Dashboard > Catalog > (select product) > Design Studio > Studio settings > Assets
Dashboard > Design > Design Studio > (select product) > Studio settings > Assets

asset01-min

Next, you must download your product template. The product template is an SVG file with a fixed pattern layout, which is used as the foundation for a design. The product template sometimes is also referred to as a UV map.

Download the product template

We highly recommend downloading the UV map as an SVG file from the dashboard even when you have created and uploaded your own 3D model and UV map.

Doing so will ensure that you always create your designs based on the correct product template.‍

An SVG file is a large file that may take some time to download.‍

Step 2 - Save your SVG product template file

After clicking download, a new tab will appear in your browser.

Right-click on the page and choose 'Save As'.

Make sure that the "Save As" type is an SVG document, then click save to download your SVG. You are now ready to edit the SVG template in Illustrator

Step 3 - Open your SVG product template file in Illustrator

Open your SVG file in Illustrator.

You'll notice multiple lines: A stitching line, cutting line, and sublimation line. The distance between the stitching line and the cutting line is what is called “seam allowance”.
Keep the outermost line which is either the cutting line or the bleeding line. Then remove all other lines.

The cutting or bleeding line must be the outermost line of the largest size of the pattern.

Each product has its own unique pattern layout. Do not change the position of the pattern pieces. Changing the position will make it incompatible with Brikl's UV map.‍
Each product has its unique artboard size. Do not change the artboard size. Changing the artboard size will make it incompatible with Brikl's UV map.
Check the artboard size in Illustrator by going to 'Document Setup'.

Step 4 - Create a design in Illustrator

When you create a design in Illustrator, you must create different layers with specific names that can be recognized by Brikl software when importing the design back into the system.

There are two types of layers:

COLORZONE
VIEWZONE

Customizable COLORZONE layers

A COLORZONE layer contain base colors that have been separated by individual layers and that can be customized.

IMPORTANT

Make sure to only use the product templates that you have downloaded from Brikl to create a design in Illustrator.
Do not change the original artboard size. This may lead to a misaligned pattern.

Name your layers

The layer name must follow the naming convention: COLORZONE-(number). For example, COLORZONE-1, COLORZONE-2. There can only be one color per COLORZONE.

All layers must be in uppercase letters and spelled correctly. Else, the layers will not be recognized or customizable by the Brikl software.

Sub-layers must be either <Path> or <Compound Path>. No groups.

IMPORTANT - when creating layers in Illustrator

Do not group any elements within a layer. Grouping elements for logos or any other vector shapes will make the file unreadable in Brikl's software.
Do not group any colors within the color layer. Grouping color elements will make the file unreadable in Brikl's software.

Read more below on "Pathfinder" and "Compound path".

If your design uses strokes and you want the strokes to be customizable, expand the strokes and transform them into a shape, as shown in the steps below:
- Select the strokes you'd like to convert to an object.
- In the top menu, click 'effect'.
- Select Path > Outline Stroke.
- In the top menu hover the object option.
- Select 'Expand Appearance'.
- 🎉 Your stroke is now an object that can be filled with color in the Brikl 3D configurator.

When you create a design that covers a seam line (e.g. zipper on the front panel), remember to separate the design into two parts for each side of the seam line.
When using a clipping mask make sure no group has been created inside the mask.

Pathfinders

Using pathfinders can cause an invisible outline which affects the pattern if not removed and will lead to errors when uploading.
Using pathfinders will automatically group objects. After using the pathfinder, make sure to ungroup the objects and use the compound path method.

Note:
- When using a pathfinder to crop a specific design, sometimes it will leave an invisible outline. To identify this, simply ungroup the cropped design, locate the outline in the layer and delete it.
- Brikl creates 3D models using sewing lines. If you create a design based on cutting lines, make sure the calculation includes the gap between both lines (e.g., when the design has a zipper on the front panel). This process will ensure connected designs on different pieces of pattern with no gaps between them.
- Do not group elements within a layer. Grouping elements for logos or any other shapes will make the file unreadable in Brikl’s software.
Instead of grouping, create a Compound Path to reduce the number of elements.
- Select the objects you want to group and right click on them.
- Then choose 'Make Compound Path'
- Compound paths can only merge paths with the same color. You can undo a compound path by right clicking the path and then releasing the compound path.

