Evening all,

I'm completely new to vector graphics, but I've read the manual, the tutorial, searched the web and the forum without finding an answer to my problem. Maybe it's because the lingo is unfamiliar and I'm not really sure what to search for, but here it goes:

I have three paths, like this



and I want to transform them into one path so I can fill it with color or a gradient, like this



I've tried different things, and "combine" ends up filling the whole thing. Is there any way I can do this, or do I need the reform my thinking? Any help would be very much appreciated.

Hi.

The combine option should work. You just have to change some of the path's direction.
Kind of explanation is under the fill rule in the manual:
http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL/html/Attributes-Fill-Stroke.html

It even works after combining the paths -with the node editor tool you can select the each subpath and change it's direction;
maybe easier if done in outlines only display mode (Ctrl+5 twice on the numpad).

Good luck!

Thank you very much, it worked like a charm. Evidently I was searching in the wrong place.