I think I need the Contour tool, but my PNG>SVG conversion is ugly

jt65

I have a .PNG file that I want to print and cut on water slide paper. It's got a number of interior cuts that A) I don't need cut and make the resulting decal (if I can call it a decal) flimsy and useless. I understand the the contour tool is what I need to remove the unneeded cuts, but I have to convert it to a .SVG file first.  I've converted the file using an online converter, but it's lost too much detail.  

I don't want to waste the sheet, so I'm going to fill it with graphics I will/might use on other projects.  Here is my plan, I'm just wondering if I have other/better options:

1.  Create a full sheet of graphics

2. Print the full sheet of graphics

3.  Cut this particular graphic out using scissors.

4.  Run the sheet through the Cricut Maker and let it cut all of the graphics, including the missing one.

Liz_A

@jt65 - Welcome to the Make The Cut! software forum where we support users of the software Make The cut! and its supported cutter. It sounds like you are using inadequate tools for getting the results you need, along with Design Space for cutting from your Cricut cutter - an unsupported (by MTC) cutter.

So what you are trying to do with your PNG is the job of a raster graphics editor. SVG files are vector graphics, polar opposite to raster graphics. SVG graphics scale with no deterioration of quality, raster graphics do not scale and become pixellated (small visible square boxes of colour) when zoomed in. So if I had your task, I would import my PNG directly to my cutter software (MTC or SCAL - google that) and then create a shadow layer so I get just an outside edge and none of the interior is cut out. Then send to my cutter for cutting.

Since your Design Space software is lacking a lot of good tools for graphics manipulation, bypass the convert step and just bring the PNG into DS. Then create a shape that will work for the graphic, set that to a bottom layer, print with registration marks and then cut just the shape. Hope that makes sense.

Since MTC is no longer being supported with software bug fixes or upgrades, I don't recommend it for purchase. I use all the time but I have always used it so it works for me because I am knowledgeable enough about the product to know what it can do, and more importantly what it cannot do. I suggest you purchase SCAL if you think you will be needing way more that what your DS software offers.