Layering vinyl is a great way to make your designs "pop" and add some interesting dimension to an otherwise plain design. It seems intimidating at first-- but once you get some practice in, you'll see layering becomes second nature.
Want to know my secret? Here are some of my favorite tips for layering...
- Use clear transfer tape for easy placement. The easier it is to see through your transfer tape, the easier it becomes to place layers of vinyl on each other. Some transfer tape can be matte or frosted, so you'll want to get as clear of a surface as you can for this technique. Splurge on this for the most hassle-free crafting of. your. life.
- Registration marks are your friend! I hear Silhouette Studio has built in ones, but you can always just add rectangles (as many as necessary to position your design properly) and keep them persistent in cutting each different color layer.
- Washi tape helps to keep vinyl in place when layering. I've found that sometimes vinyl likes to come up to meet it's layered counter part, having a few tapes of washi around the edges help keep the bottom layer secure to the surface you're working on. You could also use plain scotch tape, I just prefer washi for peeling up off my surface, since it's much less sticky.
- Practice! While it may look intimidating at first, layering is just like any other skill. It takes time and practice, but once you figure out your flow you'll know exactly which ways work for you.
 |
| A washi border keeps curly vinyl sheets anchored down to your work surface, with minimal damage to table tops! |
Hi Gina yes I did laugh and great article. I need help I am new and still trying to figure some stuff out but I like what you said about how with practice it gets easier . What would be great is if you have a demonstration video, do you? Showing how you mark with rectangles I have heard of that but don't understand it, and maybe a video of your process just seeing it done and then reading how to do really helps some like me that's new at this but really loves it and wants to learn.I really do like your blog though, well written.
ReplyDeleteHi Heather! I would love to create a video like this to help illustrate my advice a bit better :) I'll add it to my to-do list! Thanks for the suggestion.
Delete