Goofy Sticker

I started out my design by making a concept to try and sketch out a very rough draft to make sure the design was even possible. After trying out a few different arc tools in the sketch menu, I ended up using the 3 point arc almost exclusively during my design, as it allowed me to more easily customize the curves in the drawing. Obviously the intent for this first iteration was not to look pleasing to the eye, but regardless I needed to make sure that the rough shape looked halfway decent, which it did. With the knowledge that the design was possible, it was time for me to move onto the challenge of actually creating the final sticker.

My first challenge was how I would get the scaling on the actual model correct and close to the drawing I was working off of. I chose to make small dots on the face as reference points as to where the end of each line would be. I divided the face with little dots into just enough pieces that I was able to stitch the arc segments together and create the outline.

As I said above, I used the points I drew out on the sketch to create this model of the outline on the left using 3 point arcs and lines. I measured the change in y and x coordinates in cm from the drawing, and then translated those points onto the sketch grid in fusion, resulting in a scale representation. From there I created the eyes and the mouth in the same fashion.

There was one obvious flaw to my first design however, and that was that it couldn’t be cut out on the vinyl cutters because they simply cut along the lines you create. If I had cut with my previous model I wouldn’t be able to remove the sticker. To fix this I made the model you see above on the right by using the offset tool to make the lines “thicker”. That way I can actually remove the material in between the lines for the sticker. On the left above you see the design extruded for a clearer view. In addition I added the eyes and mouth using the same techniques used for the outline.

After creating my final working model in fusion, I exported the file as a .dxf to Silhouette Studio to print out a prototype. I decided to use a negative display for my design (taking out the area as opposed to keeping it) and used the arc tool in Silhouette to draw a quick circle around the design so I could remove it. Because this rendition printed out as I had wanted it too, I started to move onto my final draft using the vinyl sheets. I printed out my final copy in a gloss white vinyl to match the stickers I already had on my water bottle, so that it wouldn't stand out, or at least it wouldn’t stand out more. To move the sticker from the vinyl backing to my water bottle I removed the necessary parts of the sticker, then cut out the area from the vinyl backing. Then I peeled away any access vinyl surrounding the area and laid a sheet of transfer tape over it. From there I carefully removed the sticker, then centered it on my water bottle and scraped over it to make sure it was securely on, and took the tape off.

This sort of process we went through is used all the time in the real world. Graphic designers create logos for stickers, T-shirts, hoodies, billboards etc. Really any artistic image that's printed has to be made on a software like Fusion or Silhouette. Usually you're taking a hand drawn model, then translating that to software for mass production which is exactly what I did. For my settings on the Cameo printers I had the blade height set to 1 and the cut material set to vinyl (for the final design).