How to Create a Cut Line in Adobe® Illustrator®

To create perfectly cut graphics on your Roland® VersaCAMM® or VersaSTUDIO using Adobe® Illustrator®, you must first create a cut line. In this video, Stahls' TV educator Steven Jackson will show you the easiest way to prepare your graphic for print and cut operations.
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[@rDreamyLife]

You are now my favorite person in the entire world. The only video that actually helped me. Simple and neat. Thanks a lot

[@asmith123]

Thankyou. I was just about to trace around the whole image and thought to myself, there has got to be a quicker way. Easy to follow instructions, Thankyou!

[@666MalaYa]

The first video which has actually helped Thank you very much indeed!

[@tom69821]

Thanks, this really helped, it’s a lot easier than using the pen tool!

[@audreytenzer1882]

Hi there, everything goes well for me up until I get to the pathfinder. When I click on unite it outlines the entire border with the background and not just the image. What am I doing wrong? :s

[@KingDJFM]

Thanks a lot. Best Teacher on this so far :)

[@travissmith7471]

Thank you for the tutorial... It was very very helpful...

[@sallyludford9087]

Good clear instructions, thank you.

[@civilizedagesabers]

What if you want the line to be a few hairs inside the graphic rather than exactly on the outside edge?

[@mke1984]

Great Video mate, i am cutting on graphtec cutter, ive set up cut contour for circle but for some reason when cutting it cuts twice, any ideas why, please help if you can? thanks

[@prempeh4403]

Thanks, great tutorial.

[@anthonylangendoen6323]

i do not get a dialog when clicking on expand, nor does it give an error however it still doesn't seem to change anything to my artwork, any ideas?

[@DaveSlamGSS]

same here.... can anyone answer???

[@maynedoe7164]

Same.

[@JcCarola]

@@maynedoe7164 click expand appearance, and click expand

[@andrikgalvez6336]

Thank you!!!🙏

[@StahlsTV]

You are so welcome

[@RezaulIslamRifat]

Excellent

[@StahlsTV]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@kielyaitken1765]

Hi! This was super helpful. I hit a bit of a wall on my image though. I removed the background in photoshop, then moved the image to illustrator. But it didn’t pick up the lines around the image. There is a rectangle around the image. How do I remove the rectangle so that I can follow these directions in this video? Thank you!

[@sassymouth2056]

Trying saving as a png after removing the background. I’m not 100% sure but I think that will remove the rectangle.

[@kayleepritchett2415]

I am having this same issue. Even when I remove the background, it still doesn't show my outline lines. It's just a rectangle.

[@nymsfam4640]

very helpful but one question and maybe someone can help? why am i not able "expand" my font? just the image. am i doing something wrong? i followed the steps.

[@monieandrews9431]

Hi thank u is this done with every image or just an vector image

[@StahlsTV]

Hi - every image that you will be cutting.

[@mohammedshahidrahman8276]

Excellent!!

[@FabulousKati]

How do I add bleed to this cut so I would't get any possible white lines on the edges?

[@StahlsTV]

Hi Kati. Check out these channel search results - kzbin.infosearch?query=bleed. We have a video for both AI and CDR software.

[@masterprinter5029]

Omg thank you so freaking much!!!

[@dangkhoatontho1976]

thank you

[@ashleyjohnson9120]

How do I search for a vector graphics in what I want similar to something like that online?

[@StahlsTV]

Please visit greatdanegraphics.com for royalty free artwork

[@realtypics6572]

hi since I don't have Roland Versaworks in my. AI what should I use for cut?

[@StahlsTV]

It depends on the type of cutter you are using. We recommend reaching out to the manufacturer of your cutter.

[@shantimix]

@@StahlsTV thanks that’s understandable I was asking for Ai. I need to creat cut files. When I’m designing the cut and engraving part. I’m having problems with adding cutting and the etching or engraving in one file save and then just add to my light burn for it to just do what it supposed to do

[@erikgoodwin]

I am so stuck on creating cutlines. Whenever I unite the two layers it creates a solid color square over the image instead on creating that fill just to the boundaries of the image. What am I doing wrong?

[@StahlsTV]

Hi, Could you please e-mail the file that you're using as well as your question to [e-mail]? They will be able to assist you in creating cut lines.

[@donjohnswaggert]

Erik Goodwin in afraid this doesn't work so easy i made a simple Ying and yang on the illustrator followed your instructions and i get a similar problem when uniting .

[@clarkking6961]

I've been trying to figure this out for years

[@ishtube]

when I hit expand, it doesnt do anything... why?

[@ampmartin7934]

My same issue, I know it's been years but have you figured it out??

