Mikayla West 1

Creating an Adobe Illustrator for CNC Plasma Handout

To find an image, go to Google

images → tools → images →
labeled for reuse with
modification

Find an image with simple lines.

Maybe use tools → type → clip
art. My example image 
Open Illustrator
Opening Adobe

1.Create new on left

side

2. Art & Illustration

Title it
Change unit to inches
and make the width and height
the size of your art board (is a
good idea to leave a few inches
along the sides)
Choose orientation
Create
-be sure the profile
settings say RGB and not
CMKY
 Mikayla West 2

Importing

1.Once your art board loads, at the

top → view → show grid → rulers
→ show ruler
2.Drag your image onto your
artboard

3.Window → image trace → these

settings: line art, outlines, black and
white

4.Object → expand

It will look something like

this. Each line is a path and
each square is an anchor
 Mikayla West 3

Preparing the File

1.Using the direct selection tool,

you can move the anchors

2.Illustrator → preferences
→ units → stroke → inches

3.Select → All → At the top, change

the stroke to .001 (the lines will
become very thin)

4.Select → All → Change the second

color box to black

5.Object → ungroup (repeat this

several times)
 Mikayla West 4

You cannot cut lines, only shapes (use curvature,

pen, and direct selection tools)
Select the curvature tool (shift+’) and connect the
anchors to create a complete shape (the less paths,
the better the outcome)
1. Click on an anchor using pen tool
2. Place straight lines connecting the end of the
line to make a shape (drop at least 2 anchors)
3. Use the curvature tool to shape the straight
lines