I'm trying to create a layer around this image that i can tell my rip and cutter will be a cut file but I'm struggling as i work on printers rather than designing, i managed to get a stroked path around the image but when i open it in my rip its all one layer and not editable so i can't get it to a cut layer, anyone know an easy way to do it or what i am doing wrong? thanks
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How to create a cut layer in photoshop
- Thread starter stealey
- Start date
Pippin Decals
New Member
what software do you use? I created a contour cut around the image just barely larger than the image. If you need to contact me personally send me a pm and we can chat on the phone. I dont do contour cutting so i may not have it the right way . but it is a svg file.If you need it another way ,let me know and ill see what i can do.
I'm just attempting it in photoshop, normally we have a lad in our studio who does all this but he's off today and i wanted to make these decals for my niece who goes away cheerleading tomorrow. basically what i need to achieve is one file that when i open it has a print layer with a cut layer right on top of it but as separate layers so i can tell my printer and cutter this layer is to print and this layer is to cut, the way you have done it would be perfect as id normally just put the cut layer over the print layer and switch the cut layer to cut in my editor but i can't select either of them its all one file, maybe its the way I'm saving the files but i can't seem to make anything editable when i get it to my editor
Fred Weiss
Merchant Member
In Photoshop you ...
1. Make a selection you want to be a cut path. This is most easily accomplished by selecting the print image and then expanding or contracting the selection by xx number of pixels.
2. Convert the selection into a path.
3. Export paths to Illustrator.
In Illustrator you ...
4. Open image in Illustrator.
5. Import path into Illustrator.
6. Justify image and paths on both axes to center.
7. Set path to whatever setting your printer requires to recognize it as a cut path.
1. Make a selection you want to be a cut path. This is most easily accomplished by selecting the print image and then expanding or contracting the selection by xx number of pixels.
2. Convert the selection into a path.
3. Export paths to Illustrator.
In Illustrator you ...
4. Open image in Illustrator.
5. Import path into Illustrator.
6. Justify image and paths on both axes to center.
7. Set path to whatever setting your printer requires to recognize it as a cut path.
eahicks
Magna Cum Laude - School of Hard Knocks
Flexiisign does it in 2 seconds. Why create it in Photoshop?
RIP doesn't recognize layers in a PSD file....only in a file that sends the image and a Contour Cut layer, IE Flexi, Versaworks, etc.
shoresigns
New Member
The easiest way to do this is save your Photoshop file, place it into Illustrator and place your vector cut lines overtop of it, then save to PDF and load into your RIP.
Here's a full tutorial:
http://blog.allgraphicsupplies.com/make-a-photoshop-selection-into-your-cut-contour-path/
Here's a full tutorial:
http://blog.allgraphicsupplies.com/make-a-photoshop-selection-into-your-cut-contour-path/
clarizeyale
New Member
Don't even save it in photoshop. This is a vectorized PDF that you can easily open in Illustrator and make a cut line path. Or you can do the same in Flexi.
What I do in illy is to copy the whole thing, paste in place on a new layer, use the pathfinder tool to unite everything, give it a small stroke (a bit bigger than the image itself), expand, pathfinder/unite again. (make sure not to do anything on that original bottom layer....)
But in flexi, it's soo much easier as you just use the cutcontour tool.
What I do in illy is to copy the whole thing, paste in place on a new layer, use the pathfinder tool to unite everything, give it a small stroke (a bit bigger than the image itself), expand, pathfinder/unite again. (make sure not to do anything on that original bottom layer....)
But in flexi, it's soo much easier as you just use the cutcontour tool.
Depending on what software you have you have. But as far as I know you need to do it in a vector software such as Illustrator, or corel. If you have Flexi you can also do it in there as well.
rydods
Member for quite some time.
I usually finalize a lot of designs or logos in photoshop if they need just little more detail (I'm not that great in illustrator). If I need to create a cut line, I export as a psd from photoshop and import it into flexi and add my cut line to that. You can also create a very thin outline in flexi and separate it then mask your image. I do this a lot for decals that need to have a contour cut.
CSOCSO
I don't hate paint, I just overlay it.
This should work in photoshop. But you can also open your image in illustrator and do the same thing
myront
Dammit, make it faster!!
Please stop designing layouts and/or logos in photoshop or any other raster program! You do that here and you'll be fired on the spot!
MikePatterson
Head bathroom cleaner.
Wow!! I guess y'all are real limited on your designs. I guess your only have plotters in your shop.
I tell you what, fire your designer that can work in both raster and vector and send them my way. I have a workstation I can put them at.
IMO . There are usually the need for raster and vector programs in designing for each application. We use a combination of both vector and raster in our business. If I was looking for a designer I would want them versed in both. Wraps are designed with both most of the time here in our shop. Final output is always done in photoshop. Most channel letter jobs are built in Flexi and output from there. Limiting yourself to only vector based software is hamstringing your creativity.
myront
Dammit, make it faster!!
You misunderstood my statement. We use both vector and raster. We print and cut all our own graphics. I simply meant to use photoshop as your starting point for logo design is ludacris if you have access to a vector program.
You start in vector and add your raster effects and leave them in the vector program. Text as vector with a raster text with any effects as an overlay. Why? So you have a cut line!
clarizeyale
New Member
so just in case ya'll didn't know.. in newer versions of illustrator, there's a magnificent tool called "smooth tool" if you ever need to clean up a self made cut contour paths from a crappy image. you'll probably have to use this in conjunction with other tools but it's definitely been helpful!
Pippin Decals
New Member
OMG. I have never heard of that tool before and ive been using Ai since 2015. Freaking amazing. Im using cc free version. So glad you shared that.