Can anyone assist me in creating text like the attached image? Pinched in the center with tall sides.

You can look video tutorials on heathenx's site

http://screencasters.heathenx.org/tag/envelope/

The bottom one is easier to understand. The upper one is easier to use. The technique in the bottom tutorial on the page works much better with drawing table that has pressure function compatible with inkscape.

There is a bezier envelope extension now. Very useful for this sort of thing. I used it in episode 088.

Download it here: http://bit.ly/bezier_envelope

Thanks guys! This is exactly what I was looking for. Yesterday I found a tutorial that made ya edit each letter, I knew there was a better way! Many thanks!!!

i've got a problem.. i downloaded the file you posted, "bezier_envelope.tar" GZ file, and it's only 5kb. i placed it in the extensions folded just as you said to do. i have closed and restarted my inkscape and i've even restarted my computer. i still don't see the extension under effects. the file shown in the video is a different name, "bezierenvelope.py" and its 12kb instead of 5kb like the one i downloaded.

any help would be greatly appriciate. i need to get this working!