Hello All. Brand new user here. I've used Photoshop for years and thought this would be easy to pick up, but the most basic things seem to be stumping me!
I am trying to do a logo for a friend. A main element is a gear from a bicycle (chain ring). I created it in Autocad, and exported it as a pdf. I even broke it into pieces so I could apply fills to the parts separately. Image 01 was created in photoshop, and is the effect I want to re-create but with true vector. Image 3 is in Inkscape, an import of a pdf, broken into parts. Image 4 is what I get when I apply fill:







I have already combined all of the individual paths in each piece to try and make one closed shape for each part before combining them. This must be a real noob question, but can anyone help?

Thanks!

If I understand your question correctly , then your answer is compound paths. Path menu > Combine. the little icon is pretty explanatory. The path on top knocks a hole in the path under it when you combine them. If there are complications there is an icon in the fill dialog that can change the rule for compounding paths. If you overlap knockout areas they flip back if you know what I mean (I sure don't ... ) You know how you say you broke it into parts? That might be a problem ... i hope you have an unbroken path to work with as well. You will need to change the z-order (that's the order in which the paths are 'stacked') of the component paths to get the desired results. Best idea would be to combine just a couple of paths at a time. good luck!

Just an addition to druban's advice. As new Inkscape user, things may look a bit overwhelming.

The problem with your fills is that you currently have open paths. There are 2 steps required to make a single object from separate paths:
1. Combine the paths (CTRL+K or Path > Combine from the menu). Now you have many subpaths, and the object cannot be filled as the path is open.
2. Join the open nodes. Use the Node Tool, select the endnodes that must be joined and join them ("join selected end-nodes" - 3rd icon on the Node Tool - Control Bar).
After this step you can fill the whole part with the desired colour.

Tho the subject is something entirely different - these steps are explained in the first minute of my flora design video tutorial.

Note that you have Path Tools available that allow you to easily knock out parts (for example: place the circle in the centre on top of your fully filled 1st shape, then select both objects and use Path > Difference (this will subtract the top object from the bottom).

And another note - if combining all the subpaths seems a bit too much work:
- Inkscape has a cool gear generation option: Extensions > Render > Gear
- You could import the shape as a bitmap (or Edit > Make a bitmap copy) and then trace your own shape (Path > Trace Bitmap).

I hope this gives you enough information to recreate your work.

Cheers,
Syllie

Syllie,

That looks like exactly what my problem is. I can't wait to get home from work and give that one a try! Thanks! I'll check out your tutorial as well!

Oops. I forgot to log in before. I guess I'm "guest" too!

One other question. To get them together I just windowed the shape and did a Control-K to combine all of those little paths. Now, when you say join the end nodes, does that mean the end node between each subpath (say after simplification I have 30 of so), or do I now have just one long path with a beginning and an end (head and tail) that needs to be joined together?

You need to close all nodes between subpaths. Based on the picture you showed, I think you have quite a bit of work there. The endnodes are indicated with diamond shaped nodes as markers.

Good luck,
Syllie

Thanks Syllie,

Based on your input, and some of my own exploration, I think I may just try to re-create this with the star tool and some booleans.

Thanks for your help!