SCAL question

[tyniknate]

OK, so I'm looking at SCAL and wondering if it is worth the investment. I already have the Cricut Expression, so there's a big expense already. Is it really going to save me from having to buy all the font cartridges? Is it easy to use? So....tell me what you think.

 

[New England Eeyore]

YES! I am one of SCAL's biggest fans. Considering the cost of the program is less than the cost of a cartridge, to me its a no brainer. It opens up literally thousands of fonts. I was a font cartridge junkie before SCAL, and since I've had it, I haven't bought a single one.

For fonts, it is incredibly easy to use. Very user friendly. It is easy to weld, easy to shadow, easy to move your cuts around the mat.

I have not really even scratched the surface of what it can do in terms of shapes, mostly because I just haven't taken the time to really sit down and learn Inkscape (a secondary program you can use to create image files). But I have, following step by step instructions I found online, I have taken files I purchased online for use in the Wishblade/CraftRobo type machines and converted them to files I can use with SCAL.

 

[LORNADUCK]

Is Inkscape another program you have to buy? If so how much is that, or can you use SCAL without it?

 

[jacky b]

I believe you have to use Inkscape in conjunction with SCAL, but it is free, you can downloaded it from the its website.

 

[kswm30b]

I believe you have to use Inkscape in conjunction with SCAL, but it is free, you can downloaded it from the its website.

You don't *have* to use Inkscape to use SCAL. I've used it a few times, but if you are going to stick to fonts & ready made cuts, you really don't need Inkscape.

 

[Iris]

I am a HUGE SCAL fan. I like to use a lot of different fonts and SCAL is endless on what you can use.

I have used a lot of Disney Fonts from MickeyAvenue for my pages and I love it.

Lately I have used Inkscape quite a bit creating my own die cuts from coloring book pages. It really has opened up quite a bit and I think it was worth the expense.

 

[tyniknate]

Could someone explain a little better exactly what this program does? Do you just download fonts to your computer and your cricut will cut them? What about coloring pages? I've heard someone mention you could piece coloring pages, does this work? Almost sounds too good to be true. Someone please convince me I can't live without it. I've been trying to justify the purchase to my husband when we already have so many cricut carts (mostly figures...I only have two font carts.)

 

[Iris]

Fonts: They can be downloaded onto your computer and then cut with SCAL using your Cricut. I do a great deal of Disney Pages so I have found a lot of free Disney Fonts for those pages. There are a great deal of free fonts all over the internet.

Coloring Pages for Piercing: I have gotten pages from the internet, copied them to inkscape and then imported them to SCAL to cut out. It took me a while to get the hang of it, but over time I am getting the hang of it.

Here is an example of something I copied to Inkscape, then converted to import to SCAL and then cut with my cricut. The page is from the WDW Coloring book - the picture originally has Mickey, Goofy and Pluto in front, I just pulled them out using Inkscape and then created Space Mountain.

 

[calanniebu]

Wow that's awesome!

 

[New England Eeyore]

That is really awesome! I really have to learn how to use Inkscape better.

 

[tyniknate]

You just convinced me. Did anyone buy it from EBAY?

 

[Iris]

I purchased mine directly from Craft Edge for the download option.

I see a lot of people purchasing from here:

http://store.candacraft.com/Product-Sure-Cuts-A-Lot_1.aspx

and it seems to be a decent price.

If you haven't done so already, I would first download the trial version just to make you like it. I think you can use it for 10 days or something. You can't really make cuts (it cuts 3 lines across the image) but you can get an idea of what you can do.

I found some cool Disney Fonts here:

http://www.disneyexperience.com/customize/fonts.php

I especially like the Haunted Mansion and Orange Grove fonts. They make for some really nice titles for my pages.

Mickey Avenue also has some free fonts:

http://mickeyavenue.com/fonts/disney-fonts-list/freeware

You can download some fonts and use the trial to see if it is really for you. My favorite feature is that I can create a title, then make a copy, then make an instant shadow background of the same title.

Here is a Disney Font using SCAL, I typed the word first, then made a copy and changed the properties to Shadow Blackout for an instant Shadow.

 

[momto3inmn]

I used SCAL and made this out of vinyl for my daughters' room. For Tinkerbell, I took a coloring book page, converted it in Inkscape and cut it using SCAL.

 

[tyniknate]

Computer Geek Question.....what does it mean to unzip a font file?
I've been looking at the site you recommended and can find all kinds of cool fonts. Can even download to my desktop. Can't get them "Unzipped" to be able to save in my active fonts. It's making me CRAZY!!!!!

 

[hrslvr142]

A couple of questions if someone doesn't mind. If I purchase SCAL can I load it on more then 1 computer or do I want to put it on my external hard drive so I can use it on both my desk top and lap top computers? Also I am a little intimidated by the terms TTF and SVG, any simple explanations for those? TIA

 

[platypus67]

I've just downloaded the trial version and love it already. I just have to work out best way to purchase the CD. May have to get it sent to my mum's in Canada if they won't post international. It is over $200.00 to buy it here in Australia. I may just download from the net.

 

[Iris]

A couple of questions if someone doesn't mind. If I purchase SCAL can I load it on more then 1 computer or do I want to put it on my external hard drive so I can use it on both my desk top and lap top computers? Also I am a little intimidated by the terms TTF and SVG, any simple explanations for those? TIA

You can have SCAL on more than one computer, provided that it is your personal computer. I have it on my home and my personal work computer (I like to play around during lunch).

TTF-True Type Font - Fonts used on your computer, tons available free over the internet

SVG-Scalable Vector Graphics - a type of file format that describes two-dimensional vector graphics-this type of graphic can be edited in many different types of formats. You can import any SVG file into SCAL to make a cut. Free SVG files can also be found on the internet. A clipart picture can be copied and pasted into the Inkscape program where it is converted to a SVG file and then imported into SCAL for the actual cut.

 

[hrslvr142]

Thanks Iris for your thorough explanation. I guess I am ready to take the plunge and buy SCAL.

 

[Iris]

Thanks Iris for your thorough explanation. I guess I am ready to take the plunge and buy SCAL.

I hope you enjoy it. I have NEVER regretted getting my SCAL. If you go to the forums on Craft Edge, there are a lot of tutorials about working with SVG files, Inkscape, etc. I found them difficult at first but then over time I started to understand it more and more. The people on the forum are also quite helpful.