Fill not working after I use Bezier to outline an object

[mamabird]

I have traced an object/image with the Bezier tool to create pattern pieces.

But when I go to fill a piece (using the bucket icon) it just makes that piece's outline thicker (as if it is filling the line instead of the area inside the line).

(I was following an youtube video but when the person did this, voila, her piece worked just fine. )

[Moini]

To fill an object, the general approch is to apply a fill style to it. Select it, then click on a color in the palette, or select a fill in the dialog you find at Object > Fill and Stroke. See also https://inkscape-manuals.readthedocs.io/en/latest/index.html, or Help > Tutorials in Inkscape itself.

If this doesn't work, we may need to see a link to the youtube video and the file itself.

[brynn]

Welcome to the forum!

It's really hard to say what might be going wrong, without seeing the SVG file.  I agree with Moini that it's probably better to use a traditional vector fill, rather than use the Paint Bucket tool.  Typically the Bucket tool is good for coloring line drawings.  For any other use, and really even for that use, you usually have to some manual tweaking, to make it fit right.  But the traditional fill always fits perfectly.

I would definitly not use the Paint Bucket tool in any file that's going to be sent to a digital cutter.

What kind of pattern pieces are these?  I'm just curious

I'd also be curious to see that tutorial.  I keep a huge list of Inkscape tutorials on this site (see the Home tab).  So if it's more of a tutorial about Inkscape, than a tutorial about making pattern pieces, I'd love to add it.

[mamabird]

Thank you everyone. Will try try again.

Bynn: I'm hoping to use this and a cricut to cut out patterns for stained glass. I usually do it by hand, but I thought this would be more exacting and good for pieces I make over and over again for customers.

Link to video. I followed her steps exactly. When i got to the fill part is where every thing fell apart-- around minute 6.
 

[brynn]

Seeing the video unfortunately doesn't give me a clue about the problem you're having.  So I would need to see your SVG file.  I have a couple of guesses, so I'll mention those.  But if they don't seem to fit, we would need the SVG file.

The first thought is that you might have accidentally drawn the lines with the Pen tool in the wrong mode, or with a Shape option enabled.  Or the other thought is that the Paint Bucket tool might have been on top of a line, instead of on top of the open area between the lines, at the moment when you clicked.

The reason I said that I would not use the Paint Bucket tool for any file that's going to be used with a digital cutter, such as Cricut, is because that tool is not just putting color in the area.  It's also making a new path.  So for each shape,  you have more than one path associated with each area.  I didn't watch the whole video, so maybe the author has some other steps to prevent the machine from "seeing" the wrong path (and cutting the wrong path).

Unfortunately, the alternative would require much more work, because the alternative means that you have to make a closed shape with each black line.  I wrote a tutorial explaining how to do that, using the Node tool for editing.  It's about editing a map, but it's essentially the same thing as what you're doing.  https://forum.inkscapecommunity.com/index.php?action=articles;sa=view;article=47

However, I suppose that with stained glass, and how you cut the glass pieces, you can never attain the precision which the traditional fill technique would provide.  So the generality associated with the Paint Bucket tool is probably an insignificant problem....or not any problem at all, really.  I imagine that if your line if "off" by a pixel or 2, or maybe even a quarter of an inch, you can fill it in with....whatever goes in between the glass pieces (I'm sure it's not lead anymore).

Sigh, I've always wanted to try making stained glass as a hobby.  I think it would be loads of fun!  Unfortunately, at this point I'm fairly invested in maintaining this forum, and in participating in the Inkscape community.  I'd have to give up this, to have enough time for that.  But I really would love to do it!!

Actually, I've made loads of abstract geometric patterns, which I've created for people who like coloring (https://inkscapecommunity.com/ic_gallery/index.php?cat=8) (and also some quilt patterns).  I might have to adopt the perspective for stained glass patterns, and make some more new ones.  I haven't gotten into mandalas at all, which I'm planning at some point.  So that will be fun (whether anyone ever downloads one or not, haha!)!

[mamabird]

Here is the file.
1) Newly imported image of a easy gnome.
2) Used the Bezier tool to create at the lines.
3) Deleted the background

And then This is what happens when I tried to add color. 

What I"m trying to do is color those individual pieces so that I can then turn those lines into gaps (cut> same stroke style).

Then I can send that image over to my cricut dicutter.

The problem seems to be that I'm creating some kind of different line with my Bezier... I have no idea why or how to stop it... so that I can't fill those newly created individual pieces.

About ready to jump back to hand-drawing. Or a box of wine.

[brynn]

 box of wine 

Strangely, I don't see any problems with the file you showed.  The paths look normal.  And the Paint Bucket tool works just fine for me.

I didn't realize you were working on a DXF file.  But I don't think an SVG file would show anything different.

When you have the Paint Bucket tool enabled, do you put the mouse over a line?  That would cause the line to be colored.  If you put the mouse over the open space, then it should fill in the open space.

I don't know how it is for you, but when I open your DXF file, the object is tiny.  (10 x 20 px)  Unless you zoom in, it would be hard to position the mouse properly.  Could that be it?

For best results with that tool, you should have the space which you want to fill, zoomed to the window.  Or in other words, zoomed in so that the space you want to fill is taking up the whole window, or as close as possible.  I can't really explain why, but it works better that way.

One more thing I notice.  You seem to be making a lot of 2 node paths, instead of longer connected paths.  Could you be using the Pencil tool, instead of the Pen?  That wouldn't affect how the Paint Bucket tool works, but making longer connected paths would make a better quality file.

[mamabird]

Followed the tutorial you posted. And it worked! I wish there was an easier way than outlining everything (Like draw a circle and then draw a line in the middle to get two semi-circle shapes). But I'm happy. thank you so much for your help.

Stained Glass is super fun. You can see my simple designs at www.scrappybirdstainedglass.com

I really really appreciate the help.  Still walked over the the box of wine though.

[brynn]

I wish there was an easier way than outlining everything (Like draw a circle and then draw a line in the middle to get two semi-circle shapes).

Well, since I didn't watch the whole video, I'm not sure exactly what the purpose of outlining with the black lines is.  But the Paint Bucket tool can work without them.  It can take the color from the imported image.

I'm guessing that drawing the black outlines gives you a smoother outline.  Because if you don't use them, the Paint Bucket tool makes more jagged borders.

I'll make a quick video to show you what I mean, and maybe a different process that might work.  I'll be right back.

[brynn]

Ok, so here's how you  might be able to do it without drawing the black lines.  But it takes so much more work to make the lines smooth, you might not be saving much time, in the long run.  But just to show this idea.