Multi Colored Sign Based Off of a Clip Art Image or Logo

I made a 3D file that is a sign for the outside of my classroom, which also serves as a 3d printing club. This sign is designed to print a base color for the first 6 mm and then the secondary color for the last 4 mms making it a multi colored sign. I will show you how to design something similar using a clip art image.

To create and teach the design aspect of it you would need computer that can access Tinkercad and maybe a projector or smartboard to show your students as you teach them.

To print the project, you would need a printer, spools of filament that meet your needs and a computer with a slicer program on it.

You need to find and prepare an image that will be what your sign is based around. I google search "(insert what you want) black and white clipart". The next step will work much smoother if you have something that is only black and white, but it's not impossible to do it with a colored picture. Make sure it is not a copyright image and that you have permission to use it.

The next part is to open the newly saved picture, turn light and color all the way down and increase clarity all the way. This helps make the black "pop" and makes it easier for the next step. Click to save it and not save a new one.

You can google "Jpeg to SVG convertor" to see your options. There are a ton of convertors that are free or free with ads, but I use the top search result which is called convertio.

Add your picture in, convert it and then download the conversion. If the black is really prominent and there aren't shades of grey or other colors, then it should work first try, but you might have to re edit the image.

You need to create your new project on tinkercad, then select import.

After selecting import, browse for your files and select the newly downloaded SVG file. It should be the most recent item in your downloads folder.

Click to import it, but then look at the scaling. I moved mine down to 40% because the 100% scaling would not fit on my print bed.

Once the file is imported, you should be ready to move to the next step.

Change your color if you would like and then hit ctrl+c to copy the image, and then crtl+v to paste the copy.

These 2 images are going to be your base color and then your top layer.

This step takes some patience, but is relatively easy.

place a square down inside the image and make it a color that's different than what you're working with. Make that square the same height as what you're trying to close off.

Stretch it as far as you can while still remaining inside of the image. You should be able to pan around your image and not see any of the new color showing outside of the walls. Do the ctrl+c and ctrl+v method to continue copying and pasting the shape you just made scaling its length and width to where it can cover open spaces, but not stick out of the original image. Towards the end, I began using circles to fit into hard to reach spaces.

Use your mouse to make a square that encompasses all of the shapes you just made and then select the "group" button to make all of the objects into one single object.

Spot check at the end to look for other holes or gaps and then patch them in and group everything one last time.

At the end you should have the top layer, which is the actual image you want and then the bottom layer, which is the shape of your image and the base layer.

You want to select your top image and make it at least 3-4 mms taller than what will be your bottom section. This will allow for a smoother color change when printing and also make the 2 colors stand out from each other when finished.

I started out with 10 mms for the base and 14 for the top part and eventually switched it to 6 mm and 10 mm to save on materials and print time.

Select both portions of the print by clicking on one and then holding shift and clicking the other and then select the "align" button. Hit the center bubble on the side and top and bottom to assure that they are perfectly flush, then with both still selected, hit the "group" button.

The hardest part is done. If you choose to only do this part, then you're ready to print. Put it in your slicer and select to do a layer change about .6 mm - 1.2 mm into the shift between colors. (example: if your bottom portion finishes at 6 mms and the top goes all the way to 10 mms, then set the color swap for around 6.6-7.2 mms on the print)

This design works well for a single color print where you just paint the top layer also.

What I do when I add words is that I have the place holder for the words stop at the same layer as the base layer of the file and then I have the letters stop at the same height as the top layer.

I added a rectangle the same width of the tiger's head and then 2 little posts to affix the sign to the tiger, then I added a text box to say what I wanted to say, aligned the word box, the words and the tiger head to be centered with each other and his group.

The last picture is the hardest one that I have ever done, which was 4 total color changes, meaning that each of those colors was set to stop at a different height!