Modernizing The Craft Industry: Silhouette Cameo
Cameo was first introduced in October 2011, and brought a wild storm in the arts and craft industry leaving DIY enthusiasts speechless, giving them the freedom to design, cut, and create what they want. It’s a low-cost cutting machine. It is mostly used to cut vinyl.
What can It do?
The machine can make custom apparel, sketch designs, and temporary tattoos. It can cut card stock, fabric, rhinestone templates, vellum, etc.
The machine has an optical sensor allowing it to cut out designs earlier printed by printers.
How to install your silhouette cameo?
You have to register your machine at silhouetteamerica.com/setup. On the main page, select your language, then click on the cameo you are using. Fill in the required information to fill the unique machine serial number and check the machine’s back. Completing the process automatically creates your official account.
Types of cameo:
1. Silhouette cameo 1
2. Silhouette cameo 2
3. Silhouette cameo 3
4. Silhouette cameo 4
5. Portrait
6. Mint
7. Curio
They all differ in their working styles and tools.
What comes in the packaging of a silhouette cameo?
- A power cord with an AC adapter
- A USB cord
- A 12-inch by 12-inch cutting mat
- An auto blade
- A creates clutter
- A small multi-use tool which can be used to adjust your blade
- A tool to remove the Bluetooth adapter
After checking the packaging material and when you have registered, it’s time to download the silhouette studio software.
The silhouette studio software is the most powerful consumer digital cutting and designing software. Features normally found in high and illustrating software highlight this innovative software, yet it is amazingly simple and easy to use.
Make sure your computer meets the minimum requirements for installation. Otherwise, the software will not install.
Once the software is downloaded, run the file to install.
Within the studio, you will have 100 free shapes in your library. You can access them in the library tab.
In addition to 100 free designs, you also have a free one-month silhouette design store subscription.
What is silhouette go?
It’s a mobile application for cameo machines. It allows the machine to become mobile-friendly as it has a wireless Bluetooth connection. Silhouette syncs with your library, so anything you download from the silhouette design store is synced.
The latest machine of silhouette cameo is silhouette 4
- Pros of silhouette cameo 4
- It is a professional level machine
- 5 kg of downward force
- Three times the speed of the cameo 3
- Single tap auto blade
- Automatic tool detection
- Built-in roll-feeder
- Built-in crosscutter
Other add-ons that a silhouette cameo has are as follows:
- It’s super versatile
- Lots of colour and size options available
- Affordable price
Cons of silhouette 4
- Dual tool carriage is inefficient
- It looks a little clunky
Nevertheless, it gives quite a competition to Cricut maker, but Cricut rules the market and hearts too.
