Print & Cut Digi Images with Inkscape/Signcut

[LisaH]

thanks, was wondering that myself...

[Gigi]

HELP!!

I am watching Pennys video and I get stuck!! Surprise I know!

I am up to tracing the image. Brought it in right and traced it with edge detection - and pulled one image off so it's path. Did path>break apart. Now here is where I get stuck. I cannot pull just the shadow image off - I just get little piece after little piece. How do I get the one big piece to keep going on?? It's at about 2:56 into the video...

I feel so stupid - what did I miss??

[Angel135612]

Gigi, If I remember right, she pulled some smaller pieces away until she could get the shadow image. Most of the smaller pieces you don't need.. so those can be deleted later.

[Gigi]

Thanks Diane - I tried that - and I got a ton of small pieces and then part of an outline of the shadow part.

I used a png image - would that make a difference as I have it in jpg format too??

Gigi

[Angel135612]

I'm not sure... can you send me the image and I can see what I come up with?? I have only done one or two, after watching Pennys Tutorial.. so I'm not an expert.. LOL

[Gigi]

Sure - thank you. Sure I am missing some little step but can't figure it out!

[PennyDuncan]

Hey Gigi.....After you break apart if you'll do View > Display Mode and select OUTLINE.....you'll be able to see it all better...then I just delete everything except for the base shadow....then you can go back to Normal view...does that make sense???

[Gigi]

It makes sense but it doesn't work. I have tried both the png image and the jpg image and I SO want to learn this. I was so excited because the steps were making sense - until this one! LOL

If I do what you said, it looks like it did before I did the break apart - all of the areas are there - nothing looks like the "shadow" - and if I pull I just get a lot of little pieces, even if I get them out of the way then the base part comes apart in sections! I will be bummed if all of her images are like this as I love the Swiss PIxies at All that Scraps and have a bunch of them.

Totally different question - if you had an image that you wanted to cut with one of your shapelies - would you just bring that in as a separate layer, position it over the digi image, and then just cut that layer? Seems to simple, but that would be fun to do as well and would get me away from those dies!! LOL (although I do need to use what I have and get my money out of them!)

Ok - any help you can give me in figuring this out would be appreciated. When I do the break apart on the one image it shows it as path like you say - so I dont know what next to do!!

I have been doing a lot of pausing and making notes and I have a LONG way to go!!

Thanks Penny. If there was a smiley with a dunce cap I would insert it here.

[PennyDuncan]

Hummmmmmmmmmmmmm....I'm wondering if when it traced it.....it left some open areas that you might need to manipulate the nodes....if you want to send me the image I'll be happy to look at it for you.......

Now...in regards to using the Shaplies....YEP...just make one layer for your shaplie file and one layer for you digi image.......close the eye on the shaplie file print your digi images...being sure to make sure the registrations print as well....then once printed close the digi layer and open the layer on the shaplie and send to signcut...does that make sense????

[Gigi]

Yep - the second part made perfect sense and would be a great way to get my feet wet in this whole print and cut arena!

But now I am determined to get it. Will send you the image - thank you for being so willing to help. I wonder what I did to screw it up??!!??

[PennyDuncan]

I doubt very seriously it was anything you did!!!

[Gigi]

Oh you would be surprised!!!

[whizzy]

I have calibrated my cougar using Tyler's method.
I have then done an A4 (portrait) page of images, following Penny's instructions above.
I take it into Signcut & set the registration points (starting at the lower rhs, then left, then upper rhs) all good so far . . .
I tell it to cut & the b----y mat flies out the back & the blade housing/cutter charges down & across to the lower lhs & starts cutting on the white strip thingie — sob, sob, sob
What am I doing wrong?

[Thyme]

What orientation is your template in Signcut, and what orientation is your paper on your mat?

[Retta]

Whizzy - so sorry you are having troubles. I have to say though that your vivid description just made me smile. I love to hear your take on things! I hope you get this resolved quickly.

[Gigi]

Whizzy -

Stupid question probably, but are your registration marks printed on your cut layer. I had that problem early on - I wasn't transferring the registration marks to the second layer so SignCut would go beserk on me and cut huge shapes!

Hope this helps! You will get it - if I can you will too!

[whizzy]

Dawn, I started with the normal way e.g. — designed in Inkscape in portrait mode with paper on mat in landscape mode for Signcut & proceeded downhill from there . . .

Retta . . .

CaGigi, I opened the registration template as my "new page" to begin with.

[Gigi]

Whizzy -

Ok - but did you create a second layer for the cut image (per the video) and move the registration marks to that layer as well? That's what got me - I had the marks on the page where I imported my image, but after I traced it etc and moved it to the next layer I neglected to duplicate and paste the registration marks to that layer at the beginning. Did that make any sense??

I just have a feeling that is it, only because it's similar to the problem I had when Dawn looked at my file and said "where are your registration marks on cut layer??" Oops!

Hope something one of us says will help - hang in there.

[whizzy]

CaGigi, at the moment I have two layers — the first layer with the image on it & the 2nd with the shadow on it (both are showing the registration marks because that is the template I opened as my new page to begin.) When I take it in to Signcut I can see the registration marks. I'm wondering if my problem could be with manually moving the arrow keys to align the laser dot exactly on the middle of each registration point?

[Gigi]

HI Whizzy -
I know I am asking this one question the same time, but when you create the second layer, the regis marks are not automatically there - you have to move them there (if they are only on the opening template and you close that page you won't seem them on the other layer without copying them over. Are you sure when you close the digi image layer that the marks are on the outline or cut layer alone? OH never mind - you said you see them when you take your image into Signcut. That just confused me because they aren't automatically there.

I don't think manually moving the arrow keys would throw it off - are you using the arrow keys on the screen or the arrow keys on the keyboard? I use both - just looking for a something to stick out~!

Is there any chance it could be the file? Do you want one of us to try it? Have you tried a different file just to see if the same thing happens? Wish I could see it!!

I went back and read all of the steps you went through. You set your origin off to the right and below a little before opening the Simple Contourcut - right? And you use the arrows on the screen and the keyboard - right?

Am stumped - can you send one of us the file to see if we can get a good cut? I would be happy to try. gigica@cox.net

Will keep thinking......