Lesson Eleven: Starburst

Create a Starburst Design with CutArt
This lesson shows how to mirror a CutArt to create a scrolled starburst design.

Design Template in FrameShop
Place a one layer 4 x 5" #506 Star template on the FrameShop Design Editor.
Click on the Properties tab. Click on the Parameters tab. Change the No. of Points to 6. Change the Spikiness to 0. Change the Mode to 2. Change the Line Length to 2.85".

Place a CutArt in the Editor
Click on the Openings tab. Click the Add CutArt button.
Select the desired CutArt by either searching for it in the search field or by navigating through the directories. I selected ScrollAN for the CutArt. Click the Edit button.
The CutArt is placed on the Editor.
Move the CutArt so that it is aligned with the top of the star template. If you accidentally click off of the CutArt and it moves behind the star, hit the PgUp/PgDn key to cycle through the openings.

Bring Design into Trace
Bring the design into Trace via the Right-Click Menu* or from the Cut Preview Screen. If you use the right-click method, hold down the CTRL key and select both openings before selecting Convert to CutArt*.

Draw Alignment Lines
We will add some alignment lines that we will use to mirror the CutArt. You can mirror the CutArt without the alignment lines, but adding them will help illustrate the process. Click the Line button on the Trace and Draw tab. The Draw radio button is automatically selected. Right-click on the center point of one of the lines of the polygon.
Right-click on the center point of the opposite line of the polygon. The line is placed.
Do the same with the other sides of the polygon, right-clicking and snapping to the center point then snapping to the center point on the opposite point.

Mirror the CutArt
Click on the Edit radio button. Hold down the CTRL key and click on both the inner and the outside of the CutArt. Click the Mirror button.
Right-click on the point where the upper left line begins.
Right-click on the end of the line at the lower right side. The CutArt has been mirrored using the line we drew as the axis.
Hold down the CTRL key and select the elements of the next CutArt. Click the Mirror button. Right-click at each end of the alignment line.
The CutArt as been mirrored using the line we drew as the axis.
Repeat the process. Select all of the objects of the next CutArt, click the Mirror button, then snap to each end of the alignment line.
The CutArt has been mirrored all the way around the design.

Break all Intersections
Now we want to break all of the intersections where the lines and arcs pass over the other lines/arcs. Click Edit > Break all Intersections.
The intersections are now broken where the objects crossed over each other.

Join Segments
We will now join all of the segments that will make up the outside of the design. Hold down the CTRL key and click on the left side of the top CutArt. Click on the arcs just outside of the polygon. Click on the right side of the top CutArt.
Continue in this manner until you have selected all of the elements that make up the outside of the design. Click the Join button. The segments are now joined together as one object.
Zoom in to the center of the design. If you click on one of the inner openings, you will see that it is not a complete enclosed object since we broke the intersections where the arcs crossed one another. Click on one of the inner openings and click the Close button. The inner opening is now an enclosed entity.
Do the same with the other inner openings to enclose them one at a time (highlighted here).
Hold down the CTRL key and click on each inner arc of the combined CutArts. Click the Join button.
The arcs are now joined together as one object.

Convert to Splines/Tangify
Click Edit > Convert Arcs to Splines. The splines can be tangified with less distortion, which will give a smoother cutting path for the design. Click on Edit > Tangify all Circuits. This makes each arc tangent to each other for smoother cutting.

Trace the Design
Click the Set Bevels tab. Hold down the CTRL key and click on each segment that makes up the CutArt. From the Deboss dropdown control, selected the desired Deboss Cartridge.
Click on the Deboss Set button.
The CutArt is traced as a Deboss.

Rotate the CutArt
Now we want to rotate the CutArt to be more symmetrically balanced. Select one of the two choices below to continue this lesson: Rotate Starburst within Trace Rotate Starburst within the Design Editor

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