<p>Tinkercad and Inkscape is likely the easiest method, requiring very little to learn anew. The key in Inkscape is to use Path, Object to Path, which converts the text format to &quot;ordinary&quot; vectors supported by Tinkercad.</p>
<p>If you're comfortable with both programs, there's no reason to divert to a new package.</p>
<p>Tossing a conversion from vector to bitmap and back to vector is going to &quot;damage&quot; the image, while the suggestion I've made will retain all detail.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-25T22:32:11.127Z
2021-01-25T22:32:11.127Z
fred_dot_u
<p>Fonts are not saved in a format that is .svg compatible. However, text that is written in a font and saved as a black-and-white picture can be turned into a .svg by software. This .svg can be imported by Tinkercad then.</p>
<h1>Step 1: Text Picture</h1>
<p>Use any software to create a .png or .jpg or something similar. Among the multitude of programs that can do this are GIMP and Adobe Photoshop. Even Paint can do this, or any word processor and then screen capture. If you know your Inkscape, you can skip this.</p>
<h1>Step 2: making the .svg</h1>
<p>Either you use software like <a href="https://inkscape.org/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Inkscape</a> to import your picture and trace the outlines, or you use a web service. For example <a href="https://convertio.co/jpg-svg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Convertino</a> or the <a href="http://www.fontsquirrel.com/tools/webfont-generator" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Fontquirrel Webfont generator</a>. You only need the outlines, no filling!</p>
<p>In Inkscape the rundown to tracing is:</p>
<ul>
<li>File/Import</li>
<li>Path/Trace Bitmap</li>
<li>Update
<ul>
<li>OK</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h1>Step 3: Import</h1>
<p>You got your outline .svg, so import that into any software and you can start making your embossed letters. Personally, I would use Fusion360, but most CAD software support importing an SVG and treat that the same as if you had sketched in that software.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-25T13:19:01.437Z
Why rasterize then re-trace the fonts?
R.. GitHub STOP HELPING ICE
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-25T13:50:54.843Z
@R..GitHubSTOPHELPINGICE I said *or*, because you need an svg. - and fonts are not importable and then extrudeable in most CAD packages
Trish
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-25T14:00:01.137Z
But you can start with step 2, just making the text in svg and keeping it as vector all along. Inkscape can break down text objects to paths if needed.
R.. GitHub STOP HELPING ICE
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-25T14:23:02.117Z
@R..GitHubSTOPHELPINGICE true, but then you already know how to use Inkscape :P
Trish
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-25T14:28:50.910Z
OK.. but getting Inkscape to trace a raster image well is harder/more-to-learn than just commanding it to convert a text object to paths.
R.. GitHub STOP HELPING ICE
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-25T09:49:29.797Z
2021-01-25T14:23:49.420Z
2021-01-25T14:23:49.420Z
Trish
<p>I think @Trish answered your question more specifically, but an alternate route (that I think its simpler assuming you don't mind the learning curve) is using Blender.</p>
<p>Rather than creating an svg in a different software and having to go from something like photoshop to inkscape to tinkercad to your printer software...  Blender could do most of that in one step, and its free.</p>
<p>In Blender, add text:
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/8vXWf.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/8vXWf.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>Hit tab to go into &quot;Edit&quot; mode and in edit mode you can simply backspace and type whatever you want.
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/UdUXU.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/UdUXU.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>In the &quot;Font&quot; menu, you can choose from any font on your computer.
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/1hkC1.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/1hkC1.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a>
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/zMbeY.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/zMbeY.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>And you can make it &quot;3D&quot; by extruding it:
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/SzlG0.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/SzlG0.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>When it looks good and you're ready to print it, make sure to convert it to a mesh, then export as .stl for your printing software. (Cura/Slic3r/etc.)
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/5V2yx.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/5V2yx.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a>
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/03VPQ.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/03VPQ.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-26T07:29:41.363Z
Your answer might not directly answer how my question is now phrased but I really like the simplicity in using fewer tools. Thank you for the step by step guide too! It was very easy to follow
Bijington
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-25T13:18:18.687Z
2021-01-25T13:18:18.687Z
Joseph Crozier
<p>I am looking at printing a fair amount of text, ideally using some custom fonts. I quite like <a href="https://pixelify.net/download/free-fonts/script-handwritten/stay-classy-font-free/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Stay Classy</a> but will likely have to consider change if it causes issues.</p>
<p>I am a little stuck on where to start with using these in some tools. I have tried creating an SVG using the font and importing to Tinkercad however that always fails. I only want to print the text, nothing else.</p>
<p>How do I properly convert my font into .svg and import that so I can make my bodies? While I have tried Tinkercad I am open to alternative tools if this can be achieved more easily.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-25T09:39:54.033Z
We don't deal in *recommending* software at all, but "how do you do this" is totally OK.
Trish
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-25T09:40:54.630Z
@Trish thank you for the pointer and also the friendly edit to correct this :)
Bijington
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-25T11:04:08.653Z
This very easily done in F360 or OpenSCAD, which now doesn't fit the question.
Tinkercad is a horrible choice for this question, so asking for the proper tool would be very viable.
towe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-25T11:17:58.373Z
@towe thanks. I have updated the question to hopefully make it easier to answer unrelated to Tinkercad
Bijington
<software>
Printing 3D letters in any font?
Bijington
# Printing 3D letters in any font?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-01-25)

