Fab-in-a-Box Stamps: Exposure

Create handouts that guide learners through the process of refining hand-drawn designs for laser cutting. Encourage learners to bring or create sketches ahead of time, and provide black washable markers for in-session drawing. Prepare a few examples showing the transformation from sketch to stamp, and have one cutting live as learners enter. Make sure scanning or photographing tools are available, and that XCS is ready for tracing and editing. Have rubber sheets, wooden blocks, and adhesives organized for efficient production and assembly.

Welcome:

Welcome learners, and introduce the day’s challenge: transforming hand-drawn artwork into custom rubber stamps using CAD software and a laser cutter. Briefly explain the role of CAD in helping designers digitize and refine their ideas for production. Learners will discover how to optimize their drawings for clarity and impact and how to fit them into a laser-cutting template. Show examples of stamps that began as hand-drawn sketches, and discuss what makes them successful. Encourage learners to bring their personal style into the process and think about how their designs tell a story.

Context:

From McDonalds’ golden arches to Nike’s signature swoosh, many of us can recognize hundreds of brands’ logos at a glance. This isn’t accidental: these symbols were designed to be iconic.

Color schemes, fonts, and other graphic elements can combine to influence our emotions and preferences. A well crafted logo can tell a story about a brand’s identity, values, and mission.

This activity extends beyond art and design to prepare learners for a future where they can apply these skills in myriad contexts, from entrepreneurship to digital media and beyond.

Key terms:

Shape: In design, a shape is a two-dimensional area that is defined by its boundaries, such as lines or curves. Shapes can be geometric (like squares and circles) or organic (like freeform or natural shapes). They are fundamental elements in creating visual compositions and can convey different emotions and messages.

Composition: Composition refers to the arrangement and organization of visual elements within a design. It involves the placement of shapes, colors, textures, and other elements to create a harmonious and effective visual presentation. Good composition guides the viewer’s eye and enhances the overall impact of the design.

Negative Space: Negative space, also known as white space, is the empty or open space around and between the elements of a design. It helps to balance the composition, create visual interest, and prevent the design from feeling cluttered. Effective use of negative space can enhance readability and focus attention on the main elements of the design.

Ideate

Sketch your design on a sheet of paper.

Discussion questions:

Consider what makes you or your personal brand unique.

What qualities or values do you hope to convey to others? Generate a list of words or phrases that describe you or your brand.

What design elements may help you achieve this?

Draw two different, original logo ideas. Make them unique! Maybe one uses letters and the other relies only on symbols; maybe one is simpler than the other.

What do you like and dislike about each logo? How do you think they differ from each other in terms of how they might come across to an outside viewer?

Refine (optional): Share your draft or design ideas with a friend.

What emotions or concepts does your logo evoke from others? Does your message come across clearly? How might you incorporate this feedback to enhance your design?

Design

Taking constructive feedback into account, redesign a final draft of your logo.

Convert Design to Digital

Relevant only for hand-drawn sketches: scan each logo, or take a photo (cell phone cameras work fine for this!) with the camera positioned directly above each design. Upload these to the work computers (separate from the control computer).

Prepare Image for Laser Cutting (XCS)

Open software:

Open xTool’s Creative Space (XCS software).

Import image:

Click on “image” in the upper lefthand corner to upload your design.

This works best with an SVG, but you can use any image you want, including JPG or PNG. Note: If your image is too large, select “yes, scale to fit on canvas.”

Crop out unneeded area:

Click “edit image.”

Click “crop,” and select the area you want to keep. You can adjust the box once you place it, for added precision. Click the green checkmark once finished.

Click “save.”

Convert to black and white:

If your image is already in black and white, skip this step. If your image is in color, we need need to make it black and white so it’s easier to work with.

Select “black-and-white” from the bitmap image menu.

Adjust the sharpness as desired, and slide the “greyscale” slider all the way to the right (the maximum setting).

Reflect image:

Select your design, and click “reflect” on the top menu. Choose “reflect horizontally.” This ensures your finished stamp will print the right way. (Stamps create mirrored images of their faces when used. That means words and letters should appear backwards on the stamps themselves!)

Trace image:

Select your design. In the “bitmap image” menu, click the bottom button: “trace.”

Adjust the sliders until you’re satisfied. Then click “save.” It’s usually fine to use the preset settings here.

This creates an outline of your design on a new layer.

Ignore and hide the original image:

Under the “layer” menu, select Layer 1. This is your original image.

Click “ignore” under the “object setting” menu.

Turn off visibility for Layer 1.

You should only see your traced outline remaining.

Note: You could also delete this image or the layer it’s on, but this means you can’t go back and edit it later, if desired.

