INKSCAPE TUTORIAL: PAISLEY MOTIF Paisley designs are immensely popular and widely used in fabric design, stationery designs and the like. I was working on a stationery design and decided that I might as well write a tutorial on how to create paisley patterns with Inkscape. Inkscape provides a few nifty tools which make it very easy to create these designs, and it takes only a few minutes to create your own if you follow these steps. I assume little Inkscape knowledge, and the tutorial should be easy to follow for a beginning Inkscape artist. BEFORE WE START Inkscape remembers by default the last settings of a tool. Therefore objects you draw may differ from the screenshots in this tutorial. Help on how to correct the most common settings can be found on this page: Inkscape Beginner Tips (opens in a new window). Decorative Patterns When I started with this tutorial, I also included all steps to create a basic library with symbols for decorating paisley motifs. While it is not hard at all, the length of the tutorial greatly increased. I decided to split the tutorial into 3 parts: Part 1: create basic patterns and use them to make fancy borders. Part 2: create a floral motif for the centre design Part 3: create a paisley motif - which you are reading now. The result files of part 1 and part 2 are available for download at the bottom of the article, so there is no need to create these items yourself before trying this tutorial. But I recommend that you make these elements yourself and then come back to do this tutorial :D. Paisley Base Shape Open a new Inkscape Document. Size of the work does not really matter. For those that feel lost without any indication: the initial path for the paisley motif covers about 20% of the page. If you have done other tutorials on this site, you must have noticed how much I appreciate the Spiro curves that are available in Inkscape since version 0.47. This tutorial is not an exception, we use Spiro to create the smooth flowing teardrop shape that is typical to Paisley Patterns. The Bezier Tool is one of the most important tools in any vector editing program, but new artists find it hard to master this tool. To draw the teardrop shape with the Bezier Tool "old school" style, would require quite some practicing and path and node tweaking for the inexperienced user. Not today tho, Spiro to the rescue! I use the same trick as demonstrated for drawing the perfect heart shape for the Sketch and Hatch tutorial, and let Spiro do the hard work. Select the Bezier Tool . NEWSFLASH We are very proud that the Spiro Swirls Tutorial for Inkscape has gained such popularity. Today, 28 January 2012, over 140,000 viewers have visited this page and our statistics show that it is still the most popular tutorial on this site. This tutorial is suitable for Inkscape version 0.47 and 0.48. Thank you all for viewing and providing feedback. We do our best to make this site the best beginner resource site for Inkscape. MAIN MENU Home Blog About us TUTORIALS Inkscape Miscellaneous FREEBIES Vector Illustrations Photoshop Brushes Seamless Patterns Wallpaper Cutting Files KEY CONCEPTS Terms of Use search... Go! Page 1 of 19 Inkscape Tutorial: Paisley Motif | Vectors 3/13/2012 http://verysimpledesigns.com/vectors/inkscape-tutorial-paisley-motif.html
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
INKSCAPE TUTORIAL: PAISLEY MOTIF
Paisley designs are immensely popular
and widely used in fabric design,
stationery designs and the like.
I was working on a stationery design and
decided that I might as well write a
tutorial on how to create paisley
patterns with Inkscape.
Inkscape provides a few nifty tools which
make it very easy to create these
designs, and it takes only a few minutes
to create your own if you follow these steps.
I assume little Inkscape knowledge, and the tutorial should be easy to
follow for a beginning Inkscape artist.
BEFORE WE START
Inkscape remembers by default the last settings of a tool. Therefore
objects you draw may differ from the screenshots in this tutorial. Help on
how to correct the most common settings can be found on this page:
Inkscape Beginner Tips (opens in a new window).
Decorative Patterns
When I started with this tutorial, I also included all steps to create a basic
library with symbols for decorating paisley motifs. While it is not hard at
all, the length of the tutorial greatly increased. I decided to split the tutorial
into 3 parts:
Part 1: create basic patterns and use them to make fancy borders.
Part 2: create a floral motif for the centre design
Part 3: create a paisley motif - which you are reading now.
The result files of part 1 and part 2 are available for download at the
bottom of the article, so there is no need to create these items yourself
before trying this tutorial. But I recommend that you make these elements
yourself and then come back to do this tutorial :D.
Paisley Base Shape
Open a new Inkscape Document.
Size of the work does not really matter. For those that feel lost without any
indication: the initial path for the paisley motif covers about 20% of the
page.
If you have done other tutorials on this site, you must have noticed how
much I appreciate the Spiro curves that are available in Inkscape since
version 0.47. This tutorial is not an exception, we use Spiro to create the
smooth flowing teardrop shape that is typical to Paisley Patterns.
The Bezier Tool is one of the most important tools in any vector editing
program, but new artists find it hard to master this tool. To draw the
teardrop shape with the Bezier Tool "old school" style, would require quite
some practicing and path and node tweaking for the inexperienced user.
Not today tho, Spiro to the rescue!
