Embossing with Silhouette (Tutorial)

Hi there! It's Becky and Glenna from My Paper Craze substituting today to bring you another fabulous tutorial! As our very first regular contributor post for Silhouette School, we thought we'd do an extra special tutorial: Embossing with the Silhouette!

If you know a little of our background, we started as paper crafters before we were introduced to the wonderful world of the Silhouette. One of our favorite textures was embossing patterns into various media for an added {POP}. All my Big Shot users know what I'm talking about! When I was introduced to Silhouette Sketch Pens, an idea started forming in the back of my mind... can I emboss with my Silhouette? The answer is............... YES!

Exciting, right? There are a few tricks and tips that we discovered along the way, so keep on reading to get the full scoop. But first... I highly recommend going back and reading Melissa's Amy Chomas Sketch Pen Holder Review & Tutorial. You'll learn tons of great information on using Chomas Creations Adjustable Pen Holder for the Silhouette that will apply to this embossing tutorial.

The Tools

So what tools do you need to begin your embossing journey? That's easy, let's jump on over an pay a visit to Amy as Chomas Creations! Here are the great tools you'll need to grab...

Embossing mat for the Silhouette

Adjustable Pen Holder for the Silhouette

Stylus (1mm is preferred)

Adhesive Cutting Mat (no brand preference)

Scotch tape (or other temporary adhesive)

Embossing medium (we used vellum)

The Tips and Tricks

Lucky for us, the embossing mat comes with some pretty great instructions on how to use the mat. Here are a few key points to remember...

1. Use the smallest stylus for the best results, we used a 1mm. For an example of what a stylus is or the tools available, check out this Amazon link: Mcgill Paper Blossom Tool Kit, Ball Tools, 4-Pack

2. The Silhouette cannot emboss paper or cardstock. I know, disappointing. It's not a matter of tools, but a matter of machine power. Trust me, I tried it anyways with the same results as everyone else. This is just one area that the Silhouette couldn't swing it. But don't despair, there are other mediums that CAN be embossed, such as vellum and thin metal sheets!

3. Although certain mediums CAN be embossed with the Silhouette, the embossing is not as deep as with a traditional embossing machine. If you need traditional embossing, this tutorial will not be an equal substitute. I don't want to down play how cool this feature is, I just don't want you to be disappointed, either.

4. Use an old cutting mat for your embossing mat. The embossing mat you purchase from Chomas Creations is a non-adhesive layer that will need to be adhered to your regular cutting mat. If you have an old worn out mat, apply some permanent adhesive and stick your embossing mat right on top. If you don't have an old mat, using your existing or a new mat will work too, you can remove the embossing mat when you are finished.

5. No, the embossing mat is NOT adhesive because the process requires the medium to have a little give and take. This is where the scotch tape comes in, you just tape down the corners of your sheet and emboss in the center.

6. The embossing mat comes in a 12x12, but Silhouette Portrait users can trim it down with scissors to fit the smaller mat.

7. Embossing in the center is important so that you avoid impressions from your rollers (as seen in the image below). Naturally, adding the embossing mat adds thickness, pressing your medium higher than your normal mat. Just make accommodations for the placement of your design and proceed.

The Tutorial

So the basics of this tutorial are extremely simple, especially if you took my advice and reviewed the Amy Chomas Sketch Pen Holder Review & Tutorial. If not, I'll forgive you, but I recommend {again} for you to check it out.

1. Apply the Embossing mat for the Silhouette to your regular cutting mat as instructed. Replace your Silhouette cutting blade with the Adjustable Pen Holder for the Silhouette and stylus. I do this first so I don't accidentally get too excited and Send to Silhouette without switching it out.

2. Set up your design in the Silhouette Studio. Keep in mind, similar to sketch pens, you cannot fill in a design using the embossing feature.

3. Once you are decided on your design, make sure it is not positioned in line with the rollers on your Silhouette. Fetch your prepared embossing mat and secure the medium at the corners using regular scotch tape or other temporary adhesive.

4. Insert the fully prepared mat into the Silhouette machine and choose "Insert Cutting Mat".

5. In Silhouette Studio, select the Cut Settings menu and modify as needed. I started with the standard Cardstock stetting and adjusted to:

BLADE: 10 SPEED: 5 THICKNESS: 33 DOUBLE CUT: YES

6. Examine your results before removing the mat from the Silhouette machine. You may want to cut again before removing to get a deeper inlay of the design.

Once satisfied, examine your handy work. Pretty cool, huh?

What projects have you been working on this week? Any new Silhouette tutorials or tips you want to share? Don't forget to check out Silhouette School on your social media outlets and share your crafty inspiration with all of us!

As always, a huge shout out and thank you to Melissa for having us today! We'll be back monthly to bring you more tutorials and projects, so stay tuned!

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing products through my links, I receive a small commission. That's what helps fund Silhouette School so I can keep buying new Silhouette-related products to show you how to get the most out of your machine! 

Thanks for coming to class today at Silhouette School.  If you like what you see, I'd love for you to pin it!