pop art acrylic shapes
Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 10:21 am
Like most people I guess, I got my new laser cutter up and running and have gone mad with ideas.
I thought I'd share one here, in case anyone else finds it useful - it's an easy way of bitmaps artwork into monochrome vectors for cutting out shapes. What use is that to anyone?
I used to offer "pop art" prints on my website http://www.customstuff.co.uk
I stopped but only because running canvas paper through my printer used to get it gunked up with fine dusty particles. But the techniques could be used for making pop-art type pictures out of acrylic shapes. Google search monochrome pop art for an idea of what we're talking about: http://web.mac.com/j.cros/Site/Blondie_ ... s%2092.jpg
Anyway, grab yourself Potrace from http://potrace.sourceforge.net/
It doesn't matter if you use a full colour image, Potrace will turn it into a black and white image and trace the major shape groups for you. Save as PDF (or SVG if you like)
Now load the vector image into Inkscape, tweak if necessary and save as dxf
Load the dxf into NewlyDraw and let the laser do the work.
I've already got a whole load of Warhol-type pictures out of different coloured acrylic.
Pictures of friends and family work really well for this!
I thought I'd share one here, in case anyone else finds it useful - it's an easy way of bitmaps artwork into monochrome vectors for cutting out shapes. What use is that to anyone?
I used to offer "pop art" prints on my website http://www.customstuff.co.uk
I stopped but only because running canvas paper through my printer used to get it gunked up with fine dusty particles. But the techniques could be used for making pop-art type pictures out of acrylic shapes. Google search monochrome pop art for an idea of what we're talking about: http://web.mac.com/j.cros/Site/Blondie_ ... s%2092.jpg
Anyway, grab yourself Potrace from http://potrace.sourceforge.net/
It doesn't matter if you use a full colour image, Potrace will turn it into a black and white image and trace the major shape groups for you. Save as PDF (or SVG if you like)
Now load the vector image into Inkscape, tweak if necessary and save as dxf
Load the dxf into NewlyDraw and let the laser do the work.
I've already got a whole load of Warhol-type pictures out of different coloured acrylic.
Pictures of friends and family work really well for this!
