Using Boolean Tools

[Susan G.]

I am trying to create a design that will eventually be emailed to a company who will make a rubber stamp from the outline drawing I send them.
I am currently trying to create a rose but am having trouble adding each petal segment to the design. From what I have read I think I either need to do an exclusion or a difference boolean operation. However, I have been trying to do this for hours and haven't gotten anywhere. Well, actually that's not true. I did manage to connect the first two petals (green lines) together. However, I haven't been able to eliminate the red lines that intersect the green lines. The rose I am working on is on Layer 2 of the attached file.
Does anyone out there know what I need to do to eliminate these unwanted lines? Thanks!

[Retta]

Even though you did a path combined. there is an open path. If you do a fill after doing the combine, there is one part that won't fill. It is open at the top line of that part of the design.

[Gigi]

Good catch Retta. I was trying to figure it out and couldn't.

[Retta]

Zooming in and looking at it in outline only, I catch a lot of my own mistakes that way. Thanks Gigi! You did a great job with the first part.

[Gigi]

Well I deleted my post cuz it didnt work!! I went back and looked and went "oops"!! Dont want to cause more problems for anyone!

[Retta]

Does the end result need to be just the outline of the rose? if it does, then redrawing the one piece wouldn't be that difficult, but close the line drawing. I tried to close it another way and was unsuccessful.

[kate3]

I can't even get it to open in Inkscape even though it says svg.

[Retta]

kate - mine came up to save to my computer first. maybe that makes a difference. I have version .47 of inkscape.

[Susan G.]

Wow! I didn't know my question would create so much response. Thanks.

I took your advice to the extreme Retta and actually replaced the center of the rose that had the unclosed line with one simple petal that is closed. (See new drawing in attachment.) However, I still can't get the red lines that intersect the green petals to go away. I have done a number of things -- too many to explain.

From the tutorials I have watched on Utube, it seems that I should be drawing a line around the area I want to extract with the Bezier tool, making sure the petal I want to retain in whole is on top like a cookie cutter, selecting both areas and performing Path/Exclusion. But it doesn't work.

I agree with you that I could just redraw the line, but am trying to learn/understand the boolean operations. And, yes the drawing does have to an outline; however, not outline as defined by Inkscape but just a fine stroke.

[Angel135612]

Okay, so if I'm understanding you correctly, you want to remove the overlap between the side petals and the middle petal. What I did was CTRL>C of one of the side petals, moved the center petal to the BOTTOM

Move to Bottom.PNG

Then select ONLY the petal you copied, and the center petal, and go to Path>Difference. Then PASTE IN PLACE (either CTRL+ALT+V or Edit>Paste In Place) the petal you have in your clipboard.
Select the OTHER petal, and copy it. Make sure the middle petal is on the bottom again, (it still should be there, but it doesn't hurt to make sure). Then select just the middle petal and the one you just copied, and do Path>Difference. Then PASTE IN PLACE the petal from your clipboard. That should remove those lines that are going into the side petals.
If you need to move the lines a little you can always go in and move the nodes so that there is a bit more overlap if necessary.

I have attached your file with my changes so you can see if this is what you are wanting to do.. if not, then I'm way off base and I don't have a clue... LOL

Rose with lines removed.PNG

When ever you use any of the boolean join instructions you can only select 2 parts, it won't work if you have more than 2 selected.

[Susan G.]

Angel, you truly live up to your name. This is exactly what I was trying to do!

I haven't tried your technique yet but will let you know how it goes. I came up with something that sort of worked and will share it too after playing with your idea!

You may not hear from me for awhile though. I am sick and keep taking kitty naps.

[Susan G.]

Angel,

I did it! And, it's a thing of beauty. Not really, but today the technique, tomorrow the design refinement. Plus I have a number of other petals to incorporate.

Just before I read your instructions I had discovered that it was difference I wanted and not exclusion. Come to find out, I was just about there BUT (and a big but) I wasn't using control c and paste in place. In other words, my technique wasn't nearly as slick as yours.

Thank you so much. I can now take a serious nap for the first time in two days!

[Angel135612]

Glad it is what you wanted...would love to see the final design when you get it done.

[Gigi]

Way to go Diane!!

And Susan - so sorry to hear you are not feeling well. I hope you feel much better soon.

[Susan G.]

I will show you my project when I am finished. It may be awhile because it is a complex design and I have to work on a wedding. Nothing like biting off more than you can chew. The idea is based, not copied, on an old PSX rubber stamp. I have tried for over a month to find out who owns the copyright to request an angel policy, but haven't succeeded. So I decided to try and make my own stamp.

Again thanks. And, I am feeling better. Amazing what a little success can do for a head cold.