How to Use Downloaded Vector Graphics in Silhouette Studio

Last week I shared an awesome deal from Mighty Deals that included something like 500 vector graphics (available for commercial use) which can be used with Silhouette Studio.

The 98% off deal is actually still going on so you can grab it..and I'm sure after I show you how easy it is to use all those designs in Silhouette Studio you'll see why I was so excited about this.  Here is just a small sample of the graphics in the set.

This set of vector graphics is actually great to use with Silhouette Studio because many of the designs are (in layman's terms) silhouette-style...making them super easy to trace!   AND the graphics can also be used in products that are sold...by YOU! 

To get started, first go to Mighty Deals and grab this deal.  Just put it in your cart, check out, and then you'll get the link to download.

Now there are SO many images in this pack that you are given about five or six download files.   What I like to do is download them all onto my computer initially and then move them (eventually) onto an external hard drive. More on that in a minute.

Okay so once you've downloaded and unzipped the images, navigate to the folder where the files were downloaded. In my case it's my download folder. There you'll see that this pack comes with groups of graphics that can be opened as .eps files or .jpeg.

You  can use either the JPEG or EPS files in Silhouette Studio and both work pretty much the same way. If you use the EPS files and click preview, you'll see it opens as a PDF - which can be open in Silhouette Studio through a simple drag and drop.

Open the EPS file > File > Save > name the file (be sure the 'format' is set to save as a PDF.) You can see in the photo I named mine "icons."



Now open up Silhouette Studio and simply drag and drop the PDF into the work area.

You'll get this pop up window.  Click the drop down menu to change the DPI to closer to 500 DPI (up from the default 72).  This allows you to enlarge the image slightly without losing any resolution..or at least I think that's what it seems to do. I'm no graphic designer...I'm more of a trial and error-er and this was no error.

At this point you can use the trace tool in Silhouette Studio to trace the set/images to put cut lines around them.  (If you need a refresher on tracing, check out this tutorial which talks about tracing jpegs, but it's the exact same process from this point.) I like to trace the entire set of graphics at one time.   On my first trace I always uncheck the high pass filter box and increase the threshold.

Move the original image out of the way to see your trace.  I think it's easiest to see how your image will cut after a trace if you fill it in with a color.

You can see that while many of the icons traced nice, a few like the headhpones and camera on the right did not get a good trace. When this happens, I retrace those and leave the high pass filter box checked, move the high pass filter slider bar over to the right slightly (do not touch threshold) and trace again...now look. Much better.

(When you go to cut one of these designs if you want to use just one of the images, which I imagine you don't want all at once, you will need to right click > release the compound path to separate the images. Then select just the entire image you are using >  right click > 'make compound path'. Ungrouping will not work to separate the images.)

Once I get a nice trace on all of the vectors, I delete the original PDF/JPEG/EPS from Silhouette Studio and I save the entire set to my Silhouette Studio library. I like to name it something like "ICONS - COMMERCIAL" or "GRAPHICS - COMMERCIAL USE". Then I add keywords describing everything that's in the set.   In this case: mustaches, camera, hats, glasses, etc.

Anything that's in the set, gets a label so that I can easily find it when I'm searching my library for graphics I can use commercially.  Adding the "commercial use" reminds me that these images are available for me to use in items that I sell.

There are files upon files of vector images in this pack. I don't need every single one in my library, but I do want to keep them all. However, this set is huge. So I after I trace all the set I want, I move the entire downloaded folder onto an external hard drive or jump drive so it's not taking up a huge amount of room on my computer.  Simply plug in your hard drive and drag and drop the files that downloaded onto the hard drive. Then you can safely delete them off your computer to free up that space, but you can easily access them from the external drive if you need the original vectors again.

TIP: 

Not all of the vector graphics in this pack - or most packs for that matter - will be able to be easily traced in Silhouette Studio. The design software uses contrasts in colors to trace so if the background and foreground are similar it may be difficult to trace. BUT remember, you can still import the graphics into Silhouette Studio and print and cut or print off as a printable.

Grab the Vector Graphics Pack from Mighty Deals NOW for only $25...a 98% discount.

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!