I have a thunderbolt that I made in Inkscape. Took me forever but its made. And I want to be able to make it circumnavigate a simple circle so it kinda looks like sun rays...How do I do that

Pattern along path under the effect menu >> generate from path. Pattern long path works with grouped objects but doesn't update dynamically.
http://www.inkscape.org/screenshots/gal ... ngpath.png

Live path effects works on combined paths and updates dynamically.
http://www.inkscape.org/screenshots/gal ... ngpath.png

EarlyBlake's answer about bending your thunderbolt around a circle.

If you want multiple copies of your thunderbolt arranged in a circle, you want to move the rotation point to one end and "create tiled clones" using rotation options.

Thank you. EarlyBlakes answer was something I already tried and it just distorts my beautifully made bolt.

Can you give me a little more detail on to how I would do this tiled clone?

Click your thunderbolt twice so the rotation arrows show. Move the rotation point (the little cross) to the base of your bolt, in the middle. This is the point your copies will be arranged around.

Do Edit->Clone->Create tiled clones. (Note: It took me a while to get what I wanted. Ctrl-Z is your friend)
Stick with "P1:Simple translation".
Tick "Use saved size and position of the tile"
On "Shift" tab, set both "Exponents" to 0 - this puts you copies on top of each other.
On "Rotation" tab, set per row angle to 30
At the bottom, set "Rows, Columns", and 12 x 1
Click "Create"

You should now have 12 thunderbolts in a circle.

Change angle and number to get the effect you desire.

/Edit to arrange them around a circle, first group your thunderbolt with an (invisible) object the circle's radius away from the bolt's true base, and put the rotation point there.

I believe you can use the pattern along path option still, you need to change the setting from stretch to repeat. (at work so can't give more specifics).

Falade wrote:I have a thunderbolt that I made in Inkscape. Took me forever but its made. And I want to be able to make it circumnavigate a simple circle so it kinda looks like sun rays...How do I do that

Circumnavigate means go around. If you want a circular distribution

http://screencasters.heathenx.org/episode-034/#comments

http://screencasters.heathenx.org/episode-047/#respond

http://screencasters.heathenx.org/wp-co ... ep049.html

llogg wrote:I believe you can use the pattern along path option still, you need to change the setting from stretch to repeat.

Yep, that works. I had to do some repositioning and flipping of my thunderbolt to get it in the right orientation, but it was pretty simple.

Slow Dog wrote:

llogg wrote:I believe you can use the pattern along path option still, you need to change the setting from stretch to repeat.

Yep, that works. I had to do some repositioning and flipping of my thunderbolt to get it in the right orientation, but it was pretty simple.

There is still going to be some deformation. It might work in your favor if you are going for a sun burst, but It will still change the shape.

Thank you guys so much I will post what I have when I am done with it.

Ok I did it successfully. Thank you to all who helped. I put it on a texture and just put something in the center just to show you guys.

which method did you end up using to get this result? just curious.

Curious too, but the fact there are twelve suggests the likely answer.

Oh, the one at the bottom is the other way round to the rest for some reason.