Add a bounding box:

Options #1: Outline using a shape. Click “shape.” Under “basic shape,” select the shape you want for your stamp face. This can be any shape you want; however, to minimize the time it will take to engrave, we want to make it as tight as possible to the outline of your design.

Option #2: Draw your own outline. Select “vector,” and draw lines to create a perimeter around your design, making sure your last point lands on your first.

Prep file for engraving:

Select everything (design and bounding box).

In the top menu, select “combine” -> “subtract at overlap.”

In the “Object setting” menu, select “engrave.”

Your image should now look white against a black background. Everything black will be engraved; everything white will stay raised.

Add cut perimeter:

Select design.

In top menu, choose “outline.”

Set offset distance to -0.1, and click “OK.”

In the right hand “object setting” menu, click “cut.”

Optional: You can now select everything, right click, and select “group” to keep your cut layer and design together.

Resize image: last step!

Use calipers to measure the face of your final stamp block.

Select your design. Enter the desired dimensions for your finished stamp in the text boxes under “size.” Note: There is a small, clickable lock icon between the W and H text boxes. To preserve your height-to-width ratio and avoid distorting your image, make sure this is locked. Conversely, to intentionally distort the image, click the icon to unlock it.

All done! Now, you’re ready to cut! Don’t forget to save your file for future use.

Design

Follow the xDesign step-by-step template.

For xDesign Steps Click Here

xDesign steps can also be found:

In xDesign under Content

Laser Cut Rubber Stamp Face

Turn on the laser cutter and connect it to your computer via USB.

Open xTool’s XCS software (download here).

Select “connect device” in the upper righthand corner..

Choose your laser cutter from the pop-up menu.

Import design files:

Click the file folder icon in the upper lefthand corner. From the dropdown menu, select “import image.” Choose your file.

Select the circular handle to rotate your design as needed to fit onto your stock.

Note: Do not resize within XCS! Remember, your design is parametric, and the slots are perfectly calibrated for the width of your stock material. If you resize outside of your CAD environment, the slots will also change.

Configure cut settings:

For laser-friendly stamp rubber, select “laser engraved rubber mat” from the dropdown menu.

Note: The machine will automatically score and engrave before it cuts and cut inside elements before outside elements.

Prepare laser cutter:

Open laser cutter lid and place stock onto honeycomb.

Manually drag laser head over center of stock.

Close lid.

Click “auto focus,” and wait for machine to focus.

Open lid.

Manually drag laser head to top left corner of desired cutting area.

To check framing, click “framing” in XCS, and then press the button on the machine. The laser head will frame the area to be cut. If it does not fit on the stock or overlaps a previous cut, adjust the starting position as needed.

Run the job:

Click “process” in XCS, followed by the button on the machine.

Remove pieces:

Check to make sure all pieces cut through, and rerun if not (adjusting settings as necessary).

Remove workpieces and scrap stock from machine bed.

Close lid.

Post-Process Rubber Pieces

Use a damp cloth, sponge, or toothbrush to gently rub away any excess rubber crumbs.

Assemble

If you’re using wooden blocks for your stamp handles, you can stamp the top as a label before gluing the rubber in place.

Glue your rubber stamp to the bottom of your block. Wait for the glue to dry, and you’re ready to go!

Discussion Questions:

What was the most challenging part of turning your drawing into a stamp?

How did your design change during the process?

What would you change or try next time?

Optional tie-ins:

Global Connections: Explore the impact of globalization on branding and logo design, including how brands adapt their logos and messages for different cultural and linguistic audiences.

Civics/Policy: Analyze the role of trademarks and copyright laws in protecting brands and logos, including how these legal tools affect the use and distribution of symbols.

Time, Continuity, and Change: Explore the development and evolution of brands and logos over time, understanding how historical events, societal changes, and technological advancements influence branding strategies.

Career Connections:

Learning to design and fabricate stamps using CAD software and a laser cutter opens up a variety of exciting career paths:

Graphic Design: Graphic designers use CAD software to create visually appealing and precise designs. The skills learned in this lesson can be applied to various projects, from branding and logo creation to print and digital media, enhancing the ability to produce professional-quality work.

Product Design: Product designers often use CAD software to develop and prototype new products. Understanding the laser cutting process allows them to create detailed models and components, facilitating the transition from concept to physical product. This experience is invaluable for designing innovative and functional items.

Marketing: In marketing, the ability to design custom stamps can be a valuable skill for creating unique promotional materials and branding elements. Custom stamps can be used to add a personal touch to marketing campaigns, packaging, and direct mail, helping to engage customers and enhance brand identity.

These career connections highlight the versatility and applicability of the skills learned in this lesson, showing how they can be valuable in various professional fields.