Design

I'm not a designer. Can I still use Glowforge?

Absolutely! The Glowforge interface makes it easy to create laser projects. You can start with something as basic as a hand-drawn image, clip art, or photo. You can also create a file using software like Inkscape, Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop. You can also purchase ready-to-print projects from our catalog like wallets, earrings, and lamps!

I'd like to put my designs in the Glowforge catalog. How do I submit them?

We can't wait to see what you come up with it, but we're not quite ready to begin accepting submissions yet. When we are ready, we'll announce it on Twitter, Facebook, and in our Glowforge Owners forum (community.glowforge.com). At that time, we'll also have more information about how the catalog program works.

Which design platforms does Glowforge work with?

Glowforge is compatible with JPG, PNG, SVG, PDF, and other file formats. You can create Glowforge-compatible files from a variety of different software platforms like Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape, CorelDraw, Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, Autodesk 360, & Sketchup. To print a file, just drag-and-drop it directly on our app, which appears as a web page in your browser. Alternately, you can copy the contents of the file and paste it into the Glowforge dashboard. There, it will automatically interpret the information and show you a preview of the results. You can drag the images around on your material to position them where you want them.

What's the Glowforge catalog?

As soon as you’ve created your Glowforge account, you’ll have access to a collection of beautiful designs that have been tested and proven to print perfectly on Proofgrade material, every time. Designs are available for sale, either single-print or unlimited use.

What is trace?

Trace allows you to cut or engrave a hand-drawn illustration directly onto your material. It’s really easy: you put in a drawing, printout, or sketch and close the lid. The image appears on screen. You draw a square around it. If you want to cut out part of your image, you click on the part you want to cut. That’s it! You can print the resulting design right back onto your material - or you can save the design, shrink or enlarge it, duplicate it, or drag it to another piece of material. It’s so easy we let kids do it at Maker Faire!