Making an outline on a black and white image

[Anosh22687125gvg9]

Hi,

I'm trying to get a 3mm outline (not the rectangular image boundary) on the image below so that I can laser engrave the black portions and cut the image with a 3mm boundary along the outer contour of the image. How would I do this ?

A detailed procedure with be appreciated

[Lukas Engqvist]

The function Offset path will make an outline at a specified offset, after that you would want to combine all the shapes to wone to make one outline.

If it is not vector then you would have to trace it first to be able to make offset and combine to one path.
(you may have a similar function in your laser software, also called offset)

[Jacob Bugge]

Anosh,

Presuming vector artwork, or with an initial partestabliching vector artwork, depending on how close you wish to have the cut follow the rounded shapes of the feathers you can:

Either A:

A1) Group all the objects if not already, Ctrl/Cmd+C+B to copy to the back, then hide the original Group;

A2) Object>Path>Offset Path by a positive amount that is more than half the inner diameter of the ring in the hand; this will be sufficient to close all gaps within the overall shape;

A3) Pathfinder>Unite or Merge, then change the fill colour to whichever non black colour works with cutting, or swith from fill to stroke with the needed colour needed for cutting;

A4) Show the original Group hidden in 1).

Or B:

B1) Group all the objects if not already, Ctrl/Cmd+C+B to copy to the back, then hide the original Group;

B2) Object>Path>Offset Path by 3 mm; this will close most gaps within the overall shape;

B3) Pathfinder>Unite or Merge, then deselect and click the each of the edges of the remaining parts of the (larger circular) holes and press Delete to get rid of them, then change the fill colour to whichever non black colour works with cutting, or swith from fill to stroke with the needed colour needed for cutting;

B4) Show the original Group hidden in 1).

Either way ought to give you the 3 mm offset for cutting.