Making Patterns

[RubiconScrolling]

Hi Steve,
I want to make some patterns that look nice out of my photos and drawings with the lines to cut drawn in them.  What are some good methods of creating patterns from chicken scratchings.
Randy

[Charlie Dearing]

This may help.  Can be done with any kind of pic:
http://stevedgood.com/community/index.php?topic=729.0

[sgood]

Hi Randy, Charlie just pointed you to his method for making portrait style patterns. His method is superior to any computer method but it might also be a bit intimidating to those of us that are more comfortable with a computer than pencil and paper.

If you want to make the best possible patterns I recommend Charlie's method.

If you can live with less detail then you can use a graphics program to get a fast starting point then do as much or little detail as you like. It will not look as good as Charlies patterns but not many do. I have a few videos in my video archive that show the computer process. Take a look at a couple of those and see if that's your cup of tea.

[RubiconScrolling]

Actually I do not have problems with portraits, that was not what I was thinking about.  The way I do my portraits is make a black and white copy of the pattern I am making, playing a bit with the contrast and such.  After I print it out, I enhance the lines I want to with a pencil, then cut it out.  I go light the first time of cutting.  After I have cut what I think will work well, I remove the pattern and compare it to the original.  I can now see where it need a little more.  I draw some more lines where they need to be right on the pattern and cut again.  Repeat until you are satisfied.  I always do a stack of at least 4 in 1/4 inch plywood so breakout is not a big problem and I use spiral blades, I have various sizes I use.
What I was thinking was of a way to take a finished cutting and make it into a pattern.  For instance, I cut a rose from a PD pic by making a black and white copy and cutting the lines that seem to make it look good.  I would like a way to make these finished cuttings into patterns.
I thought that maybe you guys made patterns from finished cuttings, I did not know.
Randy

[sgood]

Sorry Randy, I did not understand your original question and I think I am still confused as to what you are trying to do. What I am reading sounds kind of backwards. You cut a project from a picture then you want to turn the cut project into a pattern? Why would you not just make the pattern first? I can't be much help here I have never worked with that kind of work flow. Anyone else have a better answer for Randy?

[Becky]

Couldn't you just put the finished cutting on a scanner or copy machine to make a pattern?  Or does the depth make it look wonky?  You'd probably want to put some black construction paper or something to strengthen the contrast.    If you did it on a scanner you could then load the picture into a graphics program and clean it up.