Make a Stencil

1. Find Your Artwork

Find or create the image you want to use. Simple, high-contrast artwork generally makes the best stencil. Black-and-white images and line drawings are particularly easy to work with. You can create your own art or start your work with an image you find online. See media resources for some places to find suitable art online.

2. Open the Artwork in Inkscape

Open or import the image into Inkscape.

If you are starting with a PNG, JPG, or other bitmap image, you'll need to convert it to vector paths before sending it to the Roland.

3. Convert the Image to Vector

Select the image and choose:

Path → Trace Bitmap

Adjust the tracing options until the preview contains the shapes you want, then apply the trace.

Delete the original bitmap image after tracing.

Clean up the resulting paths and remove the background or any other areas you don't want included in the stencil.

Sometimes this is easier to do as a first step in GIMP, Photoshop, or any image editing software you are familiar with.

4. Remove Islands

An island is a part of the stencil that is completely surrounded by an area that will be cut out. If you don't connect it to the rest of the stencil, it will fall out when the stencil is cut.

The centers of letters such as A, B, D, O, P, Q and R are common examples, but islands can occur anywhere in an image.

Add Bridges

To keep an island, add a small bridge connecting it to the rest of the stencil.

In Inkscape, you can create bridges by editing the vector paths. One simple method is to use the Eraser tool to create a small break in the cut-out shape, leaving a strip of stencil material connecting the island to the surrounding stencil.

Keep bridges wide enough that they won't tear or break when the stencil is removed.

Video Tutorial

Inkscape — Create One Piece Stencils

This tutorial specifically demonstrates how to identify islands and add bridges in Inkscape.

Using Text

If your design includes text, an easy way to avoid islands is to start with a stencil font. Stencil fonts have bridges built into letters such as A, B, D, O, P and R.

Search for “stencil” on:

• Google Fonts — free, open-source fonts.

• Font Squirrel — curated fonts that are free for commercial use.

• DaFont — Stencil/Army — a large selection of stencil fonts; check the license for each font, since some are personal-use only.

After installing the font, restart Inkscape if necessary. Create your text, then use Path → Object to Path before sending the finished design to CutStudio.

5. Scale the Stencil

Select the complete design and set it to the size you want.

Lock the aspect ratio before changing the width or height so the artwork isn't distorted.

Check the physical dimensions rather than relying on how large the design looks on screen.

6. Send to Roland CutStudio

Select the finished stencil artwork and use the Roland CutStudio Inkscape extension to open it in CutStudio.

In CutStudio:

1. Check the dimensions of the design.

2. Position it on the available material.

3. Confirm that the Roland is loaded and its origin has been set.

4. Send the design to the cutter.

See Roland GS2-24 Vinyl Cutter for instructions on loading material, setting the origin, and recommended stencil-sheet cut settings.

Before Cutting

• Artwork has been converted to vector paths.

• Background and unwanted paths have been removed.

• All islands have bridges.

• Design is scaled to the correct physical size.

• Stencil material is loaded in the Roland.

• Roland origin is set.

• CutStudio shows the expected size and position.