I haven't done a ton of work in vector drawing programs - and less so in Inkscape - so I apologize if this is a no brainer or something that has already been discussed etc. I did a search and haven't yet found what I am looking for.

I have heard of plenty of tools for using speed to determine line thickness etc. - but how do we achieve variable line widths with a bezier tool?

I don't know if this exists, but it would seem that a powerful way to do this would be to be able to select a node and change the line thickness there - and the line would fade from there to the thickness it is at at the next node (and the ability to 'bypass' nodes so that they don't affect the line's transition). Not sure my explanation makes sense but yeah


Thank you very much in advance!!

It can't be done with Bezier tool, but it has been requested before: Per-node interpolated line width

baiguai wrote:I don't know if this exists, but it would seem that a powerful way to do this would be to be able to select a node and change the line thickness there - and the line would fade from there to the thickness it is at at the next node (and the ability to 'bypass' nodes so that they don't affect the line's transition). Not sure my explanation makes sense but yeah

The launchpad site prkos has linked to seems to be down at the moment so I can't verify the information on it. But this sort of thing has been requested multiple time and in general the answer is that the nature of "stroke" on a path is that it's a fixed width - it's a fact that cannot be changed. If you want a variable width stroke then you don't really want to work with a path/stroke combination rather you use object/fill.

But I think the way you described how such a feature could work is interesting. To picture such a path with it's segments and nodes it would be very much like a fish skeleton where the path is it's spine and the line thickness it's ribs. If you move the spine the ribs would twist with it - maintaining the overall width. I think this kinda of behaviour could be programmatically possible - even though at it's core in the SVG code it would still be just an object with it's edges defined using paths and a fill.

What do others think? Would this be a valid feature request?

Oh! I'm glad to hear that it *might* be a viable possibility - it would certainly be a powerful tool. One I personally haven't encountered before in vector apps.

theres a plan in the works to have a live path effect that would have the control path be the centerline of a variable width path.
That would let you do this.

It probably won't allow the type of control you're looking for, but you can probably vary the line width to some degree by following the "swirls" tutorial here: http://mrtentacleguy.deviantart.com/art/Creating-Swirls-in-Inkscape-54969362. When I get a chance I'll try it out and post the results to see if it's what you're after. (I'm at work now, so no inkscape.)

Thanks alot!! I'll probably be playing around in Inkscape some tonight, I'll have to check that link out!!

Here's one application of the "swirl" technique to achieve variation in line thickness. Probably not exactly what you had in mind, but I kind of like the sketchiness of the result.

oh! that effect is very interesting - i may be able use it here and there to give the feel of 'drawing' and flowing etc. I'll give it a try.

So I assume that this quite awesome and useful feature suggestion will be that one eternal backburner, right? Because I really would love to see it, this is the only thing that makes Illustrator more appealing than Inkscape.

SVG currently only allows the stroke to have a fixed width. SVG2 is being specced at the moment, and variable stroke width has been accepted as a requirement: http://www.w3.org/Graphics/SVG/WG/wiki/ ... roke_width

That doesn't mean it will magically appear in Inkscape any time soon, but it probably makes it more likely that it will appear at some point. I doubt there will be any serious work done on it until the spec settles down (and possibly not for a while after that), so don't hold your breath: the last I heard they were talking about a 2 year timescale for finishing the SVG2 spec.

Yes this would be a great feature for inkscape, adobe illustartor has it, so it shows at least that it can be done.
So another yes here for this feature!

If you look at the "rope" tutorial here:
http://inkscapetutorials.org/2014/10/20 ... any-shape/
you'll see that there's a way to draw a wedge shape and use it as a path effect on a "spline path".
(by selecting "Single" under pattern copies)

I don't know if this is a clunkier solution than you were hoping for but:
I'd say that this is your solution.