Graphic Design Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for Graphic Design professionals, students, and enthusiasts. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this community
i am trying to develop a gauge object in Inkscape like that:
I created two arcs and when i try to connect them with bezier, and user path-> union (i apply stroke to path before), i can't fill de inside gauge, only color the edges:
I'm begginner in inkscape. Any ideas?
Thanks a lot!
Make an arc, convert it to Bezier curve with Path > Object to Path
insert the wanted stroke width
Insert the breaking points with the node tool (=double-click) and break the curve at those points. Make the pieces separate by applying Path> Break Apart and insert the wanted stroke colors
Select all, apply Path > Stroke to Path to get filled areas that can have an outline stroke. Here a black stroke is selected
Another way: Divide your closed path (made by applying stroke to path) to separate colorable areas. Draw a radial line over it, select both and apply Path > Division.
You need as many radial lines as there's division points. Start the lines from the center of the arc. To find the centerpoint easily draw at first a circle.
3rd way: Draw the scale as horizontal rectangles, select them and apply Path > Combine to get a combined path which behaves like a single path.
Combined path can have only one color, but it can have text parts which are converted to paths
Copy the combined path to the clipboard. Insert path effect Pattern along Path to your arc. The arc must be converted to Bezier curve with Path > Object to Path before it accepts path effects.
The effect dialog has icon Paste Path to take the pattern from the clipboard:
You must apply Path > Object to Path and Path > Break Apart to get freely colorable areas.
You could create it all with arcs. There's no need to convert any of them to paths, or convert the stroke to paths.
An arc, on the bottom, with thick black stroke.
Duplicate (Ctrl+D), set arc to blue stroke, adjust stroke width slightly less, adjust arc to fit inside black area.
Duplicate (Ctrl+D), adjust arcs, and repeat for White, Light Grey, and Dark Grey arcs.
Add a pointer, and set the rotation centre to the same as the circle.
The beauty of this method is that since everything still functions as arcs, they are all adjustable.
If you applied stroke to path, then your path become an object. here some examples:
this is the path before applied the stroke to path, and:
this is the object after applied the stroke to path.
what do you think it is an outline, it is no more an outline, but a filled object that's the problem.
My solution would be to create one arc, then set the stroke widt to the desired value, than use stroke to path, shft+d to duplicate, than use inset, or dinamic offset to shrink the upper object.
