Good day to you all. Relative newcomer to the world of graphic arts. I am using inkscape to vectorize positive/negative images to cut them out with my vinyl plotter, to be used as stencils for golf disc art.

My question is is it possible to use inkscape to tell my plotter to cut a line between say two shades of blue or green and purple?

I have messed around with tracing the image in color, and when i import the .eps file into my plotting program (signblazer elements) it appears to distinguish between colors when I go to size it, but then only cuts the silhouette.

If someone would be kind enough to explain if/how this could be done, or point me in the right direction, I would be eternally grateful.

ya it shoudl be able to do that why cant you just add a line yourself where you want it to be cut at

i could do that, yes. but im asking how to automate the process for ease of use and the need for precise cuts.

I don't know much about these cutters/plotters, etc. But with Inkscape, the only way to get color involves creating a path, one way or another. Any distiction between one color and another will automatically HAVE to have a path (or line) to cut on.

yes that is true - everytime you add a color nodes and lines will auto build

just thinking - no that isnt true all the way - if you do a shade from yellow to green there is no lines so there is no nodes -

there is no way to do that automated that i am aware of

Right, yes. That's a Gradient, and no path is created with a gradient. You would not be able to cut along the middle of a gradient.

You can easily use Inkscape basic tools to determine whether a path exists or not, ie - the Node tool.

i think theres a way using the 'trace bitmap' function...im just too much of a noob to figure it out.:\

Well, if the image is in a raster format, yes, it would need to be converted to vector.....I assume that these cutters use vector formats. If the image is in a raster format, Trace Bitmap would be used to convert to vector. If it's already vector, then the distinct line between colors is probably already a path.

Is EPS a raster or vector format?

There are instructions in Help menu > Inkscape Manual, or the link in my signature, for using Trace Bitmap.

eps svg AI are all vector format

Then there should be no problem with the cutting. And using Trace Bitmap will not be necessary.

Maybe there's a setting on the cutting machine that needs to be addressed?