Non-customizable VIEWZONE layer

A VIEWZONE layer contains parts of the design that cannot be customized - an example would be an embedded image, logos or artwork and there can be multiple view layers.

Images in the view layer can be either PNG or SVG, but remember:

PNGs are faster to load but you will not be able to use it in your print-ready file.
SVGs may take more time to load but you will be able to export a print-ready file.

Make sure to write the view name in uppercase and check the spelling.
‍Embed images into your design template otherwise your image will not be added to your SVG export.
When using a pathfinder to crop a specific design, sometimes it will leave an invisible outline. To identify this, simply ungroup the cropped design, locate the outline in the layer and delete it.
An invisible outline can affect the pattern if not removed and will lead to errors when uploading.
Using a pathfinder will automatically group the objects. After using the pathfinder, make sure to ungroup the objects and use the compound path method.

How to embed an image

Select the image you want to embed
Navigate to the top navigation > Embed
Then hover over to Object menu on the top navigation bar of Illustrator, and select the rasterize option
Check the transparent option for the background, then click ok.

IMPORTANT:

Only place elements that are non-customizable in the VIEWZONE layer.
The layer name must be VIEWZONE. There is no VIEWZONE-1 or VIEWZONE-2 like the COLORZONE

Step 5 - Save the finished design as an SVG

After you have created your design, the next process is to save it as an SVG.

Go to File > Save As.

Then go to save as type and choose SVG (*.SVG).
Select the Use Artboards > Save.

SVG options will pop up. Go to image location and choose ‘Preserve’.

Select “Preserve Illustrator Editing Capabilities”, then click ok.

Always select ‘Use Artboards’ to keep the artboard size consistent. This will prevent the disconnection of patterns.

Step 6 - Upload the design to Brikl

You are now ready to upload the SVG design.

Navigate to the Design Studio - there are two entry points:
- Dashboard > Catalog > (select product) > Design Studio > Studio settings > Design
- Dashboard > Design > Design Studio > (select product) > Studio settings > Design

Create a new design by clicking ‘Add New’.

Open the newly create template.

Drag and drop your design file
Drag and drop your design file into the design upload box or click upload.

There are three different design boxes.
- Regular design:
  - Upload an optimized design or design that is not too heavy (less than 2MB).
  - Upload the design based on the largest size. Make sure it covers all smaller sizes. If needed, add a bleed line. When you download the print file in the Design Studio (Dashboard) later on, it will be based on the largest size. You can superimpose smaller sizes and use a clipping mask to get the desired print by size.

- Sizing design template: If your design has more than one size, upload all of them here.
  - Upload a design for each individual size. When customers change colors of the 3D model, Brikl will automatically update colors across all the sizes pre-loaded on the product. When you download the print file in the Design Studio (Dashboard) later on, you can choose the size you need.

- Original design template: If your design has complex elements or if your file is bigger than 10MB, upload your design here.

Important:

At least one design must be uploaded in the Design Studio or else the 3D object will not appear.
When you upload a design, and the color zones do not appear, there's an issue with the design you created in Illustrator. Check out these common mistakes (and avoid them) when creating your design templates.
When you upload the design, Brikl will try match the colors in the design (.svg) and the color library. If there's no match, there will be a pop-up as a warning message that a new color needs to be created. This process ensures there are missing colors when exporting the files.

Note that the matching is done based on HEX codes.

Add a name and sort number for your template

Upload a preview image
- The preview image is the thumbnail that will appear in the Design Studio. Go to Dashboard > Design Studio > Studio Settings > Design > (Upload preview image).
- Read more in this article how to create a 3D image that you can use as a preview thumbnail.

Step 7 - Name the zones

You can name each of the zones.

If you don’t name the zones, the names of the color zone layers will be the default names (e.g. COLORZONE-1) that you created in your Illustrator file.

Step 8 - Assigning color palettes

Assign a color palette to each COLORZONE of your design. Read more in this article.

Step 9 - Refresh your page

Once done, refresh your page and preview your design.