welded phrases

[lkc]

Scal1 is pretty limited in designing as you described which is why I use Inkscape aside from the tendency to of Scal1 to "not respond" if I try to do much manipulation in it. Also the shapes menu is very basic with only and handful of primary shapes and no phrases available.

However, if someone has already created an svg than you can import it and apply the shadow effects to it though sometimes with complex welded images it may not always "read" it as it should when applying some of the available effects. Just some of the snafus that came with the early version.

I wish there was a better solution for you but at least you have Scal1.

[lkc]

In this sample I've imported the Thinking of You svg. The sample on the left is the results from applying shadow effects (I copied and pasted twice from the original.) The first one is using Shadow set a '3' and the larger outer layer was achieved using Shadow Blackout set at '8'.

In the sample on the right I created all the layers in Inkscape...it's very similar. The advantage for me is that I can edit nodes in Inkscape that I can't in scal1 but if you have a basic welded phrase, you can achieve the layered look.

thinkingofyou_scal.png (145.45 KiB) Viewed 3892 times

thinkingofyou_sm.png (32.65 KiB) Viewed 3892 times

[ptpulley]

Can you list the steps to make Merry Christmas using lockergnome and making a double mat? I want the Merry centered on top of the Christmas and the shadow/mats around the entire phrase. I don't want to copy this exactly, but this is the general idea: http://www.silhouetteonlinestore.com/v2 ... px?id=4347

Also, could you list the steps to making a welded phrase curved?

Thanks!

Shannon,
Here is the Merry Christmas in lockergnome font. I have never used SCAL1, so I'm not sure what it will do, but here are the steps I used to do this in SCAL2:

Write text in correct font, each word separately. Then click on the pointer tool, highlight one word, and click object, ungroup. Move each letter separately so that it overlaps the adjacent letters a bit. If , you use the left arrow key on the object, you won't move the object up or down unnecessarily. Make sure all letters are connected, highlight the whole word, and click path, union. Do the same thing with the second word, and then move one word above the other so that they overlap. Highlight the whole thing, click path, union. At this point, the two words should be one object, which will allow you to make a mat that goes behind the whole thing. Make a copy of the object, paste it to your mat, and while it is still highlighted, at the lower right of the screen, change the style box that says 'normal' to 'shadow blackout, rounded'. For the smallest background, I usually change the size to .50. Make another copy, change to shadow blackout, rounded, and make the size 1.00 or 1.50 (I did 1.50).

I hope this is what you had in mind.

Here is how I curve text. There may be a much better way, but I'm pretty inexperienced and this is all I have figured out:
Draw a large circle or ellipse on the mat and highlight it. Click on the text tool at the right side, and hold down the mouse until you can choose the option 'text on path'. Begin typing and the text will curve around the top of the object. If you want to remove the circle/ellipse afterward, highlight the item, click object, break apart. Then select the circle/ellipse and delete it.

[ptpulley]

Here are a couple of others. Mine are very simple and not as pretty as lkc's, but maybe you can use them. I'm sorry, I don't know how to post the image of the cut file.

[Busgoddess10]

what a pretty "Thinking of you" font. Care to share what it is?

Thanks
P

[sstehman]

Wow....just got back to reading this post and the response from all of you is great. Such a helpful group with designs and links to tutorials. This forum always amazes me with it's talent.

[sstehman]

You inspired me Laura...had to try one tonight. Here it is.

[lkc]

Good for you, Sandy!
I never upgraded to Scal2 but I know it allows for so much more
designing than Scal1. (Thankfully I have Inkscape!)

Have fun...maybe it will inspire others to try some, too!

PS- In answer to an earlier question, the font used for my Thinking of YOU is called Albemarle Swash

[shannon6465]

Wow, thank you for creating those and giving the instructions. For some reason when I open the attachment, I see the shadow only, not the original text.

[shannon6465]

This is not a question about the original posted topic, but I bought a few svg files and when I imported them into SCAL 1 they were at a default size of 1 inch. I need to figure out how to resize them so everything is proportional. The snowman is 1 inch and so is the scarf that is supposed to fit on the snowman.