Ok, so I've been trying to separate out the various tools and utensils (staplers, exacto knives, and anything else falling from the skirt) depicted in my file from the girl so that I can color them differently.

Pictured here:


Now, suppose I use this rectangle path:


to perform a division in a crude attempt to partially separate the scissors from the stapler (and the stapler from itself, but this is just an example).

This happens:


In my actual work I was using a line to cut the shapes and it produced the same effect. I have no idea what is going on here (these paths were generated automatically from a picture, and have already caused me significant pain), but I imagine it has to do with some sort of geometry issue. I'm sure fixing geometry issues is laborious, so any alternative explanation would be MOST welcome.

In any case, if a quick fix is in any way possible, I would love to hear it. I would also love to hear of any entirely separate method available to me to split off the staplers and other miscellaneous office supplies. I lack experience in inkscape and have only an introductory class' worth of knowledge of illustrator from a few years ago and am only using inkscape as a necessity, so advanced processes will have to be dumbed down a little for me.

Thanks for the help!
(SVG attached)

I'd make color filled paths and put them behind the line art.

(Fast and sloppy example)

In the long run it's easier to separate the object by doing break apart and then combining each object into its own path you will have to work in outline mode at first and use the alternative selection tool, but you will find it goes very fast

Thanks for the reply.

Unfortunately, I'm looking to color only the lines and am mostly not going to be filling anything in, so this will not solve my problem. I suppose I should have clarified that.

druban wrote:In the long run it's easier to separate the object by doing break apart and then combining each object into its own path you will have to work in outline mode at first and use the alternative selection tool, but you will find it goes very fast

This is more what I was looking for than tylerdurden's(nice, lol) response, but, being a novice, I'm having a bit of a hard time following the steps. How do I use break apart to accomplish what I am trying to do when (as far as I know) break apart only splits up parts of objects that are not connected to each other. Does the alternative selection tool make it possible to break apart a single, connected piece? Thanks!

I think I'd use Path > Difference and Path > Intersection (and do one with the drawing, and one with a copy of the drawing).

But you can also do your division, then combine the parts that make up your stapler to one path again, and move that out of the way. Then combine the rest back to what it should be.

Note that the drawing consists of more paths - make sure you don't combine those again, e.g. by putting them on a separate locked layer.