Does anyone have an example of how to set the bottom half of text in Inkscape to one color/fill to tell the GF to engrave the bottom half, yet set the top half of the text for a cut?
I’m trying to make a plaque where the letters extend above a box so their tops are cut but in the box the bottom half of the letters are engraved…I hope that makes sense!!
Could anyone describe how to do something like this?
Thank you!!
You will need to cut the path.
That should cut the text into separate paths. then you can change the stroke color of individual elements.
Let me know if you need any clarification.
Here is an example with some weird font I used:
Also note that this will result in open paths.
If you try and set the fill of these elements to different colors it may result in something weird, since the paths are no longer closed.
You should only set the stroke color of these elements and remove all fill color.
Thank you!! That is what I was looking for!
One question, in step 3 you mention “Combine the resulting elements into one Path”…Do you mean everything? All the text?
I’ll give it a try but thought I’d ask!
Thank you again!!
Yes, as soon as you ungroup the text elements, it will already have them all selected. If you mistakenly unselect them, just select all the text elements again.
You can do the split one letter at a time, but it’s much faster to do it all in one step.
It totally makes sense, and it’s all about using the path booleans, especially union and difference. I’m going to assume you’re intermediate at inkscape and gloss a bit.
Make your text, convert it to a path, ungroup it and combine the letter paths into one large path.
Make a rectangle to enclose the top and bottom of your text, and convert it to a path.
Copy and paste that text/rectangle twice to have three copies.
Go to one set, select the rectangle and the text, and select path->difference. (Bottom left)
Go to the other, select the rect and text, path->intersection. (Bottom right)
Align the top half text to the bottom half text. Change the top half to be no fill.
Now align everything using your first copy rectangle. Delete the original text (you only needed it for alignment purposes), and you should be left with your two half-texts and a rectangle.
Select the top half text and rectangle, do path->union.
Done! No open paths or gotchas, it will just work.
That works even better than my method! Nice explanation.
Thanks everyone! I was able to make this work in Inkscape. My only concern will be when I cut it. I’m wondering if it will cut the top half ov the letters away from the piece or just have them sticking above it. I’m thinking it may cut them away since the bottom of the top half of letters is closed.
Thoughts??
If you “Union” them as I mentioned above the rectangle and top half should be a solid piece.
I’m away from my pc so can’t show you.
Oh I get it! The Union will make the top half of text part of the box so it won’t cut through!
Thank you!!
I find it fascinating that when you cut EASY in half, the bottom half looks like it’s saying LAST - I mean, I just saw the full word, yet in my brain it’s definitely LAST
I had the exact same thought as I did it. I’m glad I’m not the only one 
Me three!
I’m having an issue with:
Go to one set, select the rectangle and the text, and select path->difference. (Bottom left)
Go to the other, select the rect and text, path->intersection. (Bottom right)
In both cases I’m only getting the bottom half of the text. One with the rectangle and one without. In both cases I lose the top half.
Do you have any idea what I may be doing wrong?
Thank you!!
I got it!! I had to be sure the rectangle was moved to the top of the words, else it wasn’t doing what I wanted. Thank you again!!
Same!
I tried engraving and cutting this and the rectangle cut through the top letters event though I did a path-union. I need the bottom of the top letters to remain open i guess so that when joined with the rectangle it cuts along the outside of the top half of letters and continues around the rectangle. This time it cut straight around the rectangle and then cut the top portion of the letters leaving them seperated from the rectangle instead of attached.
Any ideas on how to avoid this from happening? Thanks again!
I spoke too soon…again!! I went back and tried the steps again and this time I added parts to layers so I could hide them. This time when I did the union I could see that the letter were open at the bottom (part of the rectangle). I just did the cut without the engrave to test and IT WORKED!!
I’m printing another with the engraving, but this seems that it has worked!! Thank you again @evansd2 !!
Glad you got it worked out. Post a pic of the end result?
I wish I could but it has some sensitive info on a deal that I won’t be able to share out. A coworker asked if I could make him a plaque to memorialize the deal (which hasn’t even closed yet!)
Thank you again though. I learned something and I’m sure others could use this as well!
