Turn Hand Drawn Designs into Silhouette Design Files

Did you ever want to turn your own hand drawn designs into Silhouette cut files?

Not only is it pretty easy to do, but I have a step by step tutorial to show you how to turn your own sketches into Silhouette cut file.

Silhouette School contributor Cat from Pocketful of Posies is here to show us how to turn hand drawn graphics into cut files. Have  you ever thought "If I could just draw this" when trying to make a new cut file design?  I know I have!

Creating a brand new design in Silhouette Studio can be challenging, to say the least.  You can't get the line in exactly the right shape, or the right place and using the edit points to make even the simplest of changes to a design can be daunting. So today I am showing you how to take hand drawn images and graphics and turn them into cut files, no fancy equipment needed! To do this I simply used:  

• paper
• pencil
• fine tip marker
• medium tip marker
• smart phone
• Silhouette Studio Software

I started by sketching my design using my morning coffee cup for reference.  Using a regular mechanical pencil and a sheet of copy paper.

 

Once I was happy with my design I used a medium tip marker to quickly trace over my design.  Be careful not to hold your marker too firmly or stay in one place very long as it will start to bleed on the paper.   You want to use a marker over the pencil because we're eventually going to trace this design and the Silhouette Studio software will pick up the bold black lines much easier.

Next I went back with the fine tip marker to smooth over any areas that seem bumpy or uneven and to trace any fine details.   To make sure my design would be clean and easy to transfer in to my Silhouette Studio software I erased any left over pencil marks that would interfere with my cut file.

  

Then a snapped a picture using my smart phone and emailed it to myself.

 

To open my image in Silhouette Studio I simply had my Silhouette Studio Software open, then in a new smaller window I used my finder (mac) or the start menu (windows) to locate my image on my computer.  To get it on to my Silhouette Studio design work area I simply dragged the file from either finder or the start menu directly into the open Silhouette Studio canvas below.

 

With my image now in the work area, I opened the Trace panel on the right side of my screen. Click the "Select Trace Area" button and then draw out a box around your design. This will put some yellow shading around the design.

Adjust the Threshold filter until everything you want to trace is highlighted in solid yellow. Then click "Trace."

Move the original design away and you'll be left with red cut lines. 

 

You can open the Fill Color tool to fill the cut file you just created with color and also change the line color from the Line Color tool.

 

Finally add a fun saying using the Text tool or merge in another design. 

 

Then the only thing left to do is cut it and apply it! This is a great way to design stickers, pillows, shirts, you name it!  And all with your own personal, hand drawn touch!

Please note that this image /cut file is copyrighted by Pocketful of Posies and can not be used with out my express written consent. 

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing products through my links, I receive a small commission. That's what helps fund Silhouette School so I can keep buying new Silhouette-related products to show you how to get the most out of your machine!

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