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Vector graphics: "forking" an outline?

Started by April 20, 2013 09:45 PM
2 comments, last by sunandshadow 11 years, 8 months ago

I went to post this on this Inkscape forums since that's what I'm working in, but since I'm a new member my post has to be approved my a moderator, which will take who knows how long, so I'll try you guys here.

I have no idea how to properly explain what it is I'm trying to do (if there's a proper name for it, please tell me!). So I'll try and explain it with a picture that someone else made that illustrates what I'm trying to do:

[attachment=15132:1273713-220453-.jpg]

(I just noticed it's kind of hard to read the blue text. The top line says "And curls up 'into' the object" and the bottom line says "While also continuing the outline here")

In that picture, the outline of the paw curls up and "into" the object, while also continuing the outline of the paw. How is that kind of effect achieved in vector graphics?

[size=2][ I was ninja'd 71 times before I stopped counting a long time ago ] [ f.k.a. MikeTacular ] [ My Blog ] [ SWFer: Gaplessly looped MP3s in your Flash games ]

Quick and easy way to do that: they're actually two different segments. Since they're of the same color and one slightly overlaps the other so you don't see its hard edge, they look like a single outline; The fact they're separate allows you to make that kind of structure (forking it). Doesn't matter which one is layered on top of which anyway.

I think you can even "merge" (or combine, or whatever the operation is) the two segments later on so they become a single vector object, but you should only do that when you're sure you won't change them anymore (save separate files with each state).

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Quick and easy way to do that: they're actually two different segments. Since they're of the same color and one slightly overlaps the other so you don't see its hard edge, they look like a single outline; The fact they're separate allows you to make that kind of structure (forking it). Doesn't matter which one is layered on top of which anyway.

Hmmm... I thought of that but I thought it couldn't be that simple because that means the interior (the object fill) is now a lot more complicated than I thought... Thanks!
[size=2][ I was ninja'd 71 times before I stopped counting a long time ago ] [ f.k.a. MikeTacular ] [ My Blog ] [ SWFer: Gaplessly looped MP3s in your Flash games ]

Yep. One trick for getting the overlapping part to line up perfectly - copy, paste in place, then edit one copy to the second shape you want, while leaving the overlapping part alone. Note, you will want to remove the fill attribute from whichever is interior to the other (in the example, the line between toes).

I want to help design a "sandpark" MMO. Optional interactive story with quests and deeply characterized NPCs, plus sandbox elements like player-craftable housing and lots of other crafting. If you are starting a design of this type, please PM me. I also love pet-breeding games.

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