Follow this tutorial and create your own engraved acrylic LED Light Keyrings using Adobe Illustrator.
1. Download our templates
To start submitting your engraved acrylic LED keyring designs you’ll need to download our design templates.
Download our Illustrator templates >> here << and open your chosen size.
The template comes with a working area where you will import or create your designs. Please make sure that your artwork fits INSIDE of the blue borders.
2. Understanding our layers
Opening the template, you will notice that there are 4 layers in your Layers palette. If you can't see the Layers palette, hit F7 to make it appear.
IMPORTANT - Please don't rename existing layers or create additional layers as this will confuse our systems when processing your designs.
If you've used any effects or layer styles on any of your layers you MUST rasterize them before saving. To do this simply right click on the applicable layer and select 'Rasterize Layer Style' from the menu.
'Office Use Only' Layer This layer contains our logo, the blue borders which your design must sit inside and a brief description of the template size that you are using. This layer is locked and should not be used.
'Engraved Areas' Layer This layer is where you should place the engraved elements of your design. The engraved elements of your designs will glow when the LED light is turned on.
Please make sure your artwork fits neatly inside the blue borders.
'Cut Area' Layer Use this layer to show us where you would like your keyring design to be cut out.
We'll use the information on this layer to create a path, which will then be used to create a cut line for our laser cutters.
Please make sure your artwork fits neatly inside the blue borders.
'LED Keyring Template' Layer
Drag and drop the 'LED Keyring' template onto your artwork to show us where you would like your LED light to be placed.
To get the most out of your template size, the 'LED keyring Template' can sit on the blue borders.
3. Creating your designs
Select your 'Engraved Areas' layer and draw any details that you would like engraving in black.
- All areas to be engraved MUST be pure black. (R:0 G:0 B:0)
- No line widths thinner than 0.25mm. Any line widths thinner than 0.25mm will not be visible on your finished design.
4a. Creating your cut areas
Select your 'Cut Area' layer and create a red path (R:255 G:0 B:0) with a line weight of 0.01pt to show us where you would like your design cutting out.
The cut edges of your designs, including any internal cuts, will glow when the LED lamp base is turned on.
4b. Adding the LED light
Drag and drop the LED light template into position on your design to show us where you would like the light placing.
We recommend placing the LED as close to your engraved design as possible, without actually touching the engraved area.
Remember that the LED bulb also has the chain and split ring attached to it, which will turn your acrylic charm into a light up keyring.
Please don't merge the LED Light template with your cut line.
5. Submission checklist
Congratulations, you've finished creating your engraved acrylic LED keyring design. All you have to do now is check the following before submission...
- All engraved areas are black (R:0 G:0 B:0) and are situated on your 'Engraved Areas' layer
- All engraved lines are AT LEAST 0.25mm thick.
- Your cut area is a red path (R:255 G:0 B:0) with a line weight of 0.01pt and is located on your 'Cut Area' layer
- The LED light template has NOT been grouped or merged with the rest of your design.
- All text has been converted to outlines.
- Your template contains 1 design only. Additional designs will be sent separately.
6. Saving and submitting your designs
There are 3 different ways to save and submit your designs...
1. Submit your artwork immediately
If you have already created your designs, you can send them to us using the 'Upload Artwork' button, located on our product pages or by emailing them to ‘info@zapcreatives.com’.
Save all Illustrator files in .Ai format. Here’s how…
Name each of your designs appropriately so that we know which designs you are referring to. Your file names should include 1. your name, 2. design number, 3. chosen product and 4. the date that you placed your order through our website. Here’s an example…
Select all of the designs that you would like to submit, right click and choose SEND TO > COMPRESSED (ZIPPED) FOLDER.
This will create a compressed folder containing all of your designs. Rename this folder so that it contains your name and the date that you placed your order on our website. Like this…
Please add all of your designs into one folder. So, if you purchased charms, stickers and pins, for example, just pop them all in the same, compressed folder and upload it using the 'Upload Artwork' button.
2. Submit your artwork later
If you have placed your order via our website but your designs aren’t quite ready yet, that’s ok. You have up to 2 weeks to submit your artwork to us, which allows you to take advantage of any special offers that we’re running.
To submit your designs later, save them with 1. your name, 2. design number, 3. chosen product and 4. your order number. Then email them to ‘info@zapcreatives.com’.
Save all Illustrator files in .Ai format. Here’s how…
3. Placing a re-order
If you have placed an order in the past and would like to re-order those designs that’s great! We store your artwork for a maximum of 6 months, which saves you the hassle of having to resubmit your designs via email.
To place a re-order, simply place your order online, email us with your previous order number(s) and let us know that you are placing a re-order.
You may only want to order 1 or 2 designs from your previous order(s). To do this simply quote your old file name(s) and let us know how you would like them producing and in what quantities.
Here’s how to do it…
Hi Zap!,
I’ve just placed an order #12345 on your website and would like to re-order the following designs from a previous order #12121. Please can I have…
10x [YOURNAME]-DESIGN1-CLEARCHARM-12121
20x [YOURNAME]-DESIGN2-WALNUTKEYRING-12121
10x [YOURNAME]-DESIGN3-ACRYLICPIN-12121
Thanks!
[YOUR NAME]
If you have any questions about this tutorial or any other aspects of our website and manufacturing processes, please do not hesitate to get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.
