The Silhouette is a cartridge-less electronic cutting machine that connects to your computer and allows you to cut all of your True Type fonts and images. Not only can you find thousands of FREE fonts and images online, you can purchase thousands more available from Silhouette’s Online Store. You’ll also find designs from your favorite manufacturers like Hero Arts, House of Three, Three Bugs in a Rug, SEI, Donna Downey and ScrapNFonts.
The Original Silhouette
Silhouette comes with Silhouette Studio, a software program (available for both Mac and PC) that allows for the creation of original work. It will import clipart and bitmaps and links directly with Silhouette’s library of images, which are available for download. Silhouette Studio has been updated to include: better organized library and search capabilities; enhanced drawing tools, including free-hand drawing, fill features and image manipulations; improved welding and offset tools, auto-trace for imported images and much more. Silhouette Studio comes with plug-ins for Adobe PhotoShop.
The original Silhouette, with a cutting size of 8” wide by 14” long, connects to your computer to cut True Type fonts and images. It has the ability to weld words, can scale your images from ¼” to 10” and use pens, instead of a blade, for tracing capabilities.
The Silhouette SD
The Silhouette SD keeps the functionality of the Original but brings half the weight of the Original model – 10 pounds for the original vs. 4 ½ pounds for the SD, an increased cutting size of up to 8” wide by 39” long, auto-feed and a quieter motor. The biggest upgrade was a slot for an SD Memory card to save files to so that the machine becomes portable. can take a pen for drawing. The Silhouette SD has been discontinued and is being replaced by the Silhouette CAMEO.
The CAMEO
The Silhouette CAMEO keeps all the great functions of the Original and the SD but now cuts up to 12” wide by 10 feet long, will read registration marks for cutting along printed lines (which gives your cut marks an outline), and an adjustable blade.
The materials that can be cut by the Silhouette CAMEO are cardstock and patterned paper for layouts and cards, Silhouette’s removable vinyl for window decals, gorgeous wall art or creative labels for totes and tubs throughout the home. Use the vinyl on glass to create your own customized templates for etched glass pieces. Cut heat transfer material to create custom wearable art or home décor pieces. Use the rhinestone templates to bling out your wardrobe. With a simple swipe of an iron to adhere Silhouette interfacing you can cut fabric – cut down your time on quilting, create customize appliqués, seasonal banners and anything you can dream up. Select the Specialty Media to create temporary tattoos, magnets, wood paper designs and more.