how to create an svg file from illustrator
how to create an svg file for your silhouette die cut machine. I don’t know how to do it for any other machine but I assume it’s similar.
create your artwork. doesn’t matter what color it is. I suggest you keep it fairly simple at first.
okay so here’s a clock.
here’s a close up. see, it’s just one shape.
select all, then ungroup.
ungroup until the ungroup option is grey, indicating that it is fully ungrouped.
then to go file > export
and then in the little pull down menu, choose dxf.
I never change these export options. this is the default setting.
now go to the silhouette studio software, go to your library and choose file > import to library.
go choose your dxf file. I never fill out these things either. I’m lazy.
look! there’s my clock! alphabetically next to cat.
double click it, there it is on the cut document. cool.
now fonts need an extra step. type out your word. then select it and choose type > create outlines.
remember to ungroup it before exporting!
and there it is in studio!
p.s. the clock is from a dingbat font called wmsymbols and the “arleigh” is in duality font.
who looks at those dumb marketing emails?
well, I do.
I want to see what the graphic artists at Big Companies are doing. what fonts are they using, what colors are they using, what style is it in? for a long time I was inspired by the inserts that came with my American Express bill. I guess there’s someone in their graphics department who shares my taste in colors and design. I always look at Old Navy’s ads. honestly, I do also shop there, but set that aside for a minute and look at this ad I just received in my email.
mac address book to pdf
long story short, I needed to export my mac address book into something I can open and read (not .abbu or .csv). I couldn’t find exactly what I needed online.
so I figured out my own “hack” and I’m posting it here.
if you have PDF as one of your print options (usually bottom left of the print window), use that. if not, then you might need to add a PDF printer as one of your print options.
go to Address Book, All Contacts, select all, “Print…”
then choose
Style: Lists
Paper Size: Tabloid
Orientation: Landscape
Attributes: (check all)
Font Size: Regular
hit the PDF button bottom left of your print window and Save as PDF.
once it’s a pdf, depending on which version of adobe you have, you can then “Save as” and convert it to rich text or whatever.
DIY epoxy dots
DIY epoxy dots
INGREDIENTS: scraps of paper, epoxy dots, glue dots, scissors
cut them out
put adhesive on the back
put them back on the epoxy dot backing and you’re done!
stampy
I’ve been learning how to carve stamps.
I just finished this rain cloud/sun/rainbow set tonight. click the image for a larger view.
what to do with the “preview” image in your digital scrapbooking kit
apologies, I only know how to do this with a mac. please leave a comment if you know how to do it on a PC.
update! thanks to mary kay, here is how to do it on a PC: facebook link
first, here’s the quick version. then I will post illustrated steps.
1. open the folder.jpg or preview.jpg
2. select all, copy
3. select and control click, choose “get info” on the folder icon you want to change
4. click once on the little folder icon at the top of the get info window
5. paste
okay here’s the illustrated version.
see how the folder is just a plain folder? there’s usually a preview image inside there. if not, you can use any of the jpg or png files. double click to open. on my mac, it opens in preview.
select all, and copy. this places a copy of the image into your clipboard.
go back to that original folder, click it once to highlight it. right-click or control-click to get the mini menu. choose “get info.”
this is what the get info window looks like.
click the little folder at the top. just one click to select it.
see, it’s highlighted when it’s selected
then paste. the contents of your clipboard replace the folder icon.
and now, see? your folder icon has changed!
this kit is sweet inspiration #9 by studio basic, from sweetshoppedesigns.com
Creating a custom color palette from an image using Image Trace in Illustrator
I do this all the time. Today I saw a photo of President Obama on my Facebook Newsfeed and was struck by the blues in the background. So I tried a few online color palette generators, but I wanted a larger palette, which I will edit until I get a palette I love. So I decided to take screen-shots as I go, to show you how to do it.
Grab an image you love and drag it onto the Illustrator icon.
It doesn’t matter if you hold the shift key down to maintain the ratio, and it also doesn’t matter if your photo gets blurry or pixelated—We’re only looking at the colors. You’re going to throw this file away when you’re done. Just make it big.
