3D text to vinyl cutter?

[katee123]

Hello:
I want to do a 3d effect on some text for a vinyl cutting application. I am using the 3D bevel and extrude effect and I am pretty much a noob at Illy. How do you add a cut line to the text after the 3d effect has been done? If I expand the object I get vector paths that show all the shading areas. All I want is a simple path along the outside outline of the object.

 

[sinetist]

Could you post a screenshot of the 3D effect you're trying to achieve?

 

[Mosh]

Look at the wireframe, that is what the cutter is going to cut. Sounds like you are trying to CUT a BITMAP! What program are you doing this in Corel? Signlab? Flexi?

 

[Rick]

An introduction might be nice... maybe even a pic of what you are trying to do...

I have had some success using TRUE SHADOW vinyl to get a 3d effect, the Tru shadow is a transparent grey film you can overlay to get certain effects. I did not rely on the software to make a cuttable vector, I hand vectored it.

 

[Salmoneye]

Aren't there some 2 part fonts meant to exactly this?

 

[Rick]

This is old school....
On the image below, you apply the dark brown first, then the sunflower, then the true shadow to get a simulated effect

 

[Bill Modzel]

Take and copy all of the "outer"elements of you lettering to a new layer. You can skip any of the fills if possible. On the new layer expand your strokes if you have any, and give everything a solid color fill. Go to "paths>unite" and that should combine everything and leave you with just the outline of the lettering.

Be aware that any enclosed areas like the inside of an "O" will have a double path. The "real" path on top and a unfilled unstroked path underneath. Click once on it and shift drag over a part of the same path to select the hidden path. Go to "select>same fill and stroke" and hit delete to rid yourself of the rest of them.

 

[katee123]

I am currenty using Ilustrator CS2 and Signcut pro and when you object>expand it shows all the points involved in the 3D effect.
I can't seem to get the cut lines out of the Shadow part.

 

[Bill Modzel]

Instead of using expand appearance, try flatten transparency, set it to 100% vectors.

 

[katee123]

I tried some of the things you guys suggested but still getting same results. This is what it looks like in signcut and you can see the unwanted cut lines.

 

[Rick]

Once you expand as Bill suggested...

Then ungroup the whole thing.

Select the lettering only.

Copy

then select everything.

Go to PATHFINDER, hit ADD TO PATH AREA, then EXPAND

then PASTE IN FRONT

You should have lettering with a drop shadow backing.

If there are ay odd vectors floating around, you might have to remove them or draw a shape over them and 'add to area' again to get rid of them.

 

[sinetist]

One way to do it is to make all those cut lines you end up with the same color then "weld" them all together with the pathfinder "add to shape" tool, expand that and all the extra lines should be gone.

 

[JR's]

This is old school....
On the image below, you apply the dark brown first, then the sunflower, then the true shadow to get a simulated effect

True shadow on top of vinyl colors to give you shadows. Holy crap Rick I never thought of that even stuff that I think I know you're teaching me new tricks. I just used it on the background colors to give a drop shadow.

Thanks
JR

 

[Rick]

When I was first introduced to true shadow I went hog wild with ideas when doing truck door layouts... like the 3d stuff, or brush or graphic effects behind the lettering to give the background color some depth, layering patterns... drove my boss crazy

 

[katee123]

WOW Rick thanks!!! Iustrator can get frustrating when you're just starting out.