Under the tuition of Arthur Hash, State University of New York at New Paltz uses Ponoko to teach students digital manufacturing.

The Master of Fine Arts Program in Metal/Jewelry at the State University of New York at New Paltz has been ranked #1 in the nation in the recent 2009 U.S. News & World Report list of America’s best graduate schools.
The Metal/Jewelry graduate program ranked first in the nation in the Fine Arts category. In addition, New Paltz’s Master of Fine Arts Program overall was named among the 100 best in America, according to U.S. News.
(more…)

Repeat patterns are not just for textiles. Patterns can change the look and style of any surface, and with Ponoko you could cut or etch repeat patterns into all kinds of materials. But designing patterns can be tricky. So if you’re not quite sure of the difference between an ogee and a damask or a half-drop and a brick repeat, you might want to just download some patterns instead of designing your own.

That’s exactly why German graphic designer Sabine started Patterrific last December. Every week Patterrific features free, seemless, downloadable repeat patterns. Some are raster based (for Photoshop); some are vector based (for Illustrator). Sabine also posts Flickr finds of pattern collections from other designers and studios, photoshop brushes, blogs and resources, pattern design tutorials, and great examples of pattern in graphic design.

These patterns are a great resource, but free of charge is not the same as copyright free. Patterns on Patterrific are the work of Sabine and are protected under the Creative Commons License. You are welcome to use these patterns for personal use, but there is a small fee ($15!) for commercial use.

UPDATE: Sabine has e-mailed to let me know that she has lowered the price of a singe pattern to just $5! This means that if you plan on selling a design which incorporates one of these downloaded patterns in the Ponoko showroom or elsewhere, you need to contact Sabine and comply with the Terms of Use. But don’t let this legal talk scare you; using patterns for commercial purposes is encouraged. It’s how offering patterns for download actually pays off.

Jump over to Patterrific for more free repeats!

Being mostly a self taught vector software user I have often wondered about how to best control curves for any drawings I am creating. All to often I can look at my drawing and think something just isn’t right. Thankfully I came across some great posts by Juan over at Typies blog with some great tips on how the create the perfect curve.

Juan talks about vectors in relation to type but the principles are the same for drawings for a new necklace design or a personalized set of coasters. They are also applicable to all the vector drawing software we suggest, whether it is Illustrator, Corel, or the freebie Inkscape.

The first post is about the basics of vector drawing where he outlines the definitions of the terminology used in vector software packages and how to construct your shapes.

In the second he goes through 8 common vector drawing mistakes, showing examples of where to put your points, how many to have, and how to balance the handles.

Thanks for the tips Juan and I’ll be keeping an eye on your blog for any future advice.

via swissmiss

blik surface graphics are oversized, self-adhesive, removable vinyl decals that allow anyone to quickly & easily create decorative patterns or custom wall murals for home or office.

Choose from their massive existing range or design your own customized wall graphics.

The customized solutions are perfect for either domestic or commercial applications, with an online ordering form that makes it relatively easy to realize your design by simply specifying the size you require and uploading an image in either JPEG, GIF, PDF, or AI format.

If you don’t feel up to designing your own, you can always configure existing elements of a pack, or order a couple and stylize your wall/ceiling/laptop/fridge with a graphics mash up…

Brought to you by the good people at skinnyCorp, also responsible for threadless, more on that later

Vector softwares are an amazing and ubiquitous tool that have ushered in some of the most popular styles in contemporary graphics. (Think of all those flat silhouettes of cherry blossoms and birds.) That said, I sometimes work with designers, especially in the fashion and textile fields, that are unfamiliar and often times very intimidated by Illustrator. I assure them it is simple, but after trying out the pen tool they sometimes freak. One doesn’t master bezier curves overnight, and designing with the point and clicks of a mouse isn’t exactly intuitive to anyone, let alone those trained in a hands-on art or craft, say painting or illustration. So! I’d like to introduce you to the Cintiq.

Made by Wacom, the familiar technology of the tablet has been put right into the monitor. The monitor is a touch-sensitive LCD that comes with a cordless pen. The model I use is the 21UX, having a 21.3″ diagonal.

The stand is adjustable so that the monitor can sit at an angle or nearly flat against the table. It also rotates 180 degrees. Touch Strips and quick keys are on either side of the frame which can be programmed for any keyboard function. For example, you can glide your finger up the touch strip to zoom in, push an express key to change tools. Use the pen to touch a swatch, and it’s as if you’ve dipped the pen in that ink. Glide the pen over the screen and the mark is loyal to your movements. It’s even pressure sensitive.

I have been using a Cintiq for about six months, and it just can’t be beat. It saves incredible amounts of time, bridges the gap between the canvas and the screen, and allows anyone to create detailed vector graphics. There’s another little miracle by Wacom, called the Cintiq 12WX, which is basically a digital sketchbook. I’ll fill you in when I get my hands on one.

And if my words don’t move you, check out the Cintiq In Action and/or rock out to Gorillaz for a few minutes.

While I’ve written quite a bit about Inkscape recently, that’s not to say that Illustrator isn’t popular around here in our Ponoko office! We want to make sure that users and those thinking about Ponoko can find the help they need in getting technical issues sorted out in making their designs and uploading them onto Ponoko. Here are some useful links - user communities and tutorials on everything Illustrator (in no particular order):

Adobe’s Users-to-User Forum on Illustrator

Illustrator User Group Forum - Join other Illustrator aficionados in this lively discussion forum hosted by Digital Media Net.

Illustrator World — This is a community site devoted to Adobe® Illustrator® software and vector graphics. View and share Illustrator artwork with other users, read and contribute to forums, access tips and techniques, and participate in design contests.

Mike’s Sketchpad - Basic tutorials in Illustrator for new users

Tutorialselect.com - A pligg (think Digg) on free tutorials and lessons on design - esp. on Illustrator

About.com Illustrator Tutorials - ranging from Basics & Tools; Creating Art & Effects; and Type, Text Effects & Logos.

BioRust Illustrator Tutorials - An interactive design community offering forums, tutorials and resources.

DeZine Zone Tutorials - Look to the left side menu and see the Illustrator tutorials for Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced

N.Design Studio - Design blog by a designer who shares his passion in Illustrator tutorials intended for intermediate users.

I know there’s a slew of them out there - some better than others. And since Illustrator integrated a search function with del.icio.us, it should be easier to find the right contextual resources you need — so if you know of any more sites or recommend any particular one, please feel free to add them in the comments - thanks!

Once you get going on Illustrator, go ahead and download your Ponoko Starter Kit in Illustrator for the Ponoko making guide and templates. If you still have questions or want to share some newfound knowledge, check out our Forum to discuss with other Illustrator/Ponoko users.

**Remember we’re running a contest this month for file uploads, so if you create your designs and add them to MyPonoko, you might have a good chance to win $250 worth of fun designing and making with Ponoko.**