One of Kim’s favorite tools to work on at The Urbana Free Library’s Teen Open Lab is the Silhouette cutting machine. Teenagers use this tool to make stickers, cards, drawings, and patterns for the sewing machine. One day, two middle school girls came in that wanted to make stickers for their school folders. They had been to the lab before to use the machine, but needed a refresher. Kim showed them how to find images online that make good stickers. The best images are simple and have strong outlines. Kim took this opportunity to talk about positive and negative space to convey how the Silhouette will cut based on the image they choose.
With these ideas in mind, the teens downloaded the images they wanted. Back in the Silhouette Studio program, Kim showed them how to import the images. This part is where most people get stuck because the program automatically looks for Silhouette Studio files (with a .studio3 tag on the end), so then they had to change the file type in the dropdown menu to “all”. The girls were quick learners and good listeners, so got their images into the program easily. Then, they manipulated them to the desired size. They added text as well, putting the name of the subject next to its corresponding image.
After getting the spacing how they liked, they mostly knew what to do from there. Kim offered assistance when requested, but tried to let the teens figure it out on their own. Once they were ready to cut, they had to do some troubleshooting as they loaded the cutting mat since it wouldn’t line up under the blade correctly. The girls worked together to figure it out. When they got that right, they were lucky enough to get great stickers on the first try! This exercise is a great opportunity to teach about file management, basics of digital design, and troubleshooting technology all while working on a project guided by what the teen is interested in.
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