Sharing designs

Manor Fine Arts · Post by **Manor Fine Arts** » Wed 04 Apr, 2007 4:11 pm

Hi all

I have just ordered the new valani computer mount cutter,

eagerly awaiting its arrival.

I am told that there are numerous ready made designs on the software provided, I was wondering if there would be a space on the forum to share designs which have been designed and created by other members of the forum . I understand that some of the designs are very time consuming in their creation.

or is sharing not an option.

Paul
Manor Fine Arts

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Wed 04 Apr, 2007 6:00 pm

Hi Paul
Welcome to the world of CMC's. Which model did you get please.

Yes the V comes with literally 100's of mount designs and 100's of Clip Art in its own library.

I am happy to share any of my designs with other users, although I did post something similiar 12 months ago and did not get many replies.

Most (if not all) CMC's use their own graphic packages and I have not found any conversion type of package as yet. The V uses FU2 files.

The common graphic package seems to be .PLT files as in CorelDraw. I use this to make my designs then convert within the V software.

Once you have got to grips with the V and Corel, then come on back or send me an email and I will forward my own desings to you.

Spit · Post by **Spit** » Sat 23 Jun, 2007 7:57 pm

Perhaps someone could host a repository of coreldraw files, then Wizard, Valiani and Gunnar owners (and more?) could all share their designs.

osgood · Post by **osgood** » Sat 23 Jun, 2007 8:30 pm

Merlin Framers wrote: The V uses FU2 files.

Mmmmmmmm......"FU2"??? is this someone's attempt at being funny?

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Sat 23 Jun, 2007 8:42 pm

Hi Ormond
No thats genuine. I did indeed take a second look myself.

The extension to a mat design is xxxxxx.FU2

Does that have a meaning to you guys as well !!!!! tee hee

Grahame Case · Post by **Grahame Case** » Thu 10 Jan, 2008 8:27 pm

to resurrect this thread,

it'd be great to see a site on the internet where people could freely share their mat designs, as someone who is most probably purchasing a CMC in the next few months i would love to spend some time creating designs to share with people.

osgood · Post by **osgood** » Thu 10 Jan, 2008 8:46 pm

Grahame Case wrote: as someone who is most probably purchasing a CMC in the next few months i would love to spend some time creating designs to share with people.

Grahame,
Your thinking seems to be common amongst impending CMC owners. I had exactly the same thoughts. After you have had your CMC for a few months and reality grabs you by the throat, you will realise that the majority of your CMC cutting will consist of rectangles and circles/ovals and fancy created designs will be only a very small percentage of what you do.

If you have the spare time to create designs it will be very rewarding, as you can see by some of Jared's creations. I would love to swap some designs with you, but I don't think I will qualify as a swapper because I haven't created any, in about seven years!............. Bugger!!!

Grahame Case · Post by **Grahame Case** » Thu 10 Jan, 2008 8:49 pm

ah certainly ormond, of course the majority of work will be squares and ovals etc, we are under no illusions,

it would be nice to have other designs to make someones work special... E.G. a sports shirt, having the club logo cut into the mat would add a little extra dimension, and bring in extra revenue.

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Sat 12 Jan, 2008 5:30 pm

During a very wet and windy Saturday afternoon in the shop, with very few customers...

I really must take my hat off to Jared and his designs, which he kindly shared with us in another thread. Inspired by his creations, I decided to have a go at something simple.... A Butterfly...

First.. Find a picture then using Corel Draw, I drew a few lines..
Imported as a .PLT file into Valiani software and this is the result of the
'first cut'. I went with coloured mounts just to highlight it.

That took just on 3 hours to do... I can imagine it will take another 3 hours to fine tune it.. The 'web' on the wings are not even and the cutting curve on the feelers is way too tight.

One problem I did have was with the first PLT there were far too many 'nodes' on the line and the head was just juddering all over the place. Eventually found a way to get a smooth curve with no nodes on..

Now starting work on a Tiger in B/W. mmmmmm that should take a few months. Thanks Jared. You make it look all so easy...

Jared Davis CPF, GCF · Sun 13 Jan, 2008 8:45 pm

Thanks for the kind words John.

Nice work on the Butterfly - very clean. As you are now aware, limiting the number of nodes in Corel Draw greatly improves the cut quality - but it does take time...

Keep at it...

Kind regards,

Jared

Moglet · Post by **Moglet** » Sun 13 Jan, 2008 11:00 pm

Lovely Butterfly, John!

Jared Davis CPF, GCF wrote:As you are now aware, limiting the number of nodes in Corel Draw greatly improves the cut quality - but it does take time...

Doesn't it just, Jared! Smooth lines are the trick every time.

Tips for smooth curve creation (learned this technique the hard way - a pain to do, but worth it - should be ideal for creating curves for CMC's).

NB - main tip is to use Bezier tool, not freehand tool!!

- As recommended by Spit, import the foundation image into Corel and lock the layer (object manager - grey out the pencil icon).

- Create a new layer in object manager above the layer with the base image, and select it to make it active.

- Select Bezier Tool (freehand tool can make life harder unless you have a drawing tablet).

- A useful technique is to change the line colour to one which will be clearly visible against the colours of the image you are tracing. Another useful tip is to set the width of the line to 1 or 2pt, depending on the level of zoom at which you are working.

