coreldraw photoshop contour cut
TRANSCRIPT
How To Create Contour Cut Lines for Raster/Bitmap Image
in CorelDraw
withPhotoshop
ByLuis N. Fortun
Overview
The contour cut lines are made from a raster/bitmap image that is prepared in Photoshop. The is stripped of the
and the edges are . The image is duplicated in another layer. The new image is created in the image layer. The original image (Contour layer) is converted into black color with transparent background. The image is enlarged to compensate for cutter inaccuracy. The file is saved in Photoshop format (PSD) with the layers preserved. The image is imported in CorelDraw. The two layers become a group of two RGB objects in a single layer. The object is ungrouped. The Black object is traced, the outline is widen . The registration marks are added and finally both objects and registration marks are ready for printing and cutting.
background colorimage smoothed
and colored
Version: 1.0 Date: 3-5-2009
Page 1
Preparing the raster/bitmap image in Photoshop
Page 2
Open the raster/bitmap file.
Press if the dialog box is not shown.
F5 Brushes
Click on tab to show the current tool picked.
Optionsoptions of the
To start open Photoshop.
Click the foreground/ tool(small icon) to set the default colors in black and white.
background
The image will be placed in background and locked layer if it is opened for the first time in PhotoshopDouble click on the layer to change it to unlocked layer.
The image opens with default canvas size.
Page 3
Rename the layer to .Click .
Contour OK
Press then click to resize the canvas to make room for the mask to grow. Add 0.2 to the values of horizontal and vertical input box.Click .
Alt+I Canvas Size
OK
Canvas Is enlarged
Image with all transparent background.
Page 4
Unselect check box if selected.Press to select the tool.Change the tolerance value in the dialogue box that is large enough to select the background but not select part of the image. The value used is .Click on the area of the background color (White) then press
Do the same with all the areas that are big enough to cut that has background color. Such as inside text that are to be cut out.
Preserve TransparencyW Wand
Brushes20 pixels
Delete.
Rename it to .Click .
ImageOK
Click on the button next to as shown above then select in the menu.
Paths Duplicate Layer
New Layer is created.
Page 5
Click on layer.Click on the transparent background of the image.Press then click to select all the background.
Contour
Alt+S Similar
The mask is expanded
Page 6
Press select then click .Change the value to pixels.Click .
Alt+S, Modify Expand3
OK
This will mask more of the image in the contour layer to reduce its size.
Press select then click .Change the value to pixels.Click Press e to reduce the
Alt+S, Modify Smooth3
OKDelet jaggy.
The values may need changing if the clearance is not big enough.
Press to invert the selection.Press select then click .Change the value to pixels.Click .
Alt+S+IAlt+S, Modify Expand
5OK This will make the contour
image larger than the image in the image layer so that there is allowance fo cutter inaccuracy. The new size of the image in the contour layer will become 2 pixels larger then the image in the Image layer.
Page 7
The file is now ready to save.
Press then click to open dialogue box.Change the color to .Click .
Alt+E Fill Fill Contents Black
OK
The image will change to black color as shown in contour layer.
Press then click .Click the file type in the drop down menu.Click on format.Change the filename to a different name so that the original file is not overwritten e.g the word was added to the filename.Click .
Alt+F Save as
PSD
New
OK
The images are now ready to be imported in CorelDraw to make a contour cut lines. Add the registration marks to make the imageready for print and cut.
Page 8
The following docker tools at the bare minimum must be selected with checkmarks as shown on the right to create contour cut lines:
1) Properties2) Object Manager3) Contour4) Transformation
The tabs will be shown in the docker window that is to the right of the screen
Editing the raster/bitmap image in CorelDraw
Setting up the docker tools and environment
Open a new document in .CorelDraw
Before getting started the docker window needs to be set so that the necessary tools for making contour cut line are in place Set the paper size and orientation that matches the image to be contoured. The image used in the illustration is in landscape and fits 8.5 X 11. Click then click Select paper size Click radio button. Click The printer needs to be setup for the paper size and orientation. Click Click . Select the printer to be used Change the paper size and orientation in the printer property. Click .
The printable area is made visible as reference in placing the registration marks.To show the printable area click select then click The area inside the second dotted border is the printable area.
Laout Page Setup.Letter
Landscape
File.Print Setup
View, Show Printable Area.
OK.
OK
Shortcut Keystrokes
The chart above contains all the shortcut keystroke that are built in CorelDRAW X3.It will explain and give meaning to all the shortcut keystrokes that are used in this illustration.
Shortcut keystroke convention:Alt+key+key+... means press and hold Alt key then one key at a time less the + character in the order that was in the list e.g. Alt+F+ECtrl+key+key+.. means press and hold Ctrl key and the rest of the keys less + Character e.g. Ctrl+V
Page 9
The name of the file of the created in Photoshop is as shown above. Select it then click the button.
New DraconianAB.psd Import
Page 10
The image file is not included with the tutorial. The file is used fordemonstration only.
To start, the image is designed within Corel Draw as a vector drawing or bitmap or combinations of imported bitmap and vector images.
Press to place the image in the middle of paper space.Enter
Page 11
Creating Contour Cut Line
Right click on the object.Click on .Ungroup
The object will be broken into 2 RGB objects.
