I'm a long term Adobe Illustrator user, and used to work with tool-brushes in all kinds of styles. It was also easy to apply brush styles to shapes (their paths). Can I do that too in Inkscape?
Yes you can. Inkscape probably doesn't have nearly as many built-in options as ai, but you can make your own. There are a couple of ways to approach it.
You can draw with the shape profile, using Pen or Pencil tools. Look on the control bar (immediately above the horizontal ruler - the options change with each tool that's enabled) for the Shape: dropdown menu. If you want to use your own custom shape profile, first draw it. Then copy it. Then in the Shape dropdown, choose From Clipboard. Then the Pen or Pencil will draw with that shape automatically applied to it. (Technically, these tools are automatically applying the PAP LPE, see more below.)
Or you can apply it after you draw the path, using Pattern Along Path. There are 2 different ways to use PAP. It is possible to use a Group for the pattern. But only the PAP extension allows using groups for the pattern.
If it's not a group, you will probably prefer the PAP LPE (Live Path Effect). It works similarly to the Pen and Pencil options. First draw the pattern/shape, and copy it. Then select the path which is to be changed, and do Path menu > Path Effects > PAP > Add. Then you will see the PAP LPE dialog show up. There, click the Paste button in the dialog. It looks like the same Paste icon as in the command bar (for me, is a clipboard icon).
With the LPE, you can edit the path, and the pattern is edited at the same time ("live"). If instead of the Paste icon, you click the one to the right of it (Link to path) it allows you to edit the pattern, live, without undoing the PAP that you've already applied. If you use the extension, there is nothing live about it. If something needs to be edited, you have to undo, edit, and reapply the pap.
yes but can you change the color like in illustrator? why wouldnt you just be able to click a swatch and have the selected color be the color of your brush?
yes but can you change the color like in illustrator? why wouldnt you just be able to click a swatch and have the selected color be the color of your brush? Normal Source
Beginners' Questions Can work with brushes/ brush styles in Inkscape?
Inkscape.org
I'm a long term Adobe Illustrator user, and used to work with tool-brushes in all kinds of styles. It was also easy to apply brush styles to shapes (their paths). Can I do that too in Inkscape?
Thanks a lot for your help folks!!!
Welcome to the forum!
Yes you can. Inkscape probably doesn't have nearly as many built-in options as ai, but you can make your own. There are a couple of ways to approach it.
You can draw with the shape profile, using Pen or Pencil tools. Look on the control bar (immediately above the horizontal ruler - the options change with each tool that's enabled) for the Shape: dropdown menu. If you want to use your own custom shape profile, first draw it. Then copy it. Then in the Shape dropdown, choose From Clipboard. Then the Pen or Pencil will draw with that shape automatically applied to it. (Technically, these tools are automatically applying the PAP LPE, see more below.)
Or you can apply it after you draw the path, using Pattern Along Path. There are 2 different ways to use PAP. It is possible to use a Group for the pattern. But only the PAP extension allows using groups for the pattern.
If it's not a group, you will probably prefer the PAP LPE (Live Path Effect). It works similarly to the Pen and Pencil options. First draw the pattern/shape, and copy it. Then select the path which is to be changed, and do Path menu > Path Effects > PAP > Add. Then you will see the PAP LPE dialog show up. There, click the Paste button in the dialog. It looks like the same Paste icon as in the command bar (for me, is a clipboard icon).
With the LPE, you can edit the path, and the pattern is edited at the same time ("live"). If instead of the Paste icon, you click the one to the right of it (Link to path) it allows you to edit the pattern, live, without undoing the PAP that you've already applied. If you use the extension, there is nothing live about it. If something needs to be edited, you have to undo, edit, and reapply the pap.
Thanks a lot brynn! It was a huuuuuge help! I followed your instructions - and it works like a charm ☺
You're welcome!
yes but can you change the color like in illustrator? why wouldnt you just be able to click a swatch and have the selected color be the color of your brush?
Maybe you have seen this post: https://inkscape.org/forums/questions/how-to-create-brushes/#c21493