Trying to design this shape

[kamilicrafts]

Can anyone help me with this? I am trying to get this shape card where only part of the image cuts out completely and am completely stuck! Any help or advice would be very much appreciated, thank you.

[dragonlord666]

I did that once in inkscape - for the life of me can't remember what I did.
I do remember it was easy once I worked it out.

I shall have a think on it and post when I have it worked out again.

Gaz

[kamilicrafts]

That is so kind, thank you appreciate it

[Rosie0530]

This is a very pretty idea. Thanks for the inspiration.

[dragonlord666]

OK I have re-done this - it's not a quick process

all I need do now is remember what I did and write it up (it will be long, I warn you all now )

Gaz

[kamilicrafts]

Wow! Thank you, look forward to it (I think! LOL!)

[dragonlord666]

OK, here goes......... hope it makes sense.

I use inkscape for this. it might be possible in scal but I've not done it (I design in inkscape and use scale to cut)

you need two shapes, your card base (CB) and your lace topper (LT)

the card base can be a rectangle or square with a centre line (fold) or two welded rounded rectangles or squares - I shall just refer to this as card base or CB

the lace topper is the design that you will cut from the card base. I shall call this (surprise!!) lace topper or LT

place the LT on your CB where you want it so it goes across the fold line a little.

now what we want is the part of the LT that is above the score line (on the back) of the CB needs to be cut but the problem is, the bottom part (on the card front) needs to be cut but in a different way. the top part is an outline the bottom part we need the "holes" cut out.

so first off, we need to split the LT into two bits. the top bit (above the fold) and the bottom bit (below the fold) I find the easiest way is to draw a straight line across the LT where I need/want to split and select both the line & LT and then go

Path>Cut Path

now you have a top bit (above the score line) and bottom bit (below the score line)

if you find your LT disappeared, look at the screen and you should see the topper is outlined in lots of dashed lines - just select a stroke colour and it should appear - if it still does not try raising it (or lowering the CB) as it may be it's below the card

SAVE YOU WORK!!!!! (if anything goes wrong, you can at least come back to this part and start over again)

so now, carefully as you don't want to move anything click the bottom part outside edge and hit delete. keep an eye on what does disappear as it's easy to select something you want. if you get it wrong, undo is your friend

now, select a "hole" and your CB and then go

path>exclusion

this will remove the "hole" from the card

repeat this with each "hole" select it and the CB and go path>exclusion

once done, select everything and go

object>group

this is make sure that the outer top part that you want cut is not moved by accident

That should give you the card base you require. when you fold along the fold line the bit cut from the back of the card should pop up and make the card as in the pic (but with your choice of topper of course)

hope this helps.

Gaz

[kamilicrafts]

Thank you both very much. I don't use Inkscape but might investigate! I know how to use the path tools union etc but have never looked into the node tools to split path, will look on You Tube!! Off to learn, love to learn how to do new things

[kamilicrafts]

I have tried doing this in scal - first question do I have to create my own shape or can I use an svg lace shape? Then when I place it on the CB how do I drag a box around it as it won't let me it just selects the CB as well? If I select what I can it says the path cannot be split?

[gj1]

For Scal 3

First you must select all of the lace topper(any lace topper) and go to Object and Break apart, then click on the nodes tool under the arrow cursor and then drag a box to highlight and turn 2 nodes blue and then do the Path Split Path.

Sometimes there are so many nodes in a image, that previous to Break apart you might want to do and Path Simplify, which take down the number of nodes in the image.