Creating Shaped Monograms

psassy · Postby **psassy** » Sat Oct 22, 2011 5:28 am

Hi, I am new to the forum and I was wondering if someone could help me figure out how to create shaped monograms. I use Inkscape with Signcut to make monogrammed, sandblasted glass and I really want to learn how to make fancier monograms. I've attached an image of what I am trying to achieve. Basically I want to take text and put it into a shape like a diamond or a circle. I've been trying to figure this out for a long time and researched all over the Internet, but I can't figure it out.

I hope this is something I can do in Inkscape. Thanks in advance for your help!

Postby **brynn** » Sun Oct 23, 2011 5:37 am

Welcome to InkscapeForum!

Oh, that looks like a fun project, and it can definitely be done with Inkscape!
I guess I have some ideas about how to approach it, but there are more clever Inkscapers than I, here in this forum. Unless you are in a hurry, I think I'll wait and see what they come up with, and perhaps add my thoughts later, if they aren't mentioned. If you need an answer today, I'll be glad to take a stab at it. But I'd suggest waiting a few days, to collect ideas from several people...because there may be a few different ways to approach the various different styles.

psassy · Postby **psassy** » Sun Oct 23, 2011 5:54 am

Thanks! I will look forward to seeing your ideas!

naybaby1 · Postby **naybaby1** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:43 am

Hello. I am new to inkscape. Did you ever learn how to make the shaped monogram? I read that you can create them on here but I cannot figure it out. Thanks.

Postby **brynn** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 1:03 pm

Hhmmm.....so I guess no one else ever replied

Inkscape does not have a tool that does this quickly, and I think there are other graphics programs which do. (I don't know which.) There's a tutorial that shows the basic ideas -- Help menu > Inkscape manual > Quick Start > Hiking Club Logo.

Basically you'd create the text with Inkscape's Text tool, then use Path menu > Object to Path to convert to paths. Draw whatever shape you want, then center the text inside the shape. Next enable Snapping -- click the 1st button on the Snap control bar, Snap Nodes and Handles, Snap to Paths. So 3 buttons engaged, all others not. Now you can drag the nodes of the text towards the border of the shape, and they will snap to the path. When you're finished, you can either delete the shape path or make it transparent.

If you don't already know about it, there's a nice little forum for using Inkscape with cutter/plotter machines: http://www.inkscapecuttingdesign.com/index.php? I'll bet they would know which graphics programs have tools to do that quickly.

Kento · Postby **Kento** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:00 pm

I have just started experimenting with monograms in Inkscape & indeed they are fun. In addiditon to the link provided by brynn, check this link out although you may be pass that stage already: http://forum.make-the-cut.com/discussio ... -intial-ti . Please accept my apologies as I do not intend to hijack your thread but since we are talking monograms please allow me as I have been trying very hard to creat this interweave monogram re: attached to no avail. Help anyone? Thanks.

Postby **brynn** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:21 am

Is it for a cutter/plotter machine? If so, I think you'd be better off drawing it from scratch, rather than using Trace Bitmap. Use the Text tool, of course, to type the M, then Path menu > Object to path to convert to path. You could probably use the Callipgraphy tool to make the swirly ribbon thing. But when it comes time to do the under/over effect, the only way to do it is with node editing (break the path where it goes under, connect the ends, and snap to the edge of the M). Then if it IS for a cutter, you can use Path menu > Union on a duplicate to get the cutting line.

Kento · Postby **Kento** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 6:03 am

Thanks

Xav · Postby **Xav** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 11:31 pm

brynn wrote:But when it comes time to do the under/over effect, the only way to do it is with node editing (break the path where it goes under, connect the ends, and snap to the edge of the M).

Well, maybe not the only way...

Personally I would use a clipping path to get the under/over effect. This has the advantage that your original letter and curve are intact so it's easier to tweak or move them if you want to. The downside is that the clipping path could be complex. Here's one approach:

1) Draw your curve on top of the M
2) Duplicate the curve then use Path > Outset to grow it so that it easily covers your original curve. This will become your clipping path.
3) Change the style of the clipping path to make it easier to work with (and to get to the original curve below). I usually give it a bright green or red stroke with no fill.
4) Use node editing to break the clipping path where the curve needs to go under the M. As a rough first step you can use :tool_eraser:

in "Cut out from objects" mode to quickly remove the parts of the path that you need to, then zoom in with :tool_node:

for some tweaking and tidying up.
5) Select both the curve and the clipping path then use Object > Clip > Set

If you need to tweak it later, you can use :tool_node:

on your curve, ensuring that the "Show clipping Paths..." toolbar button is pressed in to allow you to edit the clipping path as well without having to release then re-set the clip (though you might prefer to do that anyway).

Postby **brynn** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 10:15 am

Oh, well isn't that clever!
So instead of node editing the ribbon thing, you node edit a clipping path. I"ll have to try that sometime

Xav · Postby **Xav** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 12:14 am

brynn wrote:Oh, well isn't that clever!
So instead of node editing the ribbon thing, you node edit a clipping path. I"ll have to try that sometime

It's a technique that we use quite often. The key thing is that a clipping path is just that - a path. It can be as simple or as complex as any other Inkscape path - including sub-paths as a result of combining multiple paths or using boolean operations.

There's a nice example in this comic of ours. There is only one spider for most of the strip, cloned to appear in each panel. In the first panel a complex clipping path hides parts of the spider's abdomen and rear leg, making it look like it's partly behind the door. In the penultimate panel, on the other hand, it's the newspaper that's clipped to give the impression that the spider is "holding" it.

(If any of that is unclear, bear in mind that you can download the SVG file from our site if you want to take it apart and see what we did)

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