Wednesday, April 14, 2010

convert image to a vector graphic format using Adobe Illustrator’s “Live Trace” function

Do you have a bitmap (pixel based) image you would like to convert to vector? Translation: Do you have a picture you want to cut out in vinyl? It’s easy to convert black and white images (and even some other images) to a vector graphic format using Adobe Illustrator’s “Live Trace” function. Follow these steps carefully, their order is important.


Pro Tip: For images not so fabulously suited for this purpose, don’t be afraid to use Photoshop to put it into grey scale. Also, use a Blur for smoother edges on images that you’ve enlarged. Pixelation is difficult for tracing.

1. Open a new Illustrator Document.

2. Paste our friend here into the middle of the document. You can leave his size alone.

3. While he is selected (You should see a blue box around him) go to the “Object” Menu.

Select “Ungroup”. Then, from the “Object” menu again, select “Clipping Mask” (near the bottom) and hit Release.

4. Deselect the object by clicking on white space outside the blue box.

5. You’re now ready to trace. Select the “Object” Menu once again, and go to “Live Trace” and then “Make”.

Pro Tip: If for some reason, make is not available, you’ve not followed the previous 5 steps correctly.

6. Most of the time, You’re done. Save in your favorite Vinyl friendly format, and get to cutting. However, sometimes, the trace looks like an impressionist painting of it’s former self. If this is the case, read on:

7. From the “Object” Menu, select “Live Trace” and go to “Tracing Options”

8. In the top left hand corner of the menu there is a drop down box labeled “Preset”. There is a TON of different options in here like “Line Drawing”, “Comic Art”, “Ink Drawing”, etc. Try them all. Just because it says “Comic Art” doesn’t mean it won’t work awesome for your picture. One of these presets will solve 99% of all tracing problems.

9. If it doesn’t work on ANY of the presets, find the one that works the closest. In the window there are lots of numbers and options. …. Start playing. :-)

Monday, April 12, 2010

Foison vinyl cutter c24 communication settings

If you cannot get your cutter working, check that you've followed these steps carefully.

1) Turn your cutter off, and plug it into a free USB port on your computer. The new hardware wizard should appear, or if you've already done this, it should go "Bing Bong"

2) On the cutter, Keep hitting "Menu" until you see the setting for "Baud." The value should read 09600/38400. If it does not, use the arrow keys to make that so. Then, hit mode until you see normal screen FOISON.

3) Make a note of the Com port and set the flow control. To do this: Go to Start, and then Run. In the box enter:

devmgmt.msc

or right click "my computer"--properties--device manager---ports.Then, hit OK.

4) Hit the plus sign next to "Ports COM And LPT"

5) You should see "USB Serial Adapter", Right click on this and go to "Properties"

6) From there, select "Port Settings".Adjust the Boud Rate as per cutter setting. Set the flow control to "X-ON/X-OFF"

7) Hit "Advanced", Make a note of the Com Port, and if possible change it to something 1-4 if they're not in use.

8. Hit apply and OK to leave those menus. Close device manager.

9) Open Flexi, use the "T" on the left hand side to type a couple of letters.

10) Go to File, then hit "Cut/Plot"

11) This opens the Cut Plot screen. In the top left you should see CM-24 @ com x or CX-24 @ com x. The x needs to match up with the com port we noted earlier. If it does not:

12)Hit the properties button under theCM-24 @ com x drop down box. Select the right hand most tab. It has a picture of something that looks like a microphone.

13) At the top, change the com port to match yours. Hit OK

14) At the bottom, make sure "Flow Control" says "X-ON/X-OFF"

15) Hit "Send" on the cut plot screen. Your cutter should come to life.

For more information mail to : comcaresystem@rediffmail.com



Friday, April 2, 2010

Add Cropmark to your object in CorelDraw

How To Add Cropmark to your object in CorelDraw

· There's a free crop mark macro at macromonster.com

· You can set this option in Print dialoge box under Prepress options.

· Crop marks are normally needed post press processes & so can be put while printing the document and are not seen in the artwork (normal mode)

· For your specific need to have the cropmarks in the artwork, either you should draw/create the crop marks

· no version of Corel allows the marks to be edited. Although, you can download a crop mark generator from here...
CorelDRAW/Corel DESIGNER VBA macros

· and I'll send it to you with instructions. I use it all day every day, good macro!

· You can create your own custom marks and save them as a symbol.

· Create your marks, select them adn then got to Edit> Symbol> New Symbol. It will open a dialog box for you to name it. When you want to apply it, open the symbols docker and just drag it onto the page where you want it.

· As a note, when you save something as a symbol, you can use as many instances of symbols in your design as you wish. It does not increase your file size at all.

· I have the macro that can be used to creat the cropmarks in coreldraw and corel designer, mail to comcaresystem@rediffmail.com

·

Roland GX-24 and print and cut function

Roland GX-24 and print and cut function


1. Develop your design in Corel or PhotoShop
2. Save it as a jpeg or bitmap.
3. Open Cut Studio and go to File and select the Print / Cut function. This will drop your registration marks.
4. Click on the import icon on the toolbar and select your graphic.
5. Click on the graphic and size the graphic to the desire size.
6. Then print the graphic.
7. Click on the graphic and go to Image Outline function under the Object heading.
8. Slide the Alignment Image Density ruler across to the right so that it removes most of the contour lines. Click on the extract contour lines and close that window.
9. Select the icon on the left that shows all the contour nodes. Delete out all the nodes in the inside that you don't want to be cut out.
10. Align the printed transfer on the GX-24. Select the "Sheet" function and the proper downforce pressure.
11. Click the Cut button and let the cutter do its magic.
12. Weed the excess polymer and transfer.