Next, with the image selected, open the Image Trace window, and turn on “Preview.”
Make sure you are in “Color” mode.
Then play with the number of colors. With mine set to “Limited,” I’m only getting 30 colors and I don’t see enough blues in the window. So I’m going to choose “Full-tone” and go for 40 colors.
That’s more like it. Open the Advanced menu by clicking on the little triangle and choose “ignore white.”
Now expand it.
And ungroup it.
Open your Swatches palette.
Drag a selection marquee across the windows so that part of the image is selected. IMPORTANT: there’s a size limit on new color groups, so grab sections of your photo instead of the whole thing. I like the blues of the window, so I’m grabbing that section.
Click the little folder icon on the bottom of the swatches palette. Choose “Selected Artwork”, click OK.
Click somewhere on the white page to deselect your artwork while you edit this palette. I’m going to delete the browns, greys and whites from this color group so I end up with mostly blues.
Shift + click on the swatches you want to delete, then hit the trash button at the bottom of the window. Option + click to single out lone swatches. You can drag them around to rearrange them. If you see swatches that are similar, delete them. This is the fiddly part that defines whether you are a color-lover or not.
Okay I’m almost done, just going to delete that first swatch that looks like white.
Click on the folder icon. Choose “Save Swatch Library as ASE…” (By the way, where there is an ellipses—the three dots—it means there is another menu after this.)
I’m going to save mine right into my Illustrator Swatches directory, but you can save it anywhere.
Now it’s one of the User Defined Swatch Libraries. Or, if I had saved it somewhere else, I could have chosen “Other Library” and just loaded the ASE file.
Here is the final version of the color palette I developed from this photo.
Click on the image or here to download the ASE file for yourself.
cherry creek arts festival 2013
…just the stuff I liked.
These are all cell phone photos and/or pulled from the artist’s blog.
Jewelry
I bought this beautiful set of earrings from Margaret Gordon. I say “set” because they’re sold as 3 earrings, not pairs.
She told me she likes to keep her work affordable. These earrings were $35 for the set.
Reminded me of Jean Michel Basquiat.
Vintage Sculpture
Clay
Carved Collage Assemblage Paintings
His work made me feel both sad and inspired. I liked Camellia best.
The colors on his website don’t do it justice. Here’s a bit more about him.
Illustrations
The cow drawing might also be Alex Troughbet‘s.
Collage & Assemblage
This was the first booth I saw when I entered the show. I enjoyed it very much.
I almost bought one of his panels. They are only $45.
Music-inspired Woodblock Prints
Metal
This was weird.
This artist had a sign up, saying that you should ask for permission before taking a photo. Hipocrite.
You think he got permission from General Mills, Disney, Black Cat, etc.?
Brick and mortar stores worth a visit:
Little coin purses at The Artisan Center.
The Caesar Salad at So Perfect Eats
my mid-life crisis
about 16 years ago, when I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, and told I would probably never walk again, I refused to acquiesce.
after years of struggling with doctors and medications, I found out I had been misdiagnosed, and was suffering pseudo arthritis as a result of—get this… ready?—the medicine they were GIVING me for it.
I switched medications (and doctors, natch) it took another year to recover. my joints will never recover; they’re still crunchy and inflammed. my ankles took the worst hit.
and that year, I felt like I had a new lease on life, with this whole “being able to walk again” thing.
so I bought a motorcycle. then I realized that was dumb. so I sold it. I bought a mustang, then sold it. then I bought a convertible. I still have it and I love driving it.
and I bought myself a bougainvillea. I thought to myself, “this plant represents this moment of my life.”
my 12-year old bougainvillea is still growing. I can see it from my office. it reminds me of that time in my life when I felt new again, full of hope, and ready to get on with my life.
another year later, after a couple miscarriages, I had my son, and now I’m living this life that I’m living now. with the bougainvillea and being able to walk.
that’s the story of my mid-life crisis. what’s yours?
photos taken july 2001
DIY toilet seat cover
We all know the toilet paper slips off if you lay it on the seat like this \ /
All you need is a cross-piece to keep the other two from sliding off!
Click for a larger image.