Inkscape setup for GCC Vinyl Cutting

2.2 Move and ScaleTo move text around click on the 1st Arrow tool on the left toolbar and then click on the text and drag

You can use the tiny arrows around the text to change the shape

You can set the specific Width and Height on the top

Double click inside the text to change the writing/letters again

2.1 Write textClick on the “A” on the left to open the text tool

Click anywhere on the paper/canvas to start typing text

Choose Font, Size etc. from the top

2. TEXT

1. DOCUMENT SETUP (Size, Units)

(top left) File > Document Properties (Indstillinger for Dokument) > Display Units (mm, cm)> Orientation > Landscape> Custom size > Width “set to your vinyl material width” Units > mm or cmPress the red X to close/save

0. BASIC COMMANDS+ / - Zoom in and outCtrl Z - UndoCtrL S - SaveCtrl C Ctrl V - Copy and Paste

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3. FRAME

3.1 Draw frame around text

Choose the Rectangle tool on the left toolbarClick and drag around your textRelease to finalise the rectangle

No line or filled with color/white?If you cannot see the rectangle afterwards it means the line is very thin or there is no color on the line. Or perhaps the rectangle is colored inside and hides your text.

You can Zoom (+) in to see if there is a color

If the line is still not there go to on the top and select View (Vis) > Display mode (Visningstilstand)> Outline (Omrids)*Now you are in Outline mode meaning you can see only outlines, this is helpful when working with very thin drawing lines that you cannot see when zoomed out

Click on the line rectangle you made and go to the top and click Object (Objekt) > Fill and Stroke (Udfyldning og streg)On the right there should be Fill and Stroke toolbar with three tabs as seen below

2) Click on the next tabStroke Paint (Streg farve) > Flat Color

3) Select the next TabStroke style (Stregstil) > Width > (any value ca 1) > mmClick anywhere or press Enter to save

1) Click on Fill > X (to remove the color inside the rectangle)Set Opacity > 100%

To change your View mode back to Normal, go to the topselect View (Vis) > Display mode (Visningstilstand) > Normal

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5. Saving PDF for vinyl cuttingIt doesn’t matter where your objects are on the canvas/page

Finally, save your work by going to the top leftFile (Fil) > Save As (Gem som) > Save as Type > choose PDFFile name (name your file as something and remember to choose where you will save it) > Save Then the following window will pop up like on the rightchoose Text output options > Convert text to Path > OK

PS. There are also handy interactive tutorials with files on the top under Help > Tutorialsto learn more about Inkscape’s possibilities

HAPPY VINYL CUTTING !

4. Align and center text

Select both text and the rectangle/frame - either by dragging with the 1st tool on the left ( ) around both the text and frame OR select one (e.g. text) and hold Shift and click on the other (e.g. frame).

Go on the top Object > Align and Distribute (Juster og fordel) A toolbar on the right appears where you can choose the different alignment optionsFor example to center align vertically and horizontally you can click the options as highligted in the image on the right

You should end up with a document that looks similar to the image on the right

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If you have any suggestions or changes Please write to the author of this document Liisa Ummelas > liisa.ummelas@gmail.com