gentlemen,

I am new to vector-based art/design programs.

I have stumbled on inkscape and currently working on my first 'piece', which is a japanese tattoo-style koi fish.

i've played around a read a few tutorials. i'm familiar with the 'generate pattern along path extension'... which i though was pretty neat.

what i want to know though is if there is a way i can draw a fish scale, and somehow 'fill' the main body of the fish with a fish scale pattern, but somehow get the program to manipulate it to fit the flow/path of the object i need to fill?

tbh i think i'm probably asking a bit much.

if you search google images http://www.google.co.uk/images?oe=UTF-8&q=japanese+koi+tattoo&safe=images&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi

you'll see what im trying to achieve.

if you can recommend an easy/quick way of drawing the scales on the fish please let me know!!!

Welcome to InkscapeForum.com, iseefractals! (I think I see fractals too, lol )

What you want to do can be accomplished using a Pattern Fill. If you open the Fill and Stroke dialog > Fill tab, you'll see a button that's blue and white diamond checkered. That's what you will use.

But first you need to create your own unique pattern (since there's not already a fish-scale pattern). You just need to create a small section of scales. Then Object menu > Pattern > Objects to Pattern. This will cause your pattern to be displayed in the list of patterns in the Fill and Stroke dialog > Fill tab > Pattern Fill dropdown list. It will be something like "pattern 1595".

I've made a quick example for you, that you can download and practice with, if you want. As you can see in my example, I did not create the pattern in such a way that it is seamless. The result is that you can obviously see the individual pattern unit in the rectangle filled with the pattern. I don't know if a single fish scale, converted to a pattern, might work better. But you can experiment (with or without my file)!

Please let me know if you have further questions



PS - You could also accomplish what you want with Tiled Clones, but I think it would be much more difficult (unless you're quite familiar with tiled clones already).

thank you! i shall play around with this at the weekend.