Uploading an Image to Cricut Design Space

This how-to guide will talk strictly is about how to upload an image to Cricut Design Space. It does not really matter what project you are in at this time. The upload feature of the Design Space will upload to your account and can be accessed in any of your projects or future projects.

To upload a design:

1. Make sure you know where your design is. I make it easy for myself and created folders on my desktop for each project I am working on. You can just put them on the desktop if that is easiest. The image I will use in this example is a doily image from The Craft Chop. (Image is pictured on the right.)
2. Open the Design Space Application. It can be found at https://design.cricut.com/#/landing
   • You will be directed to a landing page.
3. After signing in, you will see two buttons on the top right-hand corner (as shown below).

• By selecting “My Projects,” it brings you to your saved projects on your account.
• “New Project” will simply bring you to a new project with a blank canvas which will be entitled “Untitled.”
  • For uploading only (to use later), you can choose “New Project.”
  • You will be led to your new blank canvas, as shown below.

• On the left-hand side, you see a list of tabs. The last one on this list is “Upload” (See icon to the right). Select this one.
  • To learn more about these tabs and their functions, see my previous post on this topic here.
• Once in the Upload screen, you will see a similar screen as below (with the last six images you last uploaded.

• When you want to upload an image or vector file, you want to select the “Upload Image” button.
  • The types of files that can be uploaded are:
    • .jpg
    • .gif
    • .png
    • .bmp
    • .svg
    • .dxf
• After you choose your image, you will see a screen similar to the one below. On the left, you will see your image and on the right, the “Select Image Type.”
  • In the example below, I want to you look further at your image.
    • The green arrows point to a checkered pattern on each side of the image. These patterns show what is not going to be seen when finished uploading. As of this moment, if you were to not to change anything further, your image would only be seen as one flat layer, minus the places where there is the checkered pattern. Without editing, this will make a single flat layer in the shape of a square, losing your image altogether. 
      • If you were to import a vector file (svg, png, etc.), all of the white spaces would appear in the same checkered pattern, because they would not be part of the image.
    • To resolve this, the red arrow points to the next step “Select Image Type” which will guide you through removing all the parts of the image that do not comprise your image.

• Select Image Type – A Simple Breakdown

  • In this section, it states, “Your image will be uploaded as a single layer. How complex is your image? Select an option below that best matches its complexity. This ensures you get the best tools to work with your image.”
    • Basically, it is asking how intricate is your image and how much detail and coloring there is.
      • This is important because you can see the difference between the three choices:

• For my image, you can see it is very simple, with only two high contrasting colors. “Simple” would be the most appropriate and easiest for this image.
  • You can choose which image type you would like depending your thoughts.
  • Please note that the Simple option will flatten your colors. In comparison, a Complex option will keep the fine details and low contrast.
  • ***One thing you should keep in mind is that your image is being turned into an individual layer. So the upload one creates a solid layer- your details will be lost (that is unless you want to use the “Print then Cut” Feature (Continue reading for more details on this feature).
  • Stay tuned for another post going into further details on how to turn one image into separate layers.

I uploaded mine into the Cricut Design Space and chose the ‘Simple Image‘ option.

• When you reach the next screen, you have the options to delete the negative space (what you don’t want to be there).

• In this instance, I used the advanced options and changed the Color Tolerance to 50.
  • By changing the color tolerance, it accounted for the fuzzy edges of the image. Essentially the Color Tolerance flattens the colors more and makes the colors more contrast.
  • If you were to keep the tolerance at the default, any variation in color (the fuzzy parts included) would have to manually click. With a higher color tolerance, when you have images with high contrasting colors, such as the one above, it will clean up your image faster and more effectively. It will create a sharper image- if using it for a high contrasting image.

Now you are ready to clean up your design.

• This stage is called, “Select & Erase.”
  • This does exactly that. Simply click the spaces that you want to erase. Right now, that is all the white spaces, leaving only the black- your intended design.
  • When all the spaces you want to be erased are gone, it should look similar to the image below.
    • Please note-
      • Your design remains, on a checkered background. The checkered background is the absences the unwanted parts of the design.
      • Once fully uploaded, if you layer this design above other layers, they will be shown through all the spaces you have just erased.

When you have deleted all the parts you do not want, you can proceed to the next step. It will give you a preview of the cut file similar to the one pictured below.

You will have 2 saving options:

1. Save as Print then Cut File: This is will make the image automatically import as a ‘Print‘ layer.
   • This isn’t a major problem if you accidentally choose this one, you can change it to a cut layer once it is in your project. You will have to change it every time you import this image though.
   • This technically sees the project with its details, rather than one flat layer.
2. Save as a Cut File: This will make the image default to a ‘Cut‘ layer.
   1. Now with this option, if you want to have the ability to make it into a print layer, you will not get all the details as shown on the ‘Print then Cut File‘- so you will never want to save an image as a cut file, if you think you may want to use the print function.
3.  For this project, you will want to click the ‘Save as a Cut File.‘ You can be assured this option is chosen because a highlighted border around that option, as pictured below.
4. You will then want to rename the image. It isn’t extremely important, but it will make life easier and more organized later.

After You Complete Uploading

• Once you click “Save,” your image will now appear in your “Uploaded Images” list. They can now be accessed by you in any of your projects (as seen below).
• To access it again, just go back to the “Upload” tab.

 

Please note that all information provided here is editorial. I am a participant in the Cricut Affiliate Program. Although this post may contain affiliate links and ads, this post solely based on my experiences and is 100% my honest opinion. I have not received any free items for this post. This post is for informational guidance and furthering education only and is based solely on my experience and research. Read more.