How to Create Layered Designs in Adobe Illustrator for Laser Cutting

Check out the assembly and final product at:

This video is a long one, but it will take you step by step through a variety of tools and techniques that will help you created the exciting layered look so unique to laser cutting. These are the same techniques I use when creating any illustrations in Adobe Illustrator and will work for creating layered paper/vinyl designs if you're using a vinyl cutter as well. Let me know if you have any questions as I may do a part II video if there are things I missed.

[cine-maticmaniacs]

I think this is the only tutorial on the entire youtube which shows the process. thanks!

[colettehammons]

This tutorial is what I've been searching for the last 6 months! I've waded through so many videos and none of them explained the end part as well as you have. And thank you for not wasting my time with mini tutorials on all the AI tools. I know how to use the program, I just wasn't sure how to get the layers other than offset paths, which don't always give the best outcome. Thank you so very much!!

[JartiKukuh]

i like your voice, i can listen to your tutorial for hours, thanks for the knowledge!!!

[phototec]

Great video, here is a tip for you when searching for orphan nodes, change the view mode to OUTLINE, and then when you select all it is easier to see the individual nodes or small gaps in the design.

[juicesoundsystem]

This tutorial is literally all of the information on this process I need right now crammed into one video. Perfect, thanks so much.

[thebalancebetween]

a quicker way to center all the items to check if they look right after prepping for the laser cutting you can select all the parts and go into your transform tool and choose center and center and get them all aligned in 2 quick moves

[blueskyjax]

This is exactly what I have been looking for! Thank you so much, your cats are awesome.

[tracymedlin]

You can click on view-outline to see any straggler nodes or islands. Quick way of seeing rouge marks

[chaos__emporium]

This is one of the most practical instructional videos I've seen in a long time. Thanks!!

[DIGIHAMID]

This exactly I've been searching for couple of hours.

[terryholland]

Excellent tutorial! When you're cleaning up lines I find if you jump into outline mode it's much easier to spot those random lines that pathfinder loves to create.

[shannonmarie]

I do a lot of laser cutting & slowly incorporating in AI so I really appreciate your channel & content!

[Dale_youngblood]

I use CMD Y to switch to outline view to find the little stray points. You can also use shift M and use shape builder to clear out the stray points inside an existing shape.

[JP.Alonso]

Very helpful tutorial. I have learned lot of things. THANK YOU!!!

[brownvanlife]

I studied printmaking 20 years ago in coillege. this reminds me of a reduction print, only in a reduction print if my memory serves correctly, basically leaves you with barely nothing at the end. This is sort of the digital version of it, only less messy, where you're not dealing with print making ink. I do miss the snapping sound of the brayer and the velvety look of the ink that let you know there was enough ink on the brayer to apply to your plate.

[ps]

I like to draw the same way. I agree with it 🙌

[softwaresolutions]

How would you go about connecting all art to letters? I have a logo in the middle with letters on a circular path around the logo.

[eddieolachia]

So should I even attempt this with out a drawing tablet? Im thinking about getting one now you mention it what kind do you have

[mardisvlogs]

Which software you have used to render the actual image which you have used as a thumbnail ?

[jktechwriter]

I actually didn't mind the cats...