Vinyl Decal Dog Ear Outline

Aspen Vinyl Decal

Created a single-color vinyl decal in Adobe Illustrator as a personal tribute to my dog, Aspen, who passed away in November 2024. Although I only had eight months with her, that time had a lasting impact on both of our lives. I wanted to create something that captured her personality and celebrated one of the features I loved most about her—her unique ears.

I began by using the Curvature Tool to outline Aspen’s face from a photograph. After refining the paths and adjusting the stroke thickness, I experimented with several design elements, including her name, stars, flowers, and leaf shapes inspired by her name. While these ideas created meaningful connections to Aspen, I also had to consider how the design would translate into a physical vinyl decal.

During the production process, I realized that my original design was too thin and detailed to work well with a Cricut. Rather than compromising the design I liked, I simplified it by focusing on Aspen’s most recognizable feature—her ears. I combined the original ear outline with her name and stars to create a cleaner, more functional final design.

What I Learned

This project taught me how important it is to consider the final production method when designing for a physical product. Working with a Cricut for the first time showed me that decals benefit from thicker outlines, clearly defined shapes, and designs that are easy to weed. I also learned that simplifying a design can make it more effective without taking away from its personal meaning.

I was especially happy with the final result because the simplified design felt more like Aspen while also being much more practical to produce. The experience helped me understand how design decisions need to balance creativity, emotion, and functionality.