Hi,

Maybe a stupid question but I really have some big problems with cutting/erasing in an object!

I import object jpg/png file [a photo as example] and only want the face to work with and thus
need the surrounding to go away. In other programs that I used I could only use the cursor and draw
a line and connect within the area I wanted to disappear.

With Inkscape I can't find the way to do it the way I want and to get fine lines around the area I want
to be visible [in this case a face] no matter what I use. I draw the path but all I get visible is that thin
path I made within the object ...!

What to use and how to do?

Hope you all understand what I mean!

Thanks for any help,

Nick

You should create that outline object that covers the area you want to keep, then use the Clip (Object > Clip > Set) to "hide" the other parts of the object. This is a nondestructive operation so you can always remove the clip and get the photo back.

That's great and sooo easy, thanks!

But, when that's done and I want to fine tune eventual areas in that specific object,
to make that exact finish, do I need to work my way around the object once again
or is there a way to attack that specific area alone, and without outlining the whole area again ...?

Thanks for the answer, hoping for any solution or an answer to my last follow up question,

Nick

Well ideally, one would draw the original line with all the needed details. But, you're in luck! As long as you have a fairly recent version of Inkscape, you can actually edit the clipping path. To do this, select it with the Node tool, then on the tool control bar, find the "Show clipping path of selected object" button. It's among those on the right side of the bar, I think it's the 6th from the right.

Anyway, after you click that button, you'll see a bright green line which is the clipping path. And you can edit it with the Node tool, just as it if were a regular path. So you don't have to release the clip and start all over

Wow, that's really cool! A splendid solution that really save both time and trouble.

Thanks for giving me some great and invaluable help prkos and brynn,

Nick

We're glad we could help

I'd just like to add that I usually use a semi transparent object for isolating stuff from photos, sometimes with just the fill with a color that strongly opposes the colors in the photo (lime, red) and no stroke so it's easy to see what you're doing. Even after you clip it and if the Clip edit is giving you trouble you can always unclip, edit the object and then clip again. I always keep my clipping objects in odd colors so if I ever do unclip it's very clear they don't belong to the drawing but are only helper objects.

Thanks for that great advice prkos! Keeps me well ahead of that trial and error phase I usually need to get things go as I want:) With guys like you I'm ready to attack my object with a vengeance!

Thanks,

Nick

Attack away and post the result in Finished Inkscape Work or Work in progress subforums!

Will do and once again, thanks for excellent and quick help!

Nick