madbeanpedals::forum

General => Open Discussion => Topic started by: haveyouseenhim on March 16, 2014, 04:50:28 PM

Title: Tips or help with a graphic.
Post by: haveyouseenhim on March 16, 2014, 04:50:28 PM
Lately I have been trying to learn how to use inkscape. I have learned a ton in the last few days such as how to use trace bitmap and editing nodes etc. So now I wanted to give a go at etching an enclosure for a current lover and this is what I have come up with so far.

My question is how can I clean this up a bit more? The lines aren't squared up like I would like. I tried editing nodes for a while and it only got me so far.   Any suggestions or anyone willing to help? I can email the files if someone wants to help.

(http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj545/haveyouseenhim/path3025_zps30502690.png)
Title: Re: Tips or help with a graphic.
Post by: bcalla on March 16, 2014, 05:22:33 PM
I'd be willing to try - I use Inkscape a lot - but I'm not sure what you want improved in this graphic.

One thing might be to either left justify or center justify each text line.
Title: Re: Tips or help with a graphic.
Post by: haveyouseenhim on March 16, 2014, 05:29:39 PM
Quote from: bcalla on March 16, 2014, 05:22:33 PM
I'd be willing to try - I use Inkscape a lot - but I'm not sure what you want improved in this graphic.

One thing might be to either left justify or center justify each text line.

You'll see what I'm talking about when you look at it in inkscape. It looks cleaner in my post than it actually is.

I don't know what that is    :-[
Title: Re: Tips or help with a graphic.
Post by: davent on March 16, 2014, 05:38:42 PM
Just watched this one on aligning (left/center/right justify) in Inkscape, i had no idea.

Title: Re: Tips or help with a graphic.
Post by: haveyouseenhim on March 16, 2014, 06:32:00 PM
That could come in handy, but I'm not using 'text'.

I found a straight on picture of an electric mistress and imported it to inkscape, then used the 'trace bitmap' function. Them I adjusted the nodes a bit to clean it up, but then hit a wall with getting it as clean as I wanted.
Title: Re: Tips or help with a graphic.
Post by: Clayford on March 16, 2014, 06:55:40 PM
And therein lies your issue. Cleaning up Vector images that you've started with a regular lossy format is always a PITA. You might be better off with starting from scratch. It can be done, I managed to get a rather decent BMP image together for my own Muff.

The electric mistress type appears to be modified from Decoro which is a commercial typeface. You might be able to locate a similar one on whatthefont and adjust as needed in Illustrator/Inkscape  You might also want this Medusa (http://www.urbanfonts.com/fonts/Medusa.htm) typeface as well. Best of luck on it.
Title: Re: Tips or help with a graphic.
Post by: bcalla on March 16, 2014, 07:31:28 PM
Mike, looking at your file I was going to tell you that it looks like you grouped everything together and then rotated it a few degrees clockwise.  Makes more sense to read that you made this from an imported graphic.  I agree with Clayford, this is easier to do when you build something from scratch.  If you really want to salvage what you have, I would suggest drawing a vertical line on the left edge of your graphic, then rotate it ccw until the left side of the graphic is parallel to the line.  You could do the same with a horizontal line across the middle of either 'electric' or 'mistress'.  The result may be satisfactory to you.
Title: Re: Tips or help with a graphic.
Post by: haveyouseenhim on March 16, 2014, 08:47:59 PM
Thanks guys. I think I'm going to take Clay's advice and start from scratch. I just need to figure out how to modify the decoro font.
Title: Re: Tips or help with a graphic.
Post by: slimtriggers on March 16, 2014, 10:46:58 PM
This may help:

http://www.whatfontis.com/Knuckle-Down.font?text=electric
Title: Re: Tips or help with a graphic.
Post by: haveyouseenhim on March 17, 2014, 12:15:35 AM
Good news. I got a really nice result using ms paint to clean up the lines and square the image.
Title: Re: Tips or help with a graphic.
Post by: Clayford on March 17, 2014, 02:44:05 AM
It's easy to modify, just takes some time. I did this from memory in about 20 min. It's "wrong" but it will show you how easy it is to get close with a tiny bit of work

(http://www.crankyandjaded.com/img/hyshdlx.jpg)
Title: Re: Tips or help with a graphic.
Post by: haveyouseenhim on March 17, 2014, 03:07:30 AM
Quote from: Clayford on March 17, 2014, 02:44:05 AM
It's "wrong" but it will show you how easy it is to get close with a tiny bit of work

It's not lack of work. It's just total ignorance of imaging programs besides ms paint. I have used ms paint my whole life until about a month ago. So using something this much more complicated isn't easy for me.   I don't understand a lot of the terminology, but I'm learning.
Title: Re: Tips or help with a graphic.
Post by: Clayford on March 17, 2014, 03:27:51 AM
oy. If that came out condescending, I'm really sorry. Totally not meant that way. I forget the steep learning curve that's involved with adobe products.
Title: Re: Tips or help with a graphic.
Post by: haveyouseenhim on March 17, 2014, 03:34:15 AM
Quote from: Clayford on March 17, 2014, 03:27:51 AM
oy. If that came out condescending, I'm really sorry. Totally not meant that way. I forget the steep learning curve that's involved with adobe products.

It didn't. I just wanted to explain why I'm having trouble. We're good here  :)
Title: Re: Tips or help with a graphic.
Post by: haveyouseenhim on March 17, 2014, 05:29:52 AM
40% Inkscape 60% ms paint  ;D

(http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj545/haveyouseenhim/finalmistress_zps51c05963.png)
Title: Re: Tips or help with a graphic.
Post by: Clayford on March 17, 2014, 12:09:24 PM
That looks AWESOME.

How about this program? A guy at work uses it fairly well.

http://www.getpaint.net/
Title: Re: Tips or help with a graphic.
Post by: haveyouseenhim on March 23, 2014, 04:21:44 AM
Weeee dawgeee!   My first successful toner transfer etch. I ordered some press n peel blue to try. Boom, worked first try! :)

(http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj545/haveyouseenhim/DSC09053_zps571be59d.jpg) (http://s1267.photobucket.com/user/haveyouseenhim/media/DSC09053_zps571be59d.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Tips or help with a graphic.
Post by: muddyfox on March 23, 2014, 07:55:32 AM
How hot did you set your iron? I can never get the pnpblue right, it either melts or doesnt release the toner bits. And at that cost, experimentation starts hurting fast! :-)

sent from my mobile device

Title: Re: Tips or help with a graphic.
Post by: selfdestroyer on March 24, 2014, 04:42:46 PM
Looks great Mike S. Can't wait to see it painted.

Cody
Title: Re: Tips or help with a graphic.
Post by: haveyouseenhim on March 24, 2014, 06:04:44 PM
Quote from: muddyfox on March 23, 2014, 07:55:32 AM
How hot did you set your iron? I can never get the pnpblue right, it either melts or doesnt release the toner bits. And at that cost, experimentation starts hurting fast! :-)

I set it to the highest setting and used several pieces of paper between the iron and enclosure to help apply even pressure.

Quote from: selfdestroyer on March 24, 2014, 04:42:46 PM
Looks great Mike S. Can't wait to see it painted.

Cody

I'm not going to paint it. I have always liked the look of unpainted etches. I posted the finished pictures and video in the audio/video demo section.