How to Use Sketch Pens With Silhouette Cameo – It’s EASY

If you’re wondering how to use sketch pens with Silhouette Cameo, you’ve come to the right place!

This blog post will teach you everything you need to know about how to use sketch pens with Silhouette Cameo.

We’ll discuss the different types of sketch pens available, how to load them into your machine, and how to use them to create beautiful sketches.

Let’s get started!

How to Use Sketch Pens With Silhouette Cameo

Sketch Pens will fit directly in the Cameo 3 or earlier. You’ll need an adapter to put them into the Cameo 4.

Pop the pin into the Tool 1 Slot and select sketch or trace in Silhouette Studio.

If you have selected a design with multiple colors the machine will pause and tell you when to remove the current color and place the next before proceeding.

Use Silhouette Pen Holders to use your own gel pens, felt tip pens, and other writing implements with your Cameo.

Read More: Cricut Explore Air 2 vs Silhouette Cameo 3. We put these two to the test in our complete guide! Here’s how they compared.

What Are Silhouette Sketch Pens?

Silhouette with a Sketch Pen
Silhouette Sketch Pens let you draw intricate and custom designs using the tool clamp on your Cameo.

Sketch Pens are used to create sketches or drawings with your Silhouette Cameo.

They come in various colors and can be used to create both simple and complex designs.

These are rollerball pens that are designed to fit directly into all Cameo models except the Cameo 4. The Cameo 4 needs an adapter to fit the pen into the Tool 1 slot.

You can also make felt tip pens and other drawing implements fit with a pen holder to draw as you like with your previous generation Silhouette machines.

The Cameo 4 needs this pen holder to work.

These adapters and Sketch Pens greatly enlarge your project portfolio with all Silhouette Cameo machines, opening up a world of creative possibilities!

How to Use Sketch Pens With Silhouette Cameo

Sketch Pens colors
Silhouette Sketch Pens come in a wide array of colors that are perfect for any project.

To use a sketch pen, simply select the Sketch Pen tool from the toolbar on the left side of the Silhouette Studio software interface.

There are so many things you can use the Sketch Pen for.

You can draw your own design in Studio or sketch premade drawings from Studio or design packs you can buy on websites like Etsy.

You can also use sketch pens to trace designs. Here’s how you do it:

  • Open an image file in Silhouette Studio
  • Next, click on the Trace button in the upper right-hand corner of the interface
  • Then, select Tracing Options from the drop-down menu
  • Select the type of image you are tracing and the color and thickness of the sketch pen you want to use
  • Snap the right pen into the Tool 1 clamp (with or without adapter as needed)
  • Finally, click on the Trace button at the bottom of the window to trace your design

With this knowledge in hand, you can now get creative with your Silhouette Cameo! Sketch pens are a great way to add extra detail and dimension to your designs.

So have fun and be creative!

Read More: Cricut vs Silhouette. We compare the Cricut and Silhouette Cameo 3, their uses, pros, cons, and MORE in this review and guide!

Can I Use Multiple Colors of Sketch Pens With Silhouette?

Sketch pen greeting cards
Use Sketch Pens to draw graphics to personalize cards, then fill them in with watercolor markers for a stunning finish.

If you want to choose the right color for your sketch, you can first select the color you want to use from the toolbar on the left side of the Silhouette Studio software interface.

  • Next, click on the Sketch Pen tool and choose the thickness of the pen.
  • Then, draw your design onto the workspace.
  • To add a new color, simply click on the Add Color button in the upper right-hand corner of the interface. You can select the color you want in the new window that appears.
  • Finally, click on the Add Color button at the bottom of the window.

You can continue adding colors this way until your sketch is complete. When you are finished, simply click on the Trace button in the upper right-hand corner of the interface.

The program will direct you on when to change colors so it can continue sketching your design.

Here’s a cool video where you can watch the Silhouette Cameo trace on black paper using ordinary gel pens! How’s that for inspiring?

FAQs 

Sketch pens are a great way to add extra pizzazz to your Silhouette Cameo projects! But if you’ve never used them before, they can be tricky to use.

Here are some frequently asked questions about how to use sketch pens with Silhouette Cameo.

Q: What Are the Best Papers To Use With Sketch Pens?

A: The best papers to use with sketch pens are smooth, heavy-weight papers with a bit of ‘tooth.’

This will help the pen glide smoothly over the paper and create clean lines. Some good papers to try to include Bristol board, watercolor paper, and cardstock.

Q: How Do I Load a Sketch Pen Into My Silhouette Cameo?

A: To load a sketch pen into your Silhouette Cameo, unscrew the pen cap and insert the tip of the pen into the 1st slot.

You may need an adapter, discussed above, to make it fit.

Q: How Do I Change Colors With My Sketch Pens?

A: When the Cameo is ready for the next color it will pause and instruct you to change pens.

Remove the previous pen from the Tool 1 slot, replace the cap, then uncap and place the new color in.

Hit “Go” or “resume” (depending on your program) to resume tracing/drawing.

Read More: How to Clean Silhouette Cameo 3 Machine. Keeping your machine clean will help it perform at its best. Here’s how to properly clean your Cameo!

Wrapping Up

Sketch Pens are so much fun to use with the Silhouette Cameo.

These make it so easy to get professional results even if you don’t have a steady hand or the skills to sketch or do graphic design on your own.

You can draw your own adult coloring pages or mandalas, draw designs for decorative buttons, make home artwork, and graphic design your own business cards, labels, hangtags, and more!

Categories DIY