Hi there

I'm terrible sorry to ask silly rookie questions. This is the very first time ever that I use a vector tool, so... I'm a bit at a loss here.

I am working on a coat of arms in Inkscape. I have the shape of the crest as an svg, so that's no issue.
Now I need to divide that device by drawing a horizontal line, 1/4 from the top.

The question is:
How do I draw a horizontal line from a very specific point to an other very specific point. This line should really cut the shape in two, so I can use different colours in the top and the bottom part of the shape.

Thanks for helping!

I wanted to use the search function first, but I have no clue whatsoever what words I should use in order to find an answer, neither did I manage to find this in the manual.

There are a few different ways to do this, but I'll just cover 1. If this will be the only time you plan on using Inkscape, I won't explain the hows and whys. I'll just give steps. But if you plan to learn how to use Inskcape, for additional future projects, you'll want to learn how and why things happen, so you can make your own decisions.

Draw a straight, horizontal line:

-- Enable the Pen/Bezier tool
-- Click once on the canvas
-- Press the Ctrl key and hold it down while you
-- Move the mouse over to the place where you want the line to end
-- Double-click to end the line

Switch back to the Selection tool. Now you can move the line anywhere on the canvas. (Try it!)

Now to figure out the exact vertical center of the shield, you can either do some simple math, or you can use a little trick.

Find the Snap control bar, which is along the right side of the window, but sometimes it's across the top, near the control bar and command bar. Set it up like in the attached screenshot. Now you can drag your horizontal line towards the middle of the shield, and when it gets close enough, it will jump away from your mouse, and the center of the line will become precisely aligned to the center of the shield.

I assume your next step will be adding color to each half of the shield? If so, do you want the line to actually appear? Or do you want it only to show where the colors change?

Thanks for the answer! I am planning to learn the programme better! But this one single function is something I really needed done quickly!

I tried to add the line, that worked.
Trying to change the colour now. I'll tell you how well it worked... or not.

Okay, the line is there, I changed the colour of the line so it's invisible, but I cannot select and change one part of the cut field only.

To give a more precise answer to your inquiries:

I assume your next step will be adding color to each half of the shield?

That would be correct!

If so, do you want the line to actually appear?

No, there is not supposed to be a visible line.

Or do you want it only to show where the colors change?

That is what it is supposed to be, nothing but a division of the two fields.

Ok, the next thing I need to know is about the shield. Well actually, I just assumed it was a shied kind of shape. But what you actually said was "crest".

Anyway, you said the crest is already an SVG. But I need more info. When you click on it (with Selection tool), look at the status bar and tell me what it says.

Edit
The status bar is at the bottom of the window, and the middle part if it gives you the info that I need.

Okay, thanks a lot! I figured it out!!!

And yes, it is a shield shape, a coat of arms, a crest, a device or however you want to call it.

I selected both the horizontal line and the field of the device, then I did "paths" - "divide" and with the "fill" tool, I could fill the "chief" with the colour I needed!

Here it is!

Thanks for the aid, good people!

Good news! Nice work!

Thanks