EasyList

EasyList · Design preview guide

Fill vs. Cut Away: Prepare a Cut-File Preview for Material Mockups

In EasyList’s correction preview, black means material kept; white means cut-away space. Fill a white region only when it should become solid material. Leave intended holes white. These preview choices prepare a listing image; they do not edit or validate your original cutting file.

By EasyList · Published October 26, 2026

Think about the finished shape, not the line drawing

A design export can show outlines instead of solid regions. The inside of an outline may look white even though you intend it to represent wood or metal. Conversely, the center of a letter may be a real opening. Decide what each region represents before filling it.

Solid materialMaterial with an opening
Concept illustration, not an EasyList output screenshot. Filling the ring’s white center would change the intended opening into solid material in the preview.

Check and correct your preview

  1. Export a readable starting preview. Use PNG, JPG/JPEG, PDF, or a ZIP containing supported files. PDFs use the first page. Export SVG or DXF working files to a supported preview format first; keep your original files for your buyers.
  2. Compare the processed preview with your design. Identify the outer silhouette, lettering, interior openings, and thin details. Decide what remains as material and what is empty space.
  3. Fill only the intended solid regions. In the correction editor, click inside a white area to fill that connected region black. The operation follows connected pixels; it does not understand which parts belong to your product.
  4. Use Invert for a reversed design. If your intended material is white on a black background, Invert reverses the preview. Recheck every opening afterward; inversion affects the whole image.
  5. Recover mistakes before continuing. Each fill click is one Undo step. Reset restores the processed upload. If a click fills more than intended, undo it and inspect the source export for a gap or connected white areas.
  6. Generate, then review the material mockups. Check the same openings and fine details in the result. Download images only after deciding they accurately illustrate your design.

Compare against a real design example

EasyList showcase source preview of a Louisiana outline with magnolia artwork

This is the source preview used in EasyList’s existing showcase. It is a reference for comparing shapes, not a recording of the correction steps above. See the same design’s material mockups and complete listing-image workflow to compare the input with actual outputs.

Common questions

Should I fill every white area?

No. A white area may be a deliberate hole, background, or a region that should be solid. Compare it with the intended product. Filling every area can remove important negative space.

Why did the fill spread outside the area I clicked?

Connected white pixels can belong to a larger region than expected. A small opening in an outline can connect its interior to the background. Undo the fill and inspect your export rather than accepting a changed silhouette.

Does correcting the preview repair my SVG or DXF?

No. This workflow prepares listing images. It does not repair your original vector geometry, choose machine settings, or establish that a finished piece will hold together. Verify manufacturing files separately with your own equipment and process.