Laser: Monogram Earrings

Today you'll create a monogram earring design in Inkscape and cut your design on the laser cutter.

This tutorial borrows much from the following Christmas ornament tutorial: http://www.paperthreads.com/newsletter/December2007/InkscapeMonoCmasOrn_JLA.pdf. This tutorial can be adapted for an ornament or a pendant if you prefer.

Open Inkscape

Inkscape is on your Desktop with the following icon:

Today we will use the

Selection Tool

Circle Tool

Inset Tool (under Path)

Text Tool

Tool Controls for adjusting Circle Width and Height

Setting up our workspace

The measurement default in Inkscape is set to pixels. Pixels are very useful for web designers, but because we are printing a physical object, let's change the default to inches.

File > Document Properties

Default units: Inches

Creating the frame

Use the Circle Tool to create the outer frame of our monogram.

Click the Circle Tool. In the whitespace, click, drag, then release. Resize your circle so that the Width and Height are both 2.0 inches.

We will use the Inset Tool to create a perfectly centered circle just inside our original circle. This is the inner frame of our monogram.

Edit>Duplicate. Path>Inset. Repeat Path>Inset several times. We want the frame to be wide, not thin.

Setting our frame

Select both circles by going to Edit>Select all, or, with the Selection Tool, clicking and dragging around both circles.

Path>Exclusion

The inside disappears and we have a red and black ring.

Creating the monogram

Click the Text Tool. Click within the ring and type your initials or monogram. Click on Text>Text and Font. Take a minute to select your font.

The next step will make your font permanent.

With your monogram selected, go to Path>Object to Path, then Object>Ungroup.

Rearrange your letters.

Letters need to overlap with the ring and with each other. You can stretch out your letters if they are too small for this.

Finalizing your design

Select the letters. Do this by holding down CONTROL and SHIFT while clicking on each letter.

Path>Union

They will appear as one piece.

Select the monogram and frame. Do this by holding down CONTROL and SHIFT while clicking on the monogram and frame.

Path>Union

They will appear as one piece.

Adding the earring hole

Using the Circle Tool, draw a small circle near the top of the frame. Center it so there is space between it and the frame.

Edit>Select all

Object>Fill and stroke

Fill: No fill

Stroke: Black

Stroke style: 0.003 inches

The red will disappear and we are left with a black outline.

Group and Copy

We will group the framed monogram and hole.

Edit>Select all

Object>Group

We will create the other earring by copying it.

Edit>Copy

Edit>Paste

Place the copy next to the original

Saving

File>Save as

Save your file to the DESKTOP for easy reference. Use your name for the file name to make it easy to find. Save as SVG.

Finished!

You have finished designing your monogram. We will walk around with a memory card to save your design, then we will cut them out on the laser cutter and attach the earrings.

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