File Setup
Understanding Options for Saving to PDF
Laying Out Documents for Print
Creating and Exporting Bleeds Using Adobe InDesign
Using Adobe InDesign's Print Booklet Plug-In
Creating a Cutting Path for the Roland
Creating the CutContour Swatch
- In Illustrator, create a new le or open an existing file.
- Create a new color in the swatch palette and use the following settings: (Figure 1)
- Note: You can set the color mode to whatever you like, but it is best to use a bright color that shows up well in your file, so you can easily see your path. For example, 100% red or magenta.
Figure 1: Saving the CutContour swatch
Figure 2: Note the spot swatch (4th row)
- You should now have a new color in the Swatch menu. (Figure 2)
Defining the CutContour Area
As with all mechanical equipment, the cut controls are not perfect and there may be a slight alignment shift. If you are planning to have full bleed stickers, incorporate a bleed of at least 0.125”. For more information on bleed, refer to Creating and Exporting Bleeds Using Adobe InDesign.
- Select the Pen tool and set the “ ll” to none and the “stroke” to your CutContour swatch. The stroke should be set to 1pt.
- Tip: It is good practice to keep your CutContour shapes isolated to one layer, so create a new layer above all of your artwork or the image you are planning to cut (Figure 3).
- Draw an outline around your object (Figure 4).
- Note: While the cut controls can some difficult angles, do try to keep the number of points to an efficient number.
- Once you have completed your cutting path, confirm that the path is closed, so that the cut is complete and the cut portion will come o without tearing. (Figure 5)
- Your file should now be ready for output. Using the Save As menu, create a filename and choose Adobe PDF as your file type using the High Quality Print preset and turning o “Preserve Illustrator Editing Capabilities”. (Figure 6)
Figure 2: Note the spot swatch (4th row)
Figure 2: Note the spot swatch (4th row)
Figure 5: Example of a closed path (left) versus an open path (right)
Figure 5: Example of a closed path (left) versus an open path (right)