Hello!

Brand new to this forum and about two weeks under my belt with Inkscape but I LOVE it! Thank you to it's developers for making this wonderful tool free for all!

I'm mainly using Inkscape to create transparent files text files to upload to a drop ship t-shirt shop.

Today I decided to try to make some Mickey Mouse Ears and when I click on the ellipse took and left drag the shape - there are dotted lines indicating there's a shape there, but I can't see it, I can see the handles. I believe the default for ellipses is red so this led me to believe I have a setting somewhere making it white or transparent. I used SHIFT+CTRL+F to view my fill and stroke settings they are not X. If I understand correctly Inkscape has memory and will use previous settings even in a new document so this is why I think it's a settings issue that I created inadvertently.

I watched a tutorial video and a red ellipse just pops up when he uses the tool. I searched FAQ's and the manual and went back to the tutorials in Inkscape for Basics and Shapes.

I can't figure it out.

I tried using a different shape tool (rectangle) and got the same results. I can tell the shape tool is selected because the cursor has a blue rectangle. (Red circle for ellipses)

But all I see is two white square handles and a circle handle - they change color and I can manipulate them when I click on them - but I cannot see my shape.

Your help is immensely appreciated in advance.

Do you by any case have more than one layer, where active one is set invisible?

Regarding the fill and stroke...
Although you have colors set for each or both, you should check the Alpha channel as well. You`ll find it at the bottom, below other sliders.

Other than that... could you upload the file?

Sounds your ellipse tool has zero line width. Make a double click on that tool to check its properties.

Cheers
P.

If you could snap a full screen shot when one of these objects that are invisible is selected, including everything in the inkscape window - don't crop - it might be helpful.

Even when the fill is not 'X' the alpha setting might be zero or fully transparent. This would show as a checkerboard in various locations.

Or read this full featured tutorial to find the solution by yourself: http://forum.inkscapecommunity.com/inde ... article=18

http://www.rd.com/advice/stuck-on-a-desert-island-with-the-best-books-ever/

to some, this would be useful as well ,)

Thank you to everyone who took the time to reply!

Moini's link gave me the answers I needed! I wonder why I couldn't find it when I was searching previously. But I'm grateful you shared! My transparency and opacity were not correct.

Thank you ever so much!

I'm glad you got it straightened out. Sorry the posts above that mentioned checking transparency and alpha were not clear enough!

oh they definitely were - I just read them all at once and followed the link the last poster had supplied. I appreciate your help!