Nothing but Cricuts
Iβm nearing the finish line on my challenge...
It never ceases to amaze me how relatively fast these challenges seem to go. Before you know it, a whole month has passed. But, if youβve remained even halfway committed, the amount of work you can produce and how much you can explore and learn in one month is mind-boggling.
In only twenty-six days, not only do I have twenty-six (hopefully soon-to-be thirty) new lettering sketches, but I have also learned how to make an SVG of my own work to put on items or share. Perhaps some of these sketches will become an SVG too!
SVG stands for scalable vector graphic. Handlettering artists create vectors of their work, many times, to be able to resize them as needed without losing quality or resolution. I had already been introduced to vectorizing my letters in Illustrator, just for the know-how (and to get into a Typism Book some day π₯°). But, the urge to learn to create SVGs from my own work came from my husband buying me some heat presses made by Cricut during Black History Month.
It was a delayed response since I had already gotten a Cricut cutting machine on sale at the start of the pandemic last year that I wasnβt using. I felt I might have time to learn it with the initial two-weeks we were told to stay home. I knew many teachers endorsed them for their classrooms. But cracking the usability code for the beginner can be challenging. I used it once or twice and felt a little overwhelmed. Fast forward to a lettering project that couldβve been helped by a Cricut, and now Iβm all about it.
An SVG can be used with a Cricut machine to create drawings, image transfers like iron-on artwork or shapes cut from vinyl, etc. You can also print and then cut shapes to make things like labels and stickers. Iβm sure the list goes on, but Iβm just going to rock with these for the moment. Of course, they have a program for to buy ready-made designs. But I think itβs more fun to make my own.
To date, I now have two three different sizes of Cricut Easy Presses, a Cricut Explore Air 2, a Cricut Joy, a Cricut Mug Press, and a converted sublimation printer.
Do I know how to use these machines to their fullest capacity yet? Not at all. But, where thereβs a will, thereβs a way. Besides, I figure itβs like Photoshopβ¦Even with all its bells and whistles, you get in there, use it for what you need it for, and get out. No harm, no foul. π€·πΎββοΈ
Just last night, I played with the Draw and Cut function on the Cricut Joy on some cardstock sticker paper.
They look like little, handmade coloring sheets! There are definitely some improvements to be made to the process since it looks like the Draw function was made for simple line work.
But, the art teacher in me is amused. ππΎ
