How to make a print-ready cutline in Adobe Illustrator

A print-ready cutline is one closed vector path that tells a printer or cutter where to cut. In Illustrator, it normally sits above the artwork on its own layer, has no fill, and uses a named spot-colour stroke such as CutContour. CreateCutline generates that path automatically, or you can build it manually with the process below. If you are deciding between the manual method, a script, a browser generator or a plug-in, see the ways to make a cutline in Illustrator, compared.

What a production cutline needs

A coloured outline is not automatically a usable cutline. Before sending the file to production, check that the path is:

• a vector path rather than pixels in a JPG, PNG, or TIFF;
• closed, with no open endpoints;
• one continuous outside contour when the job requires one sticker;
• placed on a separate top-level layer;
• assigned a spot colour with the exact name expected by the RIP;
• set to overprint when the production workflow calls for it; and
• preserved as vector and spot-colour data when the file is saved or exported.

CutContour is a widely used name, but the production software controls the final naming rule. Always check the job preview before cutting media.

The manual Illustrator method

1. Prepare the artwork

Keep the customer's artwork untouched. Duplicate the artwork or work on a copy of the file. Expand text and appearance only when your normal production workflow requires it. Raster artwork needs a usable silhouette before it can become a vector cut path.

2. Build the outside silhouette

For vector artwork, combine the shapes that define the visible outside edge. For raster artwork, create a silhouette with Image Trace or draw the boundary manually. Remove small internal details that should not become separate cuts.

If the design contains disconnected pieces, simply offsetting each piece will produce several paths. Bridge or unite those pieces until the result describes the outside boundary of one sticker.

3. Apply the offset

Use Object > Path > Offset Path to move the cut outside or inside the artwork. A positive offset creates a border. A negative offset moves the cut inside the artwork for thru-cut work. Inspect narrow valleys and sharp corners; an offset can create overlaps, spikes, or corners that a blade will not follow cleanly.

4. Clean the path

Unite overlapping shapes, remove holes that should not be cut, close open endpoints, and simplify unnecessary anchors without changing the silhouette. View the path in Outline mode and zoom into narrow gaps. The final object should be one closed path if the job is intended to produce one outside cut.

5. Create the cut swatch

Open Window > Swatches, create a new swatch, set Color Type to Spot Color, and name it exactly as the RIP expects. A common value is CutContour. The displayed CMYK colour only makes the path easy to see; the name and spot-colour status carry the production meaning.

Apply the spot colour to the stroke, remove the fill, and place the path on its own layer. A thin magenta preview is conventional. If your workflow requires overprint, open Window > Attributes and enable Overprint Stroke.

6. Save and verify

Save or export to the format used by your production software, commonly PDF, EPS, or AI. Do not rasterize the cutline or convert its spot colour to process CMYK. Import the file into the RIP or cutter software and confirm that the path is recognized as a cut rather than printable artwork.

The one-button method with CreateCutline

CreateCutline does the Illustrator path-building work without changing the original artwork:

1. Open the CreateCutline panel in Illustrator.
2. Select the artwork, or leave nothing selected to use visible artwork on the active artboard.
3. Choose automatic or manual offset and smoothing settings.
4. Press Create Cutline.

The plug-in adds a top-level Cutline layer containing one closed path with a 1 pt overprinting CutContour spot-colour stroke. You then add the registration marks, choose cut conditions, and send the job through the same RIP or cutter software you already use.

Which printer or cutter workflow are you using?

• Roland VersaWorks and CutContour
• Mimaki RasterLink and FineCut
• Graphtec Cutting Master
• Summa GoSign and OPOS
• Mutoh print-and-cut workflows
• Epson print-and-cut workflows
• Canon production print workflows
• HP Latex Print and Cut
• Colex Sharpcut
• Zünd Cut Center
• Kongsberg i-cut Production Console
• GCC GreatCut and AAS
• ONYX RIP-Queue and CUT-Server
• CalderaRIP and VisualCUT

Common cutline problems

The RIP prints the magenta line

The swatch is probably a process colour, has the wrong name, or is not mapped as a cut contour in the RIP. Confirm that it is a spot colour and that its name is spelled with the correct capitalization.

Every piece receives its own cut

The artwork contains disconnected shapes and the outside silhouettes were not bridged into one contour. Build one outer boundary around the complete mark.

The cutline has bumps or too many anchors

Raw image traces and repeated Pathfinder operations can leave dense, irregular paths. Simplify cautiously and inspect the rendered curve, not only the anchor count.

The cutter misses the printed position

That is normally a registration or calibration issue rather than a cutline-shape issue. Add the marks required by the cutter software and run its print-and-cut alignment procedure.

Create the cutline, then use your normal production workflow

CreateCutline is a one-time $20 plug-in for Adobe Illustrator, with a full seven-day free trial. It generates the production path; your RIP and cutter continue handling registration, media settings, pressure, speed, and output.

Download free trial

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Technical references

• Roland DG: paths using a CutContour spot colour are recognized as cutting lines
• ONYX: creating a cut path and assigning a spot colour in Illustrator
• Caldera: CutContour troubleshooting requirements

CreateCutline is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Adobe or any printer, cutter, or RIP manufacturer named on this page.