This background looks like it is scanlines, but upon closer observation I see that it is not. How do you create this kind of effect in inkscape?

It's a simple dot pattern. Inkscape (or any other vector drawing app) is the wrong tool for the job.

Why would a vector tool be wrong for this?

Just make a big rectangle with a vertical gradient and a very small x-looking object then tile it using Tiled Clones (simple translation and 20% shift for example).

You can also make a pattern using just one x and use it as a pattern fill.

>Why would a vector tool be wrong for this?

Because it's more work and the characteristics of vector graphics only get in your way.

Seriously. It's the wrong tool for this.

aho wrote:Seriously. It's the wrong tool for this.

Depends on how he wants to use it. Certainly as a webpage background it's not worth the effort. But if he's using the effect in a vector drawing then it's most appropriate. If he is using it in a vector then he'll need to be careful about placement to ensure it aligns with the pixel grid.

Well I know this particular background could be done using the Gimp with no problem. I had just thought I could do something such as this with inkscape. Since I have been learning to use inkscape I find it so much easier to do things with it that I thought this was just another one of those things it had the capabilities to do.

Since it is a dot pattern where the dots change in color from blue to a darker blue it requires making two sets of patterns. The problem that I am having is:
1. Create a 1px square
2. Create clone of 1px square with p1: simple translation (300 row 300 colums) shift 100% per column and row
3. Watch inskcape crash (stable and development version). Fatal Error Too many heap exceptions in gc

So I figured I was doing this wrong. And thought maybe somone could points out what I was doing wrong.

Are you sure that you're seeing it right? To me it looks like the background changes color from dark to lighter blue, but the points stay the same.

Ill play with it later when I catch some time, but I tried something similar yesterday and it didn't crash, though I didn't use that many clones, try 30 for example. Even less is enough to make a pattern and use it as a pattern fill, I think pattern is a better choice when you need so many repetitions.

>(300 row 300 colums)

=90000 clones

While clones are rather lightweight from the file size PoV, they are slower to render than usual geometry <edit>(it's a very small difference, which usually doesn't matter - the exception are devices with very limited capabilities such as cellphones or PDAs)</edit>. In this extreme simple case they aren't lightweight at all, however.

Pattern work better for this.

http://kaioa.com/svg/pdotpattern.svgz (Note: FF2 cannot render patterns)

In the top/left (outside of the document) you can see the two groups, I used for the pattern.

The first looks like:

And the second looks like:

Where 'X' is a dark blue 1px rect and 'O' stuff is padded with a transparent rect.

Are you sure that you're seeing it right? To me it looks like the background changes color from dark to lighter blue, but the points stay the same

It initally appears that way but the points consist of 020d24, 020c23, 030e25. I will give your pattern a try. Because the clone idea really did not work out to well.

To get this pattern I take that you create a blue square and then a transparent square, but how did you get so many of them?

capnhud wrote:but how did you get so many of them?

As aho suggests, use pattern fill.

Make a group of objects, group and then convert to pattern and the pattern [b]will[/b ]fill the object. Ok I got it

Ok I tried a variation of this background pattern with this, but the pattern does not repeat itself like it should. The rectangles are supposed to interlock, but when I apply the pattern nothing shows up. Did I do something wrong?

capnhud wrote:The rectangles are supposed to interlock, but when I apply the pattern nothing shows up. Did I do something wrong?

The pattern you created won't interlock because that would require the object to overlap itself - which won't happen. You need to change your pattern to take this into account.

As to why the pattern doesn't appear at all - I have no idea. I selected the small group of red objects, made it a pattern, selected the black box and set the pattern fill and it displayed fine. You can download the SVG of what I did here - http://www.mediafire.com/?4go1kjbkd1t

Let me take a stab at this. Check out the below link that I made.

http://misc.heathenx.org/bg1.html"http://misc.heathenx.org/bg1.png" class="postlink">http://misc.heathenx.org/bg1.png

The pattern you created won't interlock because that would require the object to overlap itself - which won't happen. You need to change your pattern to take this into account.

I see now. Ok I think this does the trick. But the problem that I am having now is that the pattern dialog indicates that I can manipulate the pattern with the node tool, but that does not seem to cause any changes.

@heathenx I did as you suggest and indeed can see what is going on with that pattern. As aho pointed out really it is just a color pixel with a transparent pixel beside it. I figured out how to do that with the help of both of you. Thanks you very much for you guys help.

I was trying to accomplish a weave effect using the same principles as the new england patriots background. I just cannot seem to manipulate weave pattern now or rather make it more tileable.

Strangely, I can view that file fine in my web browser but when I open it in Inkscape the pattern doesn't display at all Have you using a development build of Inkscape for this file?

"
Have you using a development build of Inkscape for this file?

Why yes is that the reason i see the problems that I am having?

capnhud wrote:

"
Have you using a development build of Inkscape for this file?

Why yes is that the reason i see the problems that I am having?

No, that's just why I couldn't see the pattern Obviously pattern handling has changed in new versions of Inkscape.

Anyway, here's a screenshot illustrating pattern specific handles you get with . I delete a couple of your boxes to make it easier to see what I'm working with:


See the cross, circle and square on the right? They control the pattern. Moving the cross changes the pattern position, the circle rotates the pattern and the square scales the pattern. And I can confirm that these controls work in the Dec 12 win32 build.

"See the cross, circle and square on the right? They control the pattern.

I thought those were just the select tool going haywire, but I see use those to manipulate the pattern itself. Thanks micro and everyone for helping with understanding patterns.