steps would be: 1. design; 2. vectorize; 3. import to SBE (Sign Blazer Elements) or whatever cutting software you have; and 4. cut.

Many members here, including myself, use Inkscape (inkscape.org) to vectorize our stuff. It's free open source software, and I must say that it works pretty darn good! Only drawback is that the only vector output is in b&w, and not in color, so if the end product you need is a multi-layer/multi-color decal, then you might need to find/use another software to do the multi-color vectoring (vectormagic.com)

If you don't have any vector images off-hand, feel free to check out the "Graphic Requests" bulletin, there are LOT there for you to download and use.

**Caution: this forum has been known to promote addictive behavior 

[SynFX 1]

there IS a way to cut from PS.. do a search.. there are some threads on the topic

[charlie_b CFXPaintworks 1]

i just purchased a MH 25 inch cutter and it says that it comes with signblazer. i am very experienced with photoshop but i am totally new to cutting vinyl. will i be able to design things on photoshop and import and cut them with the included software? thanks

Jayfil, Welcome buddy!

What i recommend is making your design in photoshop in HI RESOLUTION.  That way you can get the perfect edge. 300 DPI is the best, but you can get away with 150 DPI if you are only doing text.  Remember to do your graphics with NO fades or gradients or even shadows because when you vectorize them, it will translate to unclean lines.  One you get your design, save as a jpg or a gif format, then import it using Sign Blazer(included software), vectorize then cut.  I don't have my laptop out for the bag at the moment, but if you can not figure it out, just post here of PM me and i'll give you a step by step.

[jayfil23 0]

thanks for the warm welcome guys! everything you have said should help a lot. my cutter comes in on thursday...cant wait to get to experimenting. you can bet i will be picking your brains for more info in no time...

jfil

[nbeaton 1]

I don't have Photo Shop but I do have Print Workshop it has 204,500+ Clip art would I be able to use this program to get clipart from and put it in my SB. Just a thought.

Nancy

[Jay2703 704]

It depends on how they are formatted. If they are vector you can use them. I use Microsoft clipart all the time.

[charlie_b CFXPaintworks 1]

I don't have Photo Shop but I do have Print Workshop it has 204,500+ Clip art would I be able to use this program to get clipart from and put it in my SB. Just a thought.

Nancy

Greetings Nancy.

If they are all in jpg format, yes, you can convert them in Signblazer to a vector format(eps) to allow you to cut them out.

Charlie

[Vermonster 111]

I don't have Photo Shop but I do have Print Workshop it has 204,500+ Clip art would I be able to use this program to get clipart from and put it in my SB. Just a thought.

Nancy

Greetings Nancy.

If they are all in jpg format, yes, you can convert them in Signblazer to a vector format(eps) to allow you to cut them out.

Charlie

When using Microsoft Clip art or converting in sign blazer you really need to double check before sending the artwork to the plotter.  Often, there will be some 'clean up' needed.  I've experienced this many times using Microsoft clipart.  While I don't have SignBlazer yet, every other auto tracing program I've EVER used requires SOME level of clean up. 

Wireframe Mode (or it's equivelant) can be VERY helpful spotting rogue nodes and other things outta whack

[haumana 1,220]

there IS a way to cut from PS.. do a search.. there are some threads on the topic

Has anyone found the thread that explains how to send stuff straight to the cutter from PS? I did a search, but didn't find anything. I must not be using the right keywords.

What version of PS does this work with?

[venice_d 0]

  I don't know that you can cut straight from PS...but you are able to use PS to create an AI vector file that can be opened and cut by most cutting apps (that support ai files) without any further vectorizing work. Works best for single color graphics, though you can do multi color with a just a bit of work in illustrator after the initial PS prep. I'd have to make a tutorial to fully explain it, but the basic jist is this:

  1. increase image size to at least 300 dpi, the bigger the image, the cleaner the vector will be. (as a frame of reference, I do this often with 1200 dpi scans...hi-res bitmap=awesome vector conversion)

  2. convert image to grayscale mode. If I'm using an image thats say a red graphic on a white background i'll use the hue/saturation command to adjust the red as dark as possible before converting to grayscale...makes step 3 easier.

  3. go to channels pallete, make a duplicate of grey channel, and invert the copy so you have a white graphic on black background. use levels command to "squash" out any greys/blurryness so you have a hard white/hard black edge to the graphic.

  4. "apple-click" the layer icon of your channel copy..(this is a mac keystroke, no clue what the equivelent pc keystroke would be). this will make a selection around any white pixels (your graphic)

  5. go to the "paths" pallete, use the button at the bottom of the pallete or the pallete submenu to "create path from selection". this will load a new path (vector) layer into the pallete.

  6. go to file->export->paths to illustrator.  this creates a new ai vector file on your desktop that can go straight into most cutting apps.

note that this creates a "transparent" vector file, as it has no stroke or fill applied, only the paths themselves. I usually do a bit of clean up in illustrator and apply any strokes/fills before sending to cut, but for simple graphics there's no real need.  there's also some additional steps that could be taken to clean up your artwork during this process, but that would be a whole tutorial on it's own. Sounds like a lot of steps, but once you get it down it's pretty quick. With a good scan i can use this method to create a complex vector from a bitmap in just a couple minutes.

[haumana 1,220]

  I don't know that you can cut straight from PS...but you are able to use PS to create an AI vector file that can be opened and cut by most cutting apps (that support ai files) without any further vectorizing work.

See, that's what I was thinking, but Cody says different.

there IS a way to cut from PS.. do a search.. there are some threads on the topic

So I thought there was something that I was missing in PS or that my version of PS was too old. If anyone comes up with the thread that Cody is talking about, would you mind posting a link in this thread? I did a search but couldn't find info about it. Mahalo! 

[Graphic Systems 1]

If I was you Id just look around on the web for a free download of Illustrator 10. Much easier and it is almost the same as PS. ! Then you can save up for the CS3.  (Just my thought)

[charlie_b CFXPaintworks 1]

 

  4. "apple-click" the layer icon of your channel copy..(this is a mac keystroke, no clue what the equivelent pc keystroke would be).

The PC translation is Ctrl or "Control".  Good instructions Venice!  Btw..did i tell you about Sevenstock in Irvine on the 27th? (www.sevenstock.org)