I am looking at printing a fair amount of text, ideally using some custom fonts. I quite like [Stay Classy](https://pixelify.net/download/free-fonts/script-handwritten/stay-classy-font-free/) but will likely have to consider change if it causes issues.

I am a little stuck on where to start with using these in some tools. I have tried creating an SVG using the font and importing to Tinkercad however that always fails. I only want to print the text, nothing else.

How do I properly convert my font into .svg and import that so I can make my bodies? While I have tried Tinkercad I am open to alternative tools if this can be achieved more easily.

**Tags:** software

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: We don't deal in *recommending* software at all, but "how do you do this" is totally OK.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 thank you for the pointer and also the friendly edit to correct this :)  
> **username_2**: This very easily done in F360 or OpenSCAD, which now doesn't fit the question. Tinkercad is a horrible choice for this question, so asking for the proper tool would be very viable.  
> **username_0**: @username_2 thanks. I have updated the question to hopefully make it easier to answer unrelated to Tinkercad  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2021-01-25. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

I think @username_1 answered your question more specifically, but an alternate route (that I think its simpler assuming you don't mind the learning curve) is using Blender.

Rather than creating an svg in a different software and having to go from something like photoshop to inkscape to tinkercad to your printer software... Blender could do most of that in one step, and its free.

In Blender, add text:
[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/8vXWf.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/8vXWf.png)

Hit tab to go into "Edit" mode and in edit mode you can simply backspace and type whatever you want.
[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/UdUXU.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/UdUXU.png)

In the "Font" menu, you can choose from any font on your computer.
[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/1hkC1.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/1hkC1.png)
[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/zMbeY.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/zMbeY.png)

And you can make it "3D" by extruding it:
[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/SzlG0.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/SzlG0.png)

When it looks good and you're ready to print it, make sure to convert it to a mesh, then export as .stl for your printing software. (Cura/Slic3r/etc.)
[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/5V2yx.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/5V2yx.png)
[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/03VPQ.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/03VPQ.png)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Your answer might not directly answer how my question is now phrased but I really like the simplicity in using fewer tools. Thank you for the step by step guide too! It was very easy to follow  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2021-01-25. Score: 0

Tinkercad and Inkscape is likely the easiest method, requiring very little to learn anew. The key in Inkscape is to use Path, Object to Path, which converts the text format to "ordinary" vectors supported by Tinkercad.

If you're comfortable with both programs, there's no reason to divert to a new package.

Tossing a conversion from vector to bitmap and back to vector is going to "damage" the image, while the suggestion I've made will retain all detail.


---

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-01-25. Score: 0

Fonts are not saved in a format that is .svg compatible. However, text that is written in a font and saved as a black-and-white picture can be turned into a .svg by software. This .svg can be imported by Tinkercad then.

# Step 1: Text Picture

Use any software to create a .png or .jpg or something similar. Among the multitude of programs that can do this are GIMP and Adobe Photoshop. Even Paint can do this, or any word processor and then screen capture. If you know your Inkscape, you can skip this.

# Step 2: making the .svg

Either you use software like [Inkscape](https://inkscape.org/) to import your picture and trace the outlines, or you use a web service. For example [Convertino](https://convertio.co/jpg-svg) or the [Fontquirrel Webfont generator](http://www.fontsquirrel.com/tools/webfont-generator). You only need the outlines, no filling!

In Inkscape the rundown to tracing is:

* File/Import
* Path/Trace Bitmap
* Update
  + OK

# Step 3: Import

You got your outline .svg, so import that into any software and you can start making your embossed letters. Personally, I would use Fusion360, but most CAD software support importing an SVG and treat that the same as if you had sketched in that software.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: Why rasterize then re-trace the fonts?  
> **username_1**: @username_4 I said *or*, because you need an svg. - and fonts are not importable and then extrudeable in most CAD packages  
> **username_4**: But you can start with step 2, just making the text in svg and keeping it as vector all along. Inkscape can break down text objects to paths if needed.  
> **username_1**: @username_4 true, but then you already know how to use Inkscape :P  
> **username_4**: OK.. but getting Inkscape to trace a raster image well is harder/more-to-learn than just commanding it to convert a text object to paths.  

---