Click on the bottom object to select it.
Right click on the object.Select .Click .
Trace BitmapHigh Quality Trace
The imported images from Photoshop will be placed in layer 1 as a .
Group of 2 Objects
Page 12
The Trace dialogue box opens in high quality trace mode.The selected object was wrong If the image is shown in color.Change the settings of the trace dialogue as shown above.Select and check boxes.Set to 100.Set to max.
Delete Original Image Remove Background
SmoothingDetail
The RGB object will be replaced with groups of 2 vector objects which are the contour outlines.
Right click on the new group of 2 objects.Click on to ungroup the 2 objects.Ungroup
Page 13
Click button to reduce the selected nodes.Reduce
Change the value to 5 then press Enter.
Smoothing the outlie further
Right click on the 2 highlighted objects.Click on to make one curve object.Right click the RGB object.Click .Double click on the image to select the nodes of the contour outline.
Combine
Lock Object
Press to open the dialogue boxChange the width to points.Click
If there is no spiking then skip to page 14. Otherwise do the following: Press F . Increase the value of . Click . If spiking is still visible then press again. Keep increasing the until spiking is gone.
F12 Outline Pen8
OK.
12 Miter Limit
OKF12
Miter Limit
Page 14
Click on the tab.Object Manager
The contour image with thicker outline for the value of 8 points with black color contour line and fill image behind the color image as shown above.
To change the fill and outline colors to match the shirt color press to select the outline. Right click on the color in the outline color palette that matches the shirt color. Left click on the same color in the color palette to match the fill color to the shirt color.
Ctrl+A
The image with red fill and outline colors is shown above after the red color in the palette were right and left clicked.
Page 15
Adding Registration Marks
Press to select the tool.Draw a rectangle just inside the printable area border.Click on the tab.
Change the value to 10.5 in the n tool.Change the value to 8.0Click .
Center the rectangle on the paper.Click the buttonClick check box to uncheck it.Change to 5.5Change 4.25Click .
F6 Rectangle
Transformation
horizontal Transformatiovertical
Apply
PositionRelative position
Horizontalvertical to
Apply
Click the button.Click the check box to check it if unchecked.
SizeNon-proportional
The rectangle is drawn inside the printable border and away from the image. It is centered Horizontally and Vertically.
Page 16
Registration mark layer is added
The rectangle is converted to 4 registration marks.
Save the file.
Click on the icon (Rocket ship) then click on
Application launcherRegistration Marks.
Change the value to .02.Click on check box.Click .
ThicknessConvert rectangle
OK
Page 17
Printing the Image, Contour Cut Linesand Registration Marks.
The image is mirrored for light transfer paper. Normal for opaque transfer.
Skip to page 18 for opaque transfer.
To mirror the image in CorelDraw : Unlock all the layers. Press to select all objects. Click on the tab. Click on the button. Click the button. Click .
Ctrl+ATransformationScale and Mirror
HorizontalApply
Important: Test the contour cut lines on a standard printer paper and make adjustments before doing the print and cut on the media! The image is printed with registration marks and the contour cut line. The contour cut outline and fill color are matched with the shirt color to hide any un-printed opaque inside and outside the cut lines.
Page 18
Press to open dialogue box. The warning message will show if the page orientation does not match with the printer.Click .
Ctrl+P Print
Yes
The image above is the dialogue box for . The default printer is the laser printer as shown above. Select the laser or inkjet printer if it is different from the brand used in this tutorial.
Assuming that the transfer is opaque the image will be printed normally. Change the property for opaque , select tray and necessary color settings .Click Click to print the image, contour cut lines and registration marks.
Print Oki C5200n
media weight Multi purpose
Apply.Print
Page 19
Printing the Image and Registration inPhotoshop
CorelDraw has the tendency to print raster/bitmap image darker and the color is sometimes a bit off than the original. Printing in Photoshop makes the color closer to original.
To export for Photoshop all the layers must be enabled for printing.Click on the tab.Click on the of any layer that the icon is grayed.
Object Managerprinter icon
Export the image as a Photoshop (PSD) format. Name the file different from the original image file.
Press to export the image.Select the format in the drop down list.Click on then click . Open the file in Photoshop and print it.
Ctrl+EPSD Save
Page 20
Sending the image to Cutting Master 2 viaCut/Plot.
After the image is printed lay the media in a carrier sheet as shown below.
Load it in the cutter.Press enter to reset the carrier.Move the media, using up/down and left/right buttons in the cutter control panel, so that the knife is inside the first registration mark (right bottom). As shown below.
The knife location only works with registration mark scanning in . Check the cutter user manual for .
Manual modeAuto mode
Page 21
Click on the (Rocket ship).Application launcher
Click on Cut/Plot
Rotatebutton
Sending the contour cut lines to the cutter
Click on button to orient the display with the media orientation.Click .
RotateSend
The message box will appear to let the operator know to load the media in the cutter.Click ..
The cutter will search for the registration marks then cut the media.
OK
Page 22
Closeup of the weeded media that is still on the carrier sheet.
Sample Cut
The left image is the cutout and the right image is the weeded media which is still on the carrier sheet.
Closeup of the cutout.
.Notice non-symetrical cut of the outline due to the cutter inaccuracy