Alphabet Blocks

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minky
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Alphabet Blocks

Postby minky » Thu Feb 14, 2019 4:27 am

Any tutorials around showing how to make alphabet blocks in inkscape? Anyone know how to make them?

Moini
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Re: Alphabet Blocks

Postby Moini » Thu Feb 14, 2019 8:14 am

What are alphabet blocks?
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minky
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Re: Alphabet Blocks

Postby minky » Thu Feb 14, 2019 10:38 am

Maybe there's a different name for them, the blocks toddlers play with, like this: https://pixabay.com/en/photos/alphabet%20blocks/

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Re: Alphabet Blocks

Postby Moini » Thu Feb 14, 2019 10:58 am

Do you want to draw them, or print them out and build them?
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Re: Alphabet Blocks

Postby minky » Thu Feb 14, 2019 1:03 pm

I want to know how to draw them

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druban
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Re: Alphabet Blocks

Postby druban » Thu Feb 14, 2019 1:48 pm

fairly easy or pretty difficult depending on how badly you want the corners of the cube to be rounded. In a nutshell, use the box tool to draw the cubes, then use the perspective extension (or the path effect if you are feeling brave!) to map the letter design to each visible face.
rect2259.png
rect2259.png (66.65 KiB) Viewed 2840 times
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Lazur
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Re: Alphabet Blocks

Postby Lazur » Thu Feb 14, 2019 5:34 pm

If only the box tool could have a "cubify" button to lock to the proportions of a cube.

Here are some cubes drawn with the box tool. Even though it probably won't help much with random position of the blocks.

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brynn
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Re: Alphabet Blocks

Postby brynn » Fri Feb 15, 2019 3:17 am

I would draw the cube "manually" rather than use 3D Box tool.

Yeah, I've tried to make rounded corners on a cube - it's definitely challenging!

minky
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Re: Alphabet Blocks

Postby minky » Fri Feb 15, 2019 6:15 am

Thanks, that's exactly what I want to achieve, but I don't know how to use the 3d box tool to get the perspective or shape that I want. Is there a trick to drawing the cube manually?

Moini
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Re: Alphabet Blocks

Postby Moini » Fri Feb 15, 2019 11:54 am

Something doesn't work? - Keeping an eye on the status bar can save you a lot of time!

Inkscape FAQ - Learning Resources - Website with tutorials (German and English)

minky
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Re: Alphabet Blocks

Postby minky » Fri Feb 15, 2019 12:30 pm

Thanks very much for the link! I tried adding a letter to the cube with the perspective extension but the letter on the left side of cube gets turned sideways, what am I doing wrong?

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brynn
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Re: Alphabet Blocks

Postby brynn » Fri Feb 15, 2019 6:14 pm

If I recall correctly, you have to draw the skeleton perspective path starting in one particular corner of the polygon. You might have started in the wrong corner? Instructions: http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL ... erspective

Moini
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Re: Alphabet Blocks

Postby Moini » Sat Feb 16, 2019 12:00 am

Use the perspective LPE, it's much easier. Select text, then do Path > Path effects > + > Perspective/Envelope, switch to node tool to drag the nodes.
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minky
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Re: Alphabet Blocks

Postby minky » Sat Feb 16, 2019 12:51 pm

Thank you for that link Byrnn, I didn't get much of it but understood enough to get the letter on correctly.

Moini wrote:Use the perspective LPE, it's much easier. Select text, then do Path > Path effects > + > Perspective/Envelope, switch to node tool to drag the nodes.

Where is that located? I can't seem to find it.

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druban
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Re: Alphabet Blocks

Postby druban » Sat Feb 16, 2019 3:06 pm

A useful way to make sure the first node, which determines the orientation of the mapped group, is in the correct place is to use a 4 node object which is open on one side. This makes one end the first node and the other end the last, although you may have to 'reverse path' if the result is backward.
Hopefully the accompanying illustration makes this clear
rect5474.png
rect5474.png (47.87 KiB) Viewed 2696 times


The LPE works too, although there are some things that are probably still being worked out. The reason I prefer the extension is that the nodes are actually moved to the new location and are editable in situ. It's not anything to have a big discussion over.
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Moini
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Re: Alphabet Blocks

Postby Moini » Sat Feb 16, 2019 10:00 pm

Video for the LPE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjKGatyxTZ8 (note that it has been renamed since the video was made, it's now called 'Perspective/Envelope' (instead of 'Envelope/Perspective').
Something doesn't work? - Keeping an eye on the status bar can save you a lot of time!

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brynn
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Re: Alphabet Blocks

Postby brynn » Sun Feb 17, 2019 7:57 pm

@druban, you mean it really works with only 3 sides? I thought it had to be a 4-node, closed path, with no exceptions. I haven't read those instructions in a while, but I never had a clue that anything except a closed, 4 node path would work.

@minky, the LPE is in Path menu > Path Effects. Click the blue plus sign, then choose whatever it is....Perspective/Envelope.

Even though the extension is a bit trickier, I find it easier to use, if I want to have specific size for the 4 node path. Maybe it's changed now, but when it first came out, it was hard to place those LPE handles precisely. I would have to create snap targets for them, to get any precision.

minky
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Re: Alphabet Blocks

Postby minky » Tue Feb 19, 2019 12:14 pm

I don't seem to have "path effects", the closest I see in the path menu is "path effect editor" anyway thanks to durban's illustration I was able to understand and get my letters on correctly:

blocks.jpg
blocks.jpg (43.62 KiB) Viewed 2580 times


Thanks everyone for the help

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druban
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Re: Alphabet Blocks

Postby druban » Tue Feb 19, 2019 4:29 pm

That looks really good!
Your mind is what you think it is.

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brynn
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Re: Alphabet Blocks

Postby brynn » Wed Feb 20, 2019 4:31 am

I don't seem to have "path effects", the closest I see in the path menu is "path effect editor"

Yes, that's it!

The blocks look really nice!

Lazur
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Re: Alphabet Blocks

Postby Lazur » Wed Feb 20, 2019 8:55 am

Honestly they look cartoony and "fine" in small size only.
The perspective and the shadows are way off. If your goal was to achieve a realistic look, I'd suggest using some basic perspective drawing constructions.

minky
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Re: Alphabet Blocks

Postby minky » Wed Feb 20, 2019 10:20 am

Thanks much and thanks for the critique, they aren't suppose to look realistic, they are part of a larger comp that has a cartoon teddy bear. Thanks again


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