I have just posted one question about colouring images, and hope it's okay to post another one right away. Again, this is a problem I've been trying to figure out for a while now, and I've tried solving it, but just can't seem to work it out.

The design is for things similar to the one I described in the last question, so if you read all that you could just skim through this. I've got several separate images that I want to make several copies of to combine into one image. The aim is an overall design that will be repeated on a fabric, so each image stays separate, but sometimes I want some overlap (like having a few different flowers that repeat on a fabric design).

When I try and lay them out on one design, there is often a dark part in an image where the invisible edge of another image overlaps. Does that make sense? So each image has the rectangle that holds it in, and sometimes (but not always) where this rectangle overlaps the visible part of another image it darkens it.

So I have tried ...

*Putting each image into a separate layer and using multiply to make sure all images could be seen to start with, then making copies of the whole lot and moving them around. I still get the dark bit in some cases.

*Moving images back or forward - eg to push the one that is casing the darkness back behind the other. It doesn't seem to make any difference.

*Using a different program to make most of the surrounding area of the image clear - figuring that the images would then have very little invisible space around them. Of course, this doesn't work, as when I open the image again in inkscape there is a new rectangle which is what holds the image.

*I've added the images by using Import from the file menu after creating a new layer (and I've tried without creating the new layer) or copy and paste from another window.

Nothing I've tried as worked to stop the darkness completely. It only seems to happen sometimes too - not with all the images. At this stage, the only way I can find around it is to move the individual images further apart, but that isn't always the effect that I want. I'm sure this must be just something very simple. Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong?

BTW, I've spent hours going through all the tips, tutorials and the other help answers people have given here on other issues, and have learnt so much. Thank you.

I think I understand your problem, but I'm not sure. Are you positive that all your backgrounds are transparent?

If you have ever used the paint bucket on a background, and later made it transparent (or for some reason used the paint bucket to make it transparent), you may have made only the paint bucketed area transparent, rather than the entire background. (The paint bucket doesn't always fill an area absolutely completely, and often leaves a thin, fine strip of uncolored area.)

Other than that, I'm thinking we might want to examine the SVG file. Because there is so much going on (it sounds like a complex image) it may be hard to isolate each instance of the problem and troubleshoot it. But that's up to you. I can understand if you don't want you image on the internet Plus, maybe someone else will reply with the correct solution.

Hi brynn

Thanks for your thoughts. I posted a different question at a similar time to posting this one and have now had this problem pop up with the image I was playing with when trying to figure out that issue, so I've posted a file there.

In that case, I've just got very simple images - they're paper cut outs that have been scanned into the computer, changed using trace bitmap, and then I've altered the colour and transparency. I've started with three images that have been treated this way in separate files. Then I've started with one of the images, added a layer, and imported another of the images, and I've done this a second time so that there are now three images. I've used multiply for the new layers. I haven't done anything to colour or otherwise the background (but that is a whole different issue I've been trying to work out!).

In the final image I want to have quite a few of each of the images, but for now, I've stopped as there is a lot of overlap "shadow".

Is there a way to make the area surrounding an image completely transparent? Is there something else to do to stop the overlaps showing?

Fiona

As for this other problem, lol. ^^

Hmmm.... seems the Layer Multiply feature is buggie, because if I switch it off I'm gravy. But then again the difference is notable so I wouldn't want to deprive you of using Multiply. ^__~

Well, if you notice the boxes are encircling the area of the image, so if you do want them I suggest "expanding" the size of the images so that the "shadow"is expanding to cover the entire visible area you need affected. Think of it as "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em". ^__~

Attached is my proposal, let me know if you like. The outer "rings" won't appear in the print-out, and were joined to the individual flowers using a Union operation.

It's hardly a sophisticated solution, but time is money so its best to stamp out oddities with fast solutions. ^^b

Hey c-quel, I like that solution. Thanks. Simple.

Only, I have had trouble working out how to do simple things like expand the size of the image. I'm sure it is just something super easy that I missed in some tutorial somewhere, but would you mind giving me some guidelines here please?

fufu, glad to hear. ^___^b
I have a very unforgiving schedule, so for better or for worse I've had to learn to draw fast. At the cost of quality sometimes, but depending on how well I improvise it may not be always noticeable. ^^'

It can't really be helped if some of the tutorials over look stuff like that. Us long time users tend to take things for granted, so we forget how it is to look at Inkscape from the eyes of a novice. Or in my case, i already came from an 'assembly" discipline (3D graphics), so I was pretty much able to ease into Inkscape with relative ease, whereas someone accustomed to traditional drawing would stumble upon features that work differently than in GIMP/Photoshop.

In any event, expanding the image....

Do you mean the output image (when you save to a PNG), or the size of the page border?

If the former, you can go to File>Export Bitmap, and in the Bitmap Size section you can alter the Width/Height or DPI of the final image.

If the latter, go into File>Document Properties (or CTRL+SHIFT+D) and change the Custom Size section to alter the size of the page border. You will see the changes take effect in real-time, so play with the settings conservatively at first to get a feel for how this works. You can also switch to different units, such as centimeters or pixels.

Thanks.

(Actually, I've never used any computer graphics stuff at all apart from cropping and turning photos, just a pencil and paper, so it is a really steep learning curve for me.)

Wow! Then this must be pretty exciting (or scary). ^___^

Not to worry, you came to the write program. We'll takez good care of you. ^__~