Using the NEW Popup Creator in Silhouette Studio v4.1 (Designer edition) - Pop Up Digger Card

Hello, Janet here sharing a children's card using the new Popup Creator feature in version 4.1 of the Silhouette® Studio software (DE and above). I'm hoping that by my experience of making a card with this feature for the first time it will help you when you try it out.

Recently a friend asked me if I could make a digger card for her grandson and it seemed the ideal opportunity to try out the new popup feature.  I used the Construction Tractor (#113473) file by Studio Ilustrado from the Silhouette® Design Store as my popup image.

Step 1: Preparing the Image

If you haven't chosen a simple shape for your popup on you may need to simplify it a little.  Make a duplicate of the image, using one to make the popup panel, and the original to make a paper-pieced topper. The modifications I made to the popup image are shown in the picture below (grey = original, black = changes, red = final image). I'd recommend considering these adjustments:

• Removing smaller apertures (e.g. grills)
• Removing overhanging parts (e.g. cab roof edges)
• Removing small details (e.g. top of chimney)
• Weld rectangles onto lower design areas to increase contact with the base (below tyres and scoop).

Step 2: Opening the Popup Panel

The popup feature is available to those with Silhouette® Studio Designer Edition and above (not available in the regular version).

Step 3: Making the Popup Panel

(a) Resize the modified image to approximately the required size together with the original file and all its parts.  Select the modified image and click "Convert Selected Shapes to Popup'.

(b) Adjust the 'Base Width' until the lowest dotted lines match the width of the bottom pieces (tyre and scoop blocks).

(c) Adjust the 'Min. Strut Width' to be (1) large enough to remove any very thin struts and (2) small enough to match the main features (these can be fine-tuned later).

(d) Change the 'Dash Pitch' (the size and spacing of the fold /dotted lines) to suit, larger is stronger, but maybe more difficult to fold if you are going to use a thicker card.

(e) Enlarge the centre fold line (the one with a red dot at either end) to span the width of your card by grabbing and moving each red dot in turn.

(f) Click and drag the oval with the plus signs on it to increase/decrease the extent of the popup.

HINT: Leave a space at least as big as the popup from the top of the popup to the top edge of your panel. Otherwise the popup will stick out of the top of your card when it is folded. Guess how I know!

(g) When you are happy with the design you can release all the parts and carry out some fine-tuning (Click on 'Release Popup'). It is a good idea to make a copy first in case you need to make any major changes later.

(h) Display the nodes and zoom in to see if there are double cuts, or other oddities. Delete any unnecessary cuts remembering that your topper will cover this image.

(i) Move the dashed lines sideways so that they are within the cut lines. Ungroup and delete individual dashes, or make small size adjustments to the whole if they overhang the edges of the struts.

(j) Finally regroup the whole thing and move it on to your base panel. Match up the centre fold line of the popup with the fold line on the card panel. You can test your design by cutting it out from scrap paper to see if further changes are needed.



Step 4: Making the card

Make a card base and a panel to cut the popup from. I made mine to fit a UK size C6 Envelope. I designed the base card (finished folded card size of 155mm x 110mm, open size of 155mm x 220mm) and then made the popup panel 10mm smaller all around (internal offset of 20mm). 

(optional) I made some interior panels from brick patterned paper and the top part of the starburst card (#36170) by cutting the popup panel in half and by substituting the dashed lines for plain cut lines.

The popup panel is then adhered to the card base, avoiding the image base and the popup extensions.

Then adhere the panels.

Add the topper and other decorative parts. I added some acetate to the window with a space so that a photo could be added.

Finally decorate the front of the card.

This was such a fun card to make but not the easiest. I made a few mistakes along the way. Hopefully by reading this you won't need to repeat them.  Do share your popup makes on the Silhouette UK Facebook page.


Bye for now,

   Profile | My Blog | Instagram

DESIGNS USED:


PRODUCTS USED:

Making Your Own Die Cut Paper Shape

I like the look of the many die cut 12 x 12 patterned papers that are available at the moment but don't like the price - usually £1.75 per sheet so decided that I would try to make my own.

Honestly, this only took me a couple of minutes and I now have a design that I can use on any patterned paper of my choosing as often as I wish.

Making your design.

• Draw an 11 inch circle and centre to your page.

• Draw a 5 inch circle and duplicate below. Centre all three circles.

• Group the two smaller circles and under the Replicate menu use the replicate copies function - I used the second one from the left to get the number of circles I wanted. 

• Repeat with 1.5 inch circles

• Select all shapes and weld.

Before I cut out my shape I added an internal offset and changed the line to a dashed one to give my paper a faux stitched effect. I also experimented with different variations and now have a selection of die cut paper for use in later projects.

Pilot Max: Creating a Negative Block Title

Hi! Niki here today with a little tutorial on how to make this negative block title.

I started off by typing my desired letters. I used a font called Smarty Pants.

I ungrouped the letters and moved them around to give myself some more space around each letter.

I then drew a box around my letter using the rectangle tool.

 Then I opened up the Point Editing and moved some of the points of the boxes around to make them wonky. I love how this is so easy to do - literally pick up the point you want to move and drag it to where you want it.

I repeated for all letters until I had wonky boxes around each one.

I then arranged my letters next to each other - firstly so I could see how they would fit together on the layout, but also so they were close together ready to cut. I then sent to Silhouette.

Once cut I then backfilled each letter so that a different colour / pattern showed through each block and then attached to my layout.

I've super happy with the result, this was so fun to make and I loved how it turned out - give it a go!

Happy scrapping

Find me designing for Freckled Fawn, Just Nick, Hey Little Magpie, GoGo Getaway, Silhouette UK, Stick it Down, and UK Scrap Addicts. Also on my own blog: Being Scrappy and on Instagram as @nikiclaire

DESIGNS USED

Smarty Pants Font

PRODUCTS USED:

Free Design of the Week - Arrow Font

Hello, hello - Karen here and I have to tell you that the DOTW this week is absolutely gorgeous, as soon as I saw it I had to download it and use it immediately!

It is here but you have to download it on or before 12th September as it will then be £1.96 - not extortionate but not as good as free (I spent up on the sale last week so am on a design buying ban).

As always, I used a sketch pen to write my border and title, giving the title a small offset to cut out with a white border.  I also used a pen to write my journaling.  The arrow frame was also drawn and given a small offset.  As it looked quite plain I decided to hand colour the border, title and frame with a turquoise pen.

All that was left was to add a couple of squares of patterned paper behind my photo and some die cut elements at the bottom left and top right - finished!

I personally feel that this font lends itself more to being used with a sketch pen as it is so fine but gorgeous too.