---------------
EDIT:

- Create nodes along the first "shape" path, by clicking at different points along the curve.

Tip: if you have ever done a "Join the Dots" puzzle, node creation is a bit like creating the "dots" that make up the picture.

Don't create too many nodes, but do include slightly more than you think you will need for the final shape, and definitely enough create a line that tracks the shape relatively closely. The greater the curvature of a given section of the shape, the greater the number of nodes you should create.

------------------

- Keep adding nodes to complete the curve. I would assume that you need to close the shape by clicking on the first node to make a closed path (anyone who uses Corel with a CMC, please can you confirm this is correct?)

- Save your file as you go along.

- Select the shape that you have just drawn, and select the Bezier tool.

- Use "Select All" to select all the nodes in the shape (node edit toolbar).
-----------------------
EDIT:

- Click on "Convert Line to Curve" icon in toolbar (icon will be greyed out if all line segments are already curves).

- Set all nodes to "Cusp" type (icon will be greyed out if all nodes are already cusps).

-----------------------

- Hold down SHIFT and deselect any nodes that are at shape vertices.

- Set remaining nodes to "Smooth." This will alter the path from straight line segments to a smoother curve.

- Immediately set selected nodes to "Cusp" again.

- Click anywhere off the path to deselect the highlighted nodes and save the file. (Tip: it's a good idea to save different draft versions of the file as work progresses.)

- Use the node edit tools to delete excess nodes. The path of the curve should get progressively smoother as you work.

- Use the Bezier tool to add and remove nodes, or to click and drag the curve position/node control handles, to further refine and smooth the curve until you are happy with the result. (Tip: one gets far greater control of the curve if one converts new nodes to "Cusp" type before deleting pre-existing neighbouring nodes.)

This is much easier to demonstrate than describe. I hope you can follow the above OK.

Below is an example of one of my Corel Celtic pieces created using this method (please excuse watermark!).

Spit · Post by **Spit** » Sun 13 Jan, 2008 11:08 pm

Moglet wrote:- A useful technique is to change the line colour to one which will be clearly visible against the colours of the image you are tracing. Another useful tip is to set the width of the line to 1 or 2pt, depending on the level of zoom at which you are working.

You could also set the transparency of the background to something like 50-60%, so you can still see it, but your lines show up better!

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Mon 14 Jan, 2008 5:23 pm

Áine
That Celtic image in Corel is amazing.

I was fairly pleased with my Butterfly in Corel. It now pales into insignificance compared to your Corel work....

Thank you for those 'node' instructions.

To use a PLT file on a CMC you do need to close all paths.

I think I have some work to do....

Moglet · Post by **Moglet** » Mon 14 Jan, 2008 6:44 pm

Hi Merlin,

Glad you enjoyed my work. It's an interpretation/recreation of a roundel from the Book of Kells (Quoniam page). If you think what I've achieved with Corel is impressive, it pales into insignificance compared to the skill of the original artist: he got all that detail - four Celtic Lions, eight peacocks, four serpents, and a Crann na Beatha (Tree of Life) - into a roundel with a diameter of less than 1½"!!!

The skill of all the Kells artists is completely mindfrelling!!

Like any skill, the only differentiators between what you have achieved with your butterfly motif and what's in my image are down to those good ol' bedfellows, Time and Practice. The roundel took about 350 - 400 hours to create and refine. (Hate doing the feet on the zoomorphs - they take ages!!!)

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Mon 14 Jan, 2008 6:59 pm

Hi Áine
I totally agree with you the skills of those artists in yesteryears is totally amazing.

350-400 hours. I managed to get your salutation/quote translated from my dearest cousin. Sore Arses indeed. I can understand that now...

I think the men in white coats would be doing a pick up of me if I tried to put your excellent recreation into a CMC project.

I have got nodes springing up all over the place, at the moment my Tiger looks like a black and white stripey thing with a severe dose of black spotted measles....

Moglet · Post by **Moglet** » Mon 14 Jan, 2008 7:09 pm

Merlin wrote:I managed to get your salutation/quote translated from my dearest cousin.

Did your cousin explain that the real humour is in the play on words for the saying "Nil aon tinteán mar do thinteán féin"?

Merlin wrote:I have got nodes springing up all over the place, at the moment my Tiger looks like a black and white stripey thing with a severe dose of black spotted measles....

Sounds par for the course! When you have it finished, can you email me a copy in native CDR format? I'd be very interested to see your results at node level.

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Mon 14 Jan, 2008 7:13 pm

Yes she did. Errrr welll tried to..
Something about a reverse of syllables...

If you really want to look at my nodes, I will certainly send you the CDR when it is completed...

Onwards and Upwards...

Moglet · Post by **Moglet** » Mon 14 Jan, 2008 7:25 pm

Merlin wrote:Yes she did. Errrr welll tried to..
Something about a reverse of syllables...

PM on the way...

osgood · Post by **osgood** » Mon 14 Jan, 2008 7:29 pm

Merlin wrote: If you really want to look at my nodes, I will certainly send you the CDR when it is completed...

Mmmmm......what will your wife think of another woman looking at your nodes, John???

Moglet · Post by **Moglet** » Mon 14 Jan, 2008 7:35 pm

osgood wrote:Mmmmm......what will your wife think of another woman looking at your nodes, John???

I'm not a woman! I'm an ex-engineer!!!