Dingbat into Inkscape

[dmarschall]

I have basketball player dingbats that are on the font 4YEOSPORT. When I cut them out on SCAL it slices the basketballs into little pieces along with the hands. Plus on one of them a chunk is cut from the thigh. I can't get this to show up in Inkscape. I know Ink. doesn't like some fonts. Being a newbie it is hard to know if that is the problem or if I am doing something wrong. If the number at the start of the ding is the problem can you rename a font and leave the number out to make it compatable. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. Deedee

[hbennett]

I just downloaded the font you are referring to and exported the images to vector files. I do see the one you are talking about. There is a chunk missing from the leg. Since you know a little inkscape, I've attached the 4 basketball images that are included in that TTF. You may be able to work with them in inkscape to improve them. The one you are referring to exported as 4yeosport99.

[hbennett]

One more - if you're interested.

[dmarschall]

Thank you for creating the downloads for me. Is there someplace I can go to learn how to do that in case I need to do it for myself? When you said I know a little Inkscape...It is VERY little. I have the BB image with the chunck out of the leg on my ink. Now I need to work with the nodes to recreate the lines on the leg and fix the problem with the hands and the ball. I don't know where to begin, and can't find the right tutorial. I have read threw so many, but it isn't making sense. If you can't help or don't have the time, I understand. Thanks for what you have provided. I will keep plugging away.
Deedee

[hbennett]

There is a program called Font Lab that allows you to export all the dings in a font to EPS files and then you can save as SVG. You can also do something similar in Adobe Illustrator and Inkscape, but it is a little more involved and time consuming. I never could master Inkscape, so I am not much help there. I use Illustrator.

I think this should help you (attached). I took the ball out of his hands, so you can cut in another color.

If this is not good enough, PM me your e-mail address and I will send you something to use.

[dmarschall]

1. How did you separate the ball and his hands?
2. How did you know which node went to which part of the design?
There are so many node that I don't know if I am removing one that isn't needed or if it is part of the design that must be present, but I don't realize it until several node removals later?
3. I remember reading that you could simplify the number of nodes on a design but I can't seem to find that. How do you know if you have removed too many nodes?
Thanks, Dd

[hbennett]

I used illustrator, so moving the ball was easy. I dunno about Inkscape... too tricky for me. In illustrator you just right click the image and select remove compound path and viola - all of your issues were gone. Move the guy slightly over and delete all of the trash you didn't want included in the image. It's really easy - no tricky stuff here.

In Inkscape you can simplify nodes by selecting your item and using control+L. I don't think there were too many nodes on that, though.

[dmarschall]

Thank you for the information, again. I guess it probably would be the smartest move to just get Illustrator. If it will save me time it is worth the money. Time is in short supply for me at least for another year. Maybe if I ask for it for Christmas???
Thanks dd