1. Cricut Basic
It is a program or software designed to help the new user get a smooth start on designing new crafts and DIY projects. This system will help you with image selection to cutting with the least amount of time spent in the design stages. You can locate your image, pre-set projector font, and immediately print, cut, score, and align with tools that are found within the program. You can use this program on the iOS 7.1.2 or later systems as well as iPad and several of the iPhones from the Mini to the 5th generation iPod touch. Since it is also a cloud-based service, you can start in one device and finish from another.
2. Design Space
Design Space is for any Explore machine with a high-speed, broadband Internet connection that is connected to a computer or an iOS device. This more advanced software allows full creative control for users with Cricut machines.
3. Cricut Design Studio
This program allows you to connect with your software and provides you with much more functionality as far as shapes and fonts are concerned. There are various options for tools that provide you with resources for designing more creative images. You will be able to flip, rotate, weld, or slant the images and fonts. However, you will still be limited in the amounts or types of fonts that you can use based on the ones on the cartridges. There is a higher level of software features that allow for customization.
4. Craft Room
Some machines, such as the Explore and Explore Air, cannot use Craft Room, but many other models can. Craft Room users also have access to a free digital cartridge, which offers images that all Cricut machines can cut.
Moving on to Creating Your Project Template
On the home page, select “New Project,” which will be followed by a page with a blank canvas that looks like the grid on your Cricut mats. To any artist, the words “empty canvas” is a nightmare in itself so please just bear with me since we will fill that bad boy up in a second. But first, let’s go through the menu options.
New, Templates, Projects, Images, Text, Shapes, and Upload. These are the things that you will see on your left-hand side when you have the canvas open on the screen.
New
New means that you will start a new project, and clicking the tab will redirect you to a blank canvas. Be sure to save all changes on your current project before you go to the new canvas. Otherwise, you will lose all of the progress you have already made on that design.
Templates
Clicking on Templates will allow you to set a template to help you visualize and work with sizing. It is convenient for someone who is not familiar with Cricut Design Space and doesn’t know what sizes to set. If you are cutting out wearable items on fabric, you can change the size of the template to fit whoever will be wearing it. I’m sure you can agree that this feature is especially beneficial for the seamstresses out there.
Projects
Projects, meanwhile, will lead you to the ready-to-make projects so that you can start cutting right away. Some of the projects are not customizable, but others are when you open the template, which is pretty cool. Many of these are not free either, which irks me to a new extent. You can choose the “Free for Cricut (whatever machine you have),” and the projects that will turn up won’t have to be paid for.
Images
Images are where you can search for thousands of photos to use for the craft. Those images with the green flag with the “A” on them are the ones that come only with Cricut Access so be aware if you do not have it. It is sort of like a Pinterest image search engine with a lot of pictures in its database.
Text
The Text goes without saying. When you select this option, you can type whatever you want and scale it onto your canvas. You may select any font saved in your computer too; that’s why collecting those has never been more useful! There is also an option called “multi-layered font,” which gives your text a shadow layer. If you are cutting out the letters and shadow layers, the Cricut will do them separately and combine the two later if you wish to. It can create very cool effects, so make sure you try that option out. Furthermore, remember that when you are being paid to do a job, the font you are using might require a license to use.
Shapes
Shapes lets you add necessary forms to your canvas, which you can tweak to fit your own needs. The shapes include circle, square, rectangle, triangle, et cetera.
Upload
When you click the Upload tab, you can upload your images and transform them into cuttable pieces. It is incredible to be able to use this feature.