9 replies to this topic

[RobJM]

I was asked how to make an element in Inkscape, one that I had done in Illustrator.
I don't really use Inkscape so bare with me, the element in question was this one [or similar at least].
Just a border with a transparent window.


Open Inkscape and go to File/Document Properties and in the Properties window set the size of your document, I chose 70*70 for this element.



Next go to View/Zoom/Page to fill the window with your document, also go to Object/Fill and Stroke, to bring up that settings box.

Now select the square shape tool, in the fill and stroke settings under stroke style, change the width to zero,if it isn't already [inkscape seems to save and use your previous settings,so these may all be different on your PC].
Draw your shape by clicking and dragging to the size required, if you want rounded edges, there are two boxes labelled Rx & Ry ,you can input two of the same numbers in here to give an even curve, there is also round slider options on the top right corner of your shape, you can move these to set the curve as well.
Set the colour of your shape[this will be the border colour] with the colour slider along the bottom or in the fill tab in the fill and stroke settings box.I set it to black.
 05square_copy.gif   131.13K   34 downloads

Once your happy with the size and shape make sure it is selected [go to edit/select all]
then go to Edit/Copy then Edit/Paste in Place, this pastes a copy on top of your existing shape, change the colour of it to something different,any it doesn't matter so long as it's not the same, I chose red.


Next go to Object/Transform


A Transform box will come up next to where the Fill and Stroke box is, I changed these settings to width and height 90% ,under the Scale Tab,and pressed apply, you should now have the screen below.
 08scale.gif   79.48K   15 downloads
Could be used here as a simple highlight, there are also gradient settings etc in the Fill options.

Now to make the centre transparent.
Go to Edit/Select All then Path/Combine.


This will remove the red inner square and also the same shape from the black square underneath.
You should now be left with this..

That centre is transparent, so you could use that as it is if you wanted just a 'frame effect'

To give it a transparent colour, select the fill tool and click in the centre of your square, it should fill with your last chosen colour, you can change this using the same method as before.
Now when I did this there was a slight gap between the 'frame' and the fill, just simply drag the edges over at each side until it covers, don't worry about it overlapping your border, just go to Object/Lower to Bottom, to send that layer behind your border.
To make it transparent, go back over to your Fill and Stroke settings, and, with just your centre layer selected, you can change the opacity by using the slider.
 12fill_copy.gif   136.9K   22 downloads

Of course you can use the same method for any element, just change the sizes, and also the colours can be changed in carbide so you can reuse them in different themes with different colours.

Attached Files

•  02documentsize.gif   31.66K   3 downloads
•  01newdocument.gif   21.55K   3 downloads
•  13screenshot.gif   52.41K   2 downloads
•  07transform.gif   35.28K   3 downloads
•  11combineresult.gif   37.82K   4 downloads
•  06copypaste.gif   19.58K   4 downloads
•  10combine.gif   15.92K   4 downloads
•  09selectall.gif   25.15K   3 downloads

[elegantmavi]

Thank you so much Rob
I wil try making highlights with the help of this tutorial
If i get any difficulty wil drop in again to eat ur head
Again many many thanks for the tutorial

[RobJM]

elegantmavi, on Jun 30 2009, 07:48 PM, said:

Thank you so much Rob
I wil try making highlights with the help of this tutorial
If i get any difficulty wil drop in again to eat ur head
Again many many thanks for the tutorial

Well, that's something that must mean something else where you are :teehee:

[elegantmavi]

RobJM, on Jun 30 2009, 07:52 PM, said:

Well, that's something that must mean something else where you are :teehee:

[IMSAGI]

thank you

[sagar12345]

ohh thanks rob

[Nadia24]

i will try , thanks for help dear rob:wub:

[azqial93]

please help, i'm a newbie

why not choice the single element on a grid highlight and list highlight?
but every i found a theme, thats the nine element?
What a difference?

Sorry, my english, ist so bad.


tq

Edited by azqial93, 16 April 2012 - 03:16 AM.

[RobJM]

Nine parts can be used for different sizes and shapes (squares or rectangles) without getting distorted.

It uses the 4 corners as fixed shapes, then stretches the 4 sides and centre to fit.

You can use single if you want, but if the same file is used somewhere else in the theme, and it's a different size, it may get distorted.

Would not be needed if Carbide didn't share some elements and all could be individually made.

[azqial93]

ow. Yeah, i understand it!
thanks rob.