If you’ve ever dreamed of creating your own custom texture tools for clay work, laser cutting opens up a world of possibilities. In this post, an excerpt from the July/August 2025 issue of Pottery Making Illustrated, Lindsay Scypta shares her insights into using laser cutters to make tools.
Lindsay shares tips for getting symmetrical, professional-looking results and keeping track of your cut settings for consistent success. Don’t have a laser cutter? Don’t worry—she also shares some accessible alternatives to get your designs cut without owning a machine! –Jennifer Poellot Harnetty, editor
To create a tool, you will need a design, a computer and soft-ware, Masonite board, and a laser cutter. I use a Glowforge Aura Craft Laser Cutter (A). I’ve cut on many different laser cutters, but this one fits my needs and price point. I like that there is a camera embedded in the machine so I know exactly where on the material I’m cutting. Before I purchased my own laser cutter, I utilized machines at institutions where I taught or I had a local trophy shop cut tools for me. Many public libraries and science museums also offer access to these machines, or you can send your design off to laser-cutting shops on Etsy. If this is something you are interested in investigating, don’t let the lack of a machine stop you!
I use Affinity Designer software to create patterns, but Adobe Illustrator works great, too. Begin by creating a vector drawing and save it as an SVG file. Start with a triangle or half-moon shape, as the negative and positive of these two shapes come together nicely to create a pattern. Consider geometric patterns as a basis for your pattern development. Add flourishes and details in the next round of cutting. My tools are rectangular with a fretwork-inspired design in the center. Upload a photo of your tool design idea and trace the outline with the Pen Tool. Clicking to create dots that connect to form your outline. Trace one side of the tool, select and duplicate (Edit > Duplicate), then flip (Transform > Flip Horizontal). This ensures that your tool is symmetrical (B). Send your SVG file to the laser cutter where you can confirm your sizing before printing (C). Print settings will vary depending on the laser. Once you dial in your settings with your preferred material, you’ll want to document that. Cut settings usually require more power and less speed. I keep a journal to track the machine and print settings that I have used for reference.
Process and finished work photos: CI Photo & Design.
Lindsay Scypta is an artist and educator living in Toledo, Ohio. She teaches academic and community courses at Owens Community College in the evenings and raises her three young children by day. She holds a BFA from Alfred University and an MFA from The Ohio State University. Learn more at www.lindsayscypta.com.
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Published Jul 7, 2025
If you’ve ever dreamed of creating your own custom texture tools for clay work, laser cutting opens up a world of possibilities. In this post, an excerpt from the July/August 2025 issue of Pottery Making Illustrated, Lindsay Scypta shares her insights into using laser cutters to make tools.
Lindsay shares tips for getting symmetrical, professional-looking results and keeping track of your cut settings for consistent success. Don’t have a laser cutter? Don’t worry—she also shares some accessible alternatives to get your designs cut without owning a machine! –Jennifer Poellot Harnetty, editor
PS. Want to dive deeper into this process? Register for Lindsay Scypta's upcoming Workshop from Home webinar!
Designing and Laser Cutting Tools
I use Affinity Designer software to create patterns, but Adobe Illustrator works great, too. Begin by creating a vector drawing and save it as an SVG file. Start with a triangle or half-moon shape, as the negative and positive of these two shapes come together nicely to create a pattern. Consider geometric patterns as a basis for your pattern development. Add flourishes and details in the next round of cutting. My tools are rectangular with a fretwork-inspired design in the center. Upload a photo of your tool design idea and trace the outline with the Pen Tool. Clicking to create dots that connect to form your outline. Trace one side of the tool, select and duplicate (Edit > Duplicate), then flip (Transform > Flip Horizontal). This ensures that your tool is symmetrical (B). Send your SVG file to the laser cutter where you can confirm your sizing before printing (C). Print settings will vary depending on the laser. Once you dial in your settings with your preferred material, you’ll want to document that. Cut settings usually require more power and less speed. I keep a journal to track the machine and print settings that I have used for reference.
Process and finished work photos: CI Photo & Design.
Lindsay Scypta is an artist and educator living in Toledo, Ohio. She teaches academic and community courses at Owens Community College in the evenings and raises her three young children by day. She holds a BFA from Alfred University and an MFA from The Ohio State University. Learn more at www.lindsayscypta.com.
Unfamiliar with any terms in this article? Browse our glossary of pottery terms!
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