[@ov3rheat.gamestreams]

The printer at my work they can't see a cutcontour and can't cut it :( I Made it with Illustrator CS6. Process/spot color (called it Cutcontour) - 100% magenta - -0,3mm cutcontour - (at save, format TIFF 8 bit/transparant, Embed fonts, Transparency Overprints: Preserve Language 3 and check every box!) Can anyone tell me what I need to do, or what the printer people do wrong?

[@Andrea-eb8lg]

Perfect, thanks a lot! :)

[@cindycatrionajusup4851]

mine doesnt have roland versaworks....is it a plugin?

[@StahlsTV]

You can find it here www.rolanddga.com/support/products/software/versaworks

[@sOleBookwood]

Thank you!

[@KingDJFM]

You're the best

[@f34r-carter5]

Fine for the outside of the design,i want to cut the whole design!

[@rammilanyadav995]

Good sir

[@StahlsTV]

Thank you!

[@tksupps5154]

nice video!

[@sayedsabid698]

thanks

[@clarkking6961]

How do I create an offset path around an object that has more than one color?

[@StahlsTV]

Hi Clark, great question- You can select the outermost path and offset from that, or if multiple paths make up the shape you can select all of them and then use the pathfinder tool to merge the paths together for just one path.

[@projekt-orion]

this is the first time I got shocked by an intro.. LOL..

[@StahlsTV]

:-)

[@maceyklein4402]

for some reason my “expand “ is grayed out and i am unable to use it, any idea why?

[@StahlsTV]

Hi Macey. Sorry, not sure the fix for that. Maybe Adobe can help? Good luck!

[@Grubsndoodles]

Hi. What about i need the line to be offset from the artwork

[@Grubsndoodles]

@@brelynniceallen447 you're awesome :D thank you so much!!!

[@michellecolon779]

Thank you 👍

[@rommycougar]

Hello, how can i cut inside a design as well? hope to hear from you

[@macthesmac]

rommy aouad before you lick the artwork layer copy and paste the elements onto the copy. Ctrl alt V I think to paste where it belongs. Then add the Roland outline swatch

[@qwerffa]

what is versaworks and why I can't see it? where can I download it?

[@StahlsTV]

They are using Adobe Illustrator to create. VersaWorks is Roland software that comes with their large format printers.

[@veronicaviers14]

Hi I got the same problem, im using a latest version of Adobe Illustrator and there is no Roland Versaworks in my swatch library. Is there a way for me to get it or any other option ?

[@halliemccaskill3287]

@@veronicaviers14 This is a year late but it might help someone else. The link is at the very bottom of this page: kea-makerlab.github.io/hello/assets.html

[@lydia384]

@@halliemccaskill3287 I have roland versaworks but it doesn`t apear in AI This is my first try to make a cut contour so i don`t know anything

[@cjharo]

I would like to print on a Roland BN-20 and Perf Cut on a Roland GS-24 is this possible? When i do this through versaworks, my perforation force settings are greyed out. Help please.

[@Lebaaaa]

hello guys my sidemate my sidemate is trying to do dis, but he no know how do? can help me ? ples.!!11! :)

[@StahlsTV]

Please email [e-mail] to see if they may be able to help with this.

[@divas1810]

once i unite everything i can still see some lines inside the image how do i remove these

[@davidmullerful]

You can always place a black box over the picture you make (befpre that coly the origonal picture and place on the sode), select all, Pathfinder tool, the second row first option, ungroup, delete the edge and just the picture will be left, unite then again and remove fill and CutContour line on edges, then place that over the original picture manually, or using the thing that moves all objects in center.

[@limbotvperu6867]

what if i have the art work in different layers? am i fucked?

[@waggingstyles]

PLEASE HELP. MY IMAGE GOES AWAY WHEN I CLICK ON VIEW. WHYYYY? I'M NEW TO ALL THIS.

[@carlosrguardian2738]

How can I create a cut line on a PNG image?

[@StahlsTV]

Pixel images like JPG's and PNG's will need to be "Traced" in Illustrator in order to convert it to a vector and add a cutline. This will work best with high resolution images. One trick is to open the .PNG first in Adobe Photoshop, right click on the layer and go to "Blending Options." Here, you can give it a black "Color Overlay" effect. Save it again as a .PNG under a different name. This way the .PNG is one solid color and will trace much more accurately in Illustrator. Now you can place this new solid black .PNG into Illustrator. You will need to trace it via Object > Image Trace. Be sure to have "Ignore White" selected. After the trace, go to Object > Expand. This will complete the vectorization. Now you can remove the fill and add the cutline and overlay this cutline over the original .PNG file.

[@mommininapinch4521]

I wish there was a video to show how to convert the image to a vector and then add the cut lines.

[@GlennBird]

@@mommininapinch4521 There’s loads of vids on this, do a search for ‘image trace’.

[@Addme408]

excellent excellent

[@anastasiafliostor5797]

thanks