Free halo SVG files

An oval that reads as a circle

A halo is a circle of light seen from a little above, which makes it an oval. What makes the oval read as a ring floating in space, not a flat hoop, is that the near side is drawn wider than the far side. In the classic file the band is about 8.5 mm wide at the front and 5 mm at the back when the halo is 100 mm across. Keep that front edge towards you when you place it: turned upside down it looks as if you are seeing the ring from below.

To float a halo over a photograph, a silhouette or a name, cut it at about three quarters of the width of the head and set it a finger’s width above, tipped five to ten degrees to one side. The thin back of the band is the part to watch when weeding: on vinyl keep the halo at 40 mm wide or more, and on a laser at 60 mm or more in 3 mm wood.

Memorial and everyday uses

Halos are used most on memorial pieces: an ornament with a pet’s photograph, a card for a lost friend, a candle holder. The halo on a round frame and the round halo with rays both have an opening made for a picture. The lighter designs, the halo on horns and the broken halo, are for shirts and mugs.

How to open the files

• Cricut Design Space: choose Upload, pick the SVG, and add it to the canvas. Set the width you want; the shape is already welded.
• Silhouette Studio: Designer Edition and above open the SVG. The free Basic Edition does not, so open the DXF instead.
• LightBurn, xTool Creative Space and Glowforge: import the SVG, then set the layer to cut, score or engrave.
• Inkscape, Illustrator and Affinity: open the SVG. It is a plain filled path, so you can recolour it, add a stroke or combine it with your own work.
• Printing or sublimation: use the PNG, which has a transparent background.

Each design page lists the file’s narrowest part at seven sizes, so you can tell whether it will survive at the size you plan to cut.

Questions