How to Print and Cut Images with Silhouette Cameo 2

NOTE: this tutorial was created using the Silhouette Cameo 2, and Silhouette Studio v3

1.   Set up Your Print and Cut File

Open Silhouette Studio and select your design. Some designs are specifically for printing and cutting (just enter “print & cut” in the Store's search box). 

NOTE: If you plan to make several of the same design, wait until the first one is completely set up. 

Open your design into the Silhouette Studio work area:

If your design has a hole or cutout, make sure it’s is set to cut. To do this, you must first ungroup it. Select “Object” and then “Ungroup”:

 

After it's ungrouped, open the Cut Settings window:

Select just the area you want to cut, and make sure it’s set to “Cut” (if not, then select it):

Make sure the outer edge of your design is also set to cut (as well as any other areas you want to cut). For the outer edge, select “Cut Edge”.

Once you are satisfied with your design, immediately regroup it (if it has multiple parts, you must hold down your keyboard’s Shift key to select each one):

 

Now you can resize your design and move it around, and it all the parts will stay connected. 

If you want to make more than one of the same design on your page, open the Replicate window (and select the number of designs you want to print):

 

NOTE: I wanted to print three different designs, and I only wanted one of each to print, so I skipped this step.

2.   Add Registration Marks 

This is the most important part!!!  Open the Registration Marks window:

 

Use the pulldown menu to select Style Type 1 – CAMEO, Portrait, Curio

 

Gray areas and red lines will appear on your work area.  No part of your designs may touch the gray areas or red lines; if any parts touch, move them. Here, mine touch (this is incorrect):

 

Here, I have adjusted them so they do not touch (this is correct):

 

3.   Print

You will use your computer’s normal printer to print your designs. Open the Send to Printer window (don’t forget to load cardstock and to use your printer’s settings to select card stock, if desired):

 

 

When your design prints, Silhouette Studio will place registration marks at the top corners and the bottom left corner. These marks tell Silhouette where to cut the design:

 

 

4.   Cut

IMPORTANT: You should now adjust your cut settings (in Silhouette Studio) as you normally would (for card stock or copy paper, etc.).

To adjust the paper type, select the Cut Settings window:

 

Then, select your paper type. For example, I used card stock:

 

Equally important, don’t forget to change your blade setting (in the Silhouette machine) if necessary. Generally, I use the following settings (unless my blade is older/duller, then I use a slightly higher setting):

  

After you adjust your cut or blade settings as necessary, place your printed design on the cutting mat; it is very important that the top corner of your paper lines up with the top corner (black grid lines) of the mat AND that you place the paper with the square registration mark at the top left of the mat.

These are the black grid lines and the square registration mark:

 

Line up your paper along the grid lines so it ends up like this:

 

Then, load your mat.  It's very important to load your mat correctly or the Silhouette will not be able to find your registration marks.  Make sure the edge of your mat is lined up with the blue line on the Silhouette machine:

 

Then press the “Load Cut Mat” button so the rollers start feeding the mat into the machine:

 

When your mat is ready, go to Silhouette Studio and select “Send to Silhouette”:

 

Then, select “Start”:

 

If your mat is loaded correctly, the machine’s blade will start moving around your paper to detect each registration mark, and then it will begin to cut. 

The Silhouette Machine should cut out your design to near-perfection!