Fall Subway Art & a Silhouette Promotion!

Sorry this is so late in the day. I've been having issues with my Silhouette not cutting or sketching in the right place. It was a silly thing, but I finally got it fixed and was able to get this project done!

I know that for some of you, it's still summer, But I'm so over the extreme summer heat here in Idaho. I'm desperately wishing for cooler temps. So I'm sitting inside doing some fall crafting! I've got a fun Fall Subway Art for you today using my Silhouette machine and Silhouette's Sketch Pens!

This is a fairly straight-forward project. It's also very similar to the Spring Subway Art that I did earlier this year. I typed out the words I wanted in the desired font, laid them out how I wanted, and then got to sketching.

This is the design I came up with in Silhouette Studio. Don't mind the coloring. That was me just playing around with color ideas. If anyone is interested, I can offer you the design minus the chevron border in the middle. The chevron border is a design from the silhouette online store.

Thanks to an awesome reader (big shout out to TaraJay) who commented on my Spring Subway Art, I found out that the easiest way to send something through the Silhouette multiple times is to just turn off and on the things you do and don't want cut (or sketched, in my case). Maybe I'm the only one out there that hadn't figured out this feature, but incase I'm not, I'll show you what I'm talking about. Up at the top of the toolbar in Silhouette, there's a button that looks like a pair of scissors and a red line.

Click that button and you'll get some options on the right sidebar.

 

I started by choosing the whole design and turning everything off (by choosing "no cut"). Then I chose one specific word and turned it back on (by choosing "cut") to cut only that part. In the image above, I actually chose both sides of the border. You can see that when something is going to be cut, the lines turn to a bold red. The ones that aren't going to be cut are really faded out. Once that part is sketched, then you click that scissor button at the top again, turn off what you just sketched, and turn on another part of the image to cut.

 

Super easy, right? Why has it taken me almost 3 years of having my Silhouette to figure this out?! Please tell me I helped someone...? :)

 

Also, randomly here, for a bolder look and color with the sketch pens, I recommend using the double cut feature. The pens go over the image twice. It does take twice as long, but the end result looks much better. I think that feature is especially helpful for something like this that is usually displayed on a wall and not seen up close, like a card would be.

 

Anyway, here's my finished Subway Art.

 

 

 

I don't think I'm quite ready to leave it up permanently yet, but it's in my arsenal of Fall décor to pull out in a couple of weeks!

 

Also, Silhouette is running another promotion for their machines and, of course, their sketch pens!

 

 

 

You can get any of these bundles by using the code "SOMEDAY" at checkout.

 

- CAMEO plus sketch pen starter pack, metallic and glitter collection packs, plus a $25 gift card and a penholder for $269.99

- Portrait plus sketch pen starter pack, metallic and glitter collection packs, plus a $25 gift card and a penholder for $129.99

- Sketch pen starter pack, metallic and glitter collection packs, plus a penholder for $19.99

 

These bundle prices will be valid from today, August 21st through Thursday, August 29th, 2013. Go check them out!!

 

Spring Sketch Pen Subway Art + New Silhouette Promotion

 Silhouette America was generous enough to send me a 24 pack of Sketch Pens. How awesome is that?!

Look at all these beautiful colors! It's hard to tell, but some of them are even glittery and metallic!

The Sketch Pen Starter Kit includes the following colors: Black (x2), white, lavendar, red, light blue, blue, neon pink, neon orange, neon green, neon yellow, glitter magenta, glitter gold, glitter bronze, glitter peach, metallic plum, metallic lavendar, metallic maroon, metallic navy, metallic light blue, metallic green, metallic charcoal, metallic grey, & metallic copper. That's a LOT of colors!! And, as a bonus with the 24 pack, you get a download card redeemable for 10 exclusive sketch designs!!

 

 

I've been thinking about what I should do for this project for a couple of weeks now. I'm not really big into card making - too much work for my taste. We don't have a color printer anymore, so I was curious to see how these would work for something like subway art. And, I think they stood up to the test pretty well.

 

Since I used some images from the online Silhouette Studio shop, I can't ethically give you all the file to sketch/print it yourself, but I can tell you how I created so that you can create your own.

 

I used the following online Silhouette Studio shop images:

- The Frame is the Sketch Chalkboard Frame

- The Chick comes from the Easter Shapes bundle

- The Bunny comes from the 4 Easter Sketch Design bundle

 

I also used the following fonts:

- Pea Stacy Fancy

- Bernard MT Condensed

- DK Carte Blanche

- Centeria Script Demo

- Neo Retro Draw

- Vladimir Script

- Stephanie Dots

 

A couple notes on this project. It took way longer than necessary. I designed it all, saved it, and came back the next day to sketch it. But somehow in the saving process, it had made it so I couldn't separate the words and images. Even after trying to ungroup and releasing the compound paths, it was just way too much trouble. So instead, I redesigned the whole thing and cut it as I designed. Also, if you want it to just be the same color, then you can just design it all and send it to sketch. If you want the different colors, then you can use my method. Another thing, I found I got better, consistent sketching results if I set the machine to "Double Cut". It will just double sketch everything in this case. Much better.

 

1. I measured my frame so I could know exactly how big to make the frame. To fit inside my 8x10 frame, I resized the frame design to as close to 9.75x7.75 as I could get it.

 

2. This is where you start placing your words and images. After your artwork is complete, move all of the images and words off of the cutting mat area, click the Trace button, and use the trace feature. Be sure to change our your blade for the sketch pen. Send it to the Silhouette and watch the magic. When it's done sketching, DON'T take the paper and mat out of the machine. Just leave it there. Trust me. If you take it out each time, your designs will be all skeewompus.

 

 

 

3. This is where the project gets a little repetitive. Undo all the moving you just did, choose the next piece to sketch, change your pen color, and send it to the Silhouette. Repeat this process for as many colors as you're going to use. And again, LEAVE THE PAPER AND THE MAT IN THE MACHINE BETWEEN SKETCHES.

 

4. Once you've run through all your designs and colors, cut your paper down to fit inside your frame and admire your beautiful work.

 

 

 

Want to get in on the Sketch Pen action? Silhouette knew you would, so they're running an awesome special for all of the Someday Crafts readers.

 

 

 You can get any of the following discounts by using the code "SOMEDAY":

 

- Silhouette CAMEO and the Sketch Pen Starter Kit for $269.99

-Silhouette Portrait and the Sketch Pen Starter Kit for $139.99

-Sketch Pen Starter Kit for $12.99

 

Wahoo!!!

 

 This promotion ends on March 31st, 2013, so you better act fast! I absolutely love my Silhouette machine and I know you would too!!