Easy Find And Trace Paterns

[C4Adventure]

I have been using this “Simple and FREE” strategyfor tracing patterns for your Leather Carving templates, without buying a Light-box

.

One convenient thing about most, if not allcomputers having flat screens, is that they provide a great surface to trace upon.Even Lap Tops can be placed in the fully open configuration and provide a goodoption for this application.

I occasionally need a pattern or suggestion for acustomer request, of an item I am either not familiar with, cannot draw well,or just need some help with. Additionally, I now scan my own drawings into mycomputer for storage and future reference and tracing opportunities.

Here is a simpletutorial of how I do my Computer Monitor Pattern Tracing.

1. First Open a Google browser, thenselect the images option.

2. Type in a description of what you arelooking for.

3. Go down the far Left Edge of theGoogle page and select LINE DRAWING, (Line Drawing, is styleof two-dimensional art featuring two, unshaded, contrasting colors) thiswill limit your search results to more easily traced options.

4. Select the option you desire and it willopen in another window.

5. Right Click your mouse and COPY theimage.

6. Now open the MICROSOFT PAINT programon your PC, (To open PAINT, click the Start button, click All Programs,click Accessories, and then click Paint)right click to PASTE the image onto the window.

7. Change the size of the image to fityour project, either by adjusting the % zoom or select the entire image andResize with the appropriate command.

8. Tape a transparent tracing medium ontothe monitor of your PC or Laptop.

9. Trace with a soft tipped pen orpencil. Use common sense to avoid damage to the monitor. (That’s RaisinMahogany Stain on my hand from a project earlier)

I cannot speak to anyCopyright infringements or other legalities, but this is the system I use, andit works fine for me.

God Bless, and Enjoy,

SteveCarter

C4Leather Works

OrangeCounty, CA.

[HellfireJack]

I would definitely check the copyright status of any image you find this way.

But there are a lot of places on the internet that you can get artwork that is actually free and usage requirements are listed to. Try Wikimedia Commons. Most art there is free for simply giving credit to the author. This will allow people to use your method and not leave them culpable for any legal issues.

[terix]

Thanks for the tutorial - solved problems for me!

[Ladykahu]

I also use this method, but put my pictures into a publisher file so I can resize them and save for later use. I lay a slightly larger than screen size piece of clear hard plastic over my screen then tape my velium to that. This prevents damage to the screen, but still lets full light and image through.

One note on using any LCD monitors.. make sure you only ever press LIGHTLY on the screen. LCD stands for liquid crystal.. and the screens are made up of tiny little pyramids of liquid, and if you push to hard you can pop the crystals which will leave you with little pink spots permanently on your monitor.

Natalie

[Sylvia]

I'm going to add to this tutorial. I'll admit I didn't read all through the responses so if this idea has been submitted. Woo hoo... if not...

I have this roll of material for an old (and terrible) Denio seal-a-meal that never really worked as they said it would. Basically this stuff is an open sided "tube" , seal one side, pull the roll off the rolll and through the machine seal other side... fill, seal the end. you get the picture. Well the machine is crap. But I've found a use for the material.

Instead of taping paper to your lap top. Cut off a piece of this clear plastic and allow it to static cling to the monitor. Trace with felt tip pin on the plastic.

I like this better because I can see exactly the position of the figure on the leather. Also the first time I tried the paper method on this laptop I had sharpie marks on the monitor. Yikes!

You'll need a fairly dull, or ball tip stylus in order to retrace onto the leather and sometimes it tears the plastic a bit... but it is so nice to really see where the design is going.

I have been using this "Simple and FREE" strategyfor tracing patterns for your Leather Carving templates, without buying a Light-box

.

One convenient thing about most, if not allcomputers having flat screens, is that they provide a great surface to trace upon.Even Lap Tops can be placed in the fully open configuration and provide a goodoption for this application.

I occasionally need a pattern or suggestion for acustomer request, of an item I am either not familiar with, cannot draw well,or just need some help with. Additionally, I now scan my own drawings into mycomputer for storage and future reference and tracing opportunities.

Here is a simpletutorial of how I do my Computer Monitor Pattern Tracing.

1. First Open a Google browser, thenselect the images option.

2. Type in a description of what you arelooking for.

3. Go down the far Left Edge of theGoogle page and select LINE DRAWING, (Line Drawing, is styleof two-dimensional art featuring two, unshaded, contrasting colors) thiswill limit your search results to more easily traced options.

4. Select the option you desire and it willopen in another window.

5. Right Click your mouse and COPY theimage.

6. Now open the MICROSOFT PAINT programon your PC, (To open PAINT, click the Start button, click All Programs,click Accessories, and then click Paint)right click to PASTE the image onto the window.

7. Change the size of the image to fityour project, either by adjusting the % zoom or select the entire image andResize with the appropriate command.

8. Tape a transparent tracing medium ontothe monitor of your PC or Laptop.

9. Trace with a soft tipped pen orpencil. Use common sense to avoid damage to the monitor. (That's RaisinMahogany Stain on my hand from a project earlier)

I cannot speak to anyCopyright infringements or other legalities, but this is the system I use, andit works fine for me.

God Bless, and Enjoy,

SteveCarter

C4Leather Works

OrangeCounty, CA.

[groovytech]

I have found that the easiest way to have long lasting patterns for tracing is to get the digital image in B/W on a flash drive. take it to Office Depot or staples, get a transparency made of the pattern. they will re-size for you.

I pay $ .54 per 8.5x11 sheet. They hold up to multiple tracings exceptionally well, I have some that are over 5 years old that I've used dozens,if not hundreds, of times.

[Stephan Danner]

My prefered medium for tracing patterns are simple laminating pouches. Inexpensive, available in rather large format (42 x 30 cm in my case). Simple tear the front and the back apart and you get to sheets for your tracing. I use a fine permanent marker - if you want, you can use different colors for different parts of the image, i.e. black for the cuts, red for sections to be shaded etc.

And besides, I can use them over and over again.

[AndrewMc]

I like the laminating pouches idea. Been using tracing paper which of course starts warping as soon as it touches the wet leather and is no use if you want to do more than one of a design. I use different coloured highlighters to mark on the original where I think I need to bevel, shade etc while figuring a design out.

[AndrewMc]

Following on from Stephan's post (can't find an edit button for my earlier one) I went down to my local Staples to check out the price of the pouches. Found A4 OHP transparencies as well, lucky for me there were some for copiers on end of line sales, picked up a box of 100 for £2.50 that I can use to hand draw/trace stuff with markers. Noticed that there were also ones available for laser and inkjet printers so you could print your own.

[Sylvia]

Following on from Stephan's post (can't find an edit button for my earlier one) I went down to my local Staples to check out the price of the pouches. Found A4 OHP transparencies as well, lucky for me there were some for copiers on end of line sales, picked up a box of 100 for £2.50 that I can use to hand draw/trace stuff with markers. Noticed that there were also ones available for laser and inkjet printers so you could print your own.

Sounds like you got an awesome deal on those. The transparencies for laser printers is an interesting idea. I may have to dig around in my office supplies to see if I have some of those already.