I use the same trick as demonstrated for drawing the perfect heart shape
for the Sketch and Hatch tutorial, and let Spiro do the hard work.
Select the Bezier Tool .
NEWSFLASH
We are very proud that the
Spiro Swirls Tutorial for
Inkscape has gained such
popularity.
Today, 28 January 2012,
over 140,000 viewers have
visited this page and our
statistics show that it is
still the most popular
tutorial on this site. This
tutorial is suitable for
Inkscape version 0.47 and
0.48.
Thank you all for viewing
and providing feedback.
We do our best to make
this site the best beginner
resource site for Inkscape.
MAIN MENU
Home
Blog
About us
TUTORIALS
Inkscape
Miscellaneous
FREEBIES
Vector Illustrations
Photoshop Brushes
Seamless Patterns
Wallpaper
Cutting Files
KEY CONCEPTS
Terms of Use
search... Go!
Page 1 of 19Inkscape Tutorial: Paisley Motif | Vectors
Scale and rotate if necessary to make it fill out the centre area nicely.
Save your work.
That's all folks. As usual: feedback is as always highly appreciated.
Downloads
Please do not claim this design as your own. Read our TOU.
Paisley Motif (Inkscape SVG)
Basic Patterns (Inkscape SVG)
Floral Motif (Inkscape SVG)
If you download the floral motif for use in this tutorial, you need
to delete the background rectangle and resize the design:
Select the design. The status bar will show that a group of 2
obects is selected.
Use Object > Ungroup from the menu (Shift+Ctrl+G)
Select the rectangle only, and press delete.
Resize the remaining floral motif to a size suitable for the
centre object in the paisley design.
< Prev Next >
COMMENTS
# Guest 2010-03-25 02:06 Thank you so much for this tutorial! I had some vague idea on how to make a paisley but I drew it by hand and then drew over it with bezier tool... and I didn't like the result very much! Thanks to you I found out a simpler
Page 16 of 19Inkscape Tutorial: Paisley Motif | Vectors
way I am off creating my card with my own paisleys!wohoo!
# syllie 2010-03-25 12:56 Hi Laura, It sounds like this tutorial explained some great features in Inkscape and opened new doors for you. I am glad you liked the tutorial. Handdrawn paisley motifs have their charm tho and I thought I would just add another option for you to consider: If you create a basic paisley shape as demonstrated above - you could use the calligraphic brush and trace it to create your own unique effects. To trace it: Select the paisley path first with the select tool
Use the calligraphic brush, hold down the CTRL-key and move towards the paisley path.
A gray circle will indicate the distance between the guide path (the paisley) and the calligraphic path. As soon as you draw the circle will turn green. If you move too far away from the path it will turn red and break free. You can continue your tracing by repeating above steps.
Note: slow movements work best. Read more about this feature here: Inkscape Guide to a Vector Drawing Program: Calligraphy-Hatchings Cheers, Syllie
# Guest 2010-04-02 18:37
Another fantastic tutorial from you! I love your blog! And thanks for your job letting us new
beginners share your digi world!
# syllie 2010-04-02 22:06 Hi Mahalo, welcome back! I think I hit the jackpot with the new job as it leaves me quality time and indeed that goes to this site *grins*, I am following your blog and it is cool to recognize visitors to mine now. Thank you for your feedback. Cheers, Syllie
# Guest 2010-05-02 16:43 I liked "cherry blossom" and "paisley motif" tutorials very much, tried that and was pleased with results. I am glad that I had found your site. Please, keep adding tutorials like this.
# Guest 2010-05-20 23:09 Thank you for sharing this tutorial. Your site is a fabulous resource!
# Guest 2010-07-28 15:05 hi, I have found this site recently and likes your tutorials very much. I am happy the way things are explained here.
# helmikuu 2010-09-14 05:34 Wow very beautiful! Thank you for this tutorial. I really like this.
# skrez 2010-12-18 09:16 really adore it. thanks for this awesome piece of work!
Page 17 of 19Inkscape Tutorial: Paisley Motif | Vectors
# Marina 2011-01-03 23:53 Beautiful tutorial! You are very kind to share it with us! I'm italian, and Inkscape tutorials in my language are few. In this way I learn Inkscape and I learn English. No Bad!
# Paul Sober 2011-01-05 14:56 totally jazzed about this one. Just startig out with inkscape and having a blast. This program is fricken cool.
# Kris 2011-01-27 05:47 This is where I got lost: "Select the fancy triangle from the group of patterns vsd_select_tool."
I use Inkscape all the time for simple projects but there are so many functions of this program to explore! That's why I'm checking out the tutorials to learn new creative techniques I can use. Can anyone help me figure this out. I was able to import the patterns but I really don't get what to do next! I'll probably figure this out by the time anyone sees this post!
# Kris 2011-01-27 07:33 Okay I figured out how to do the Pattern Along Path but I was never able to tweak the settings to get a perfect connection! I settled for close enough!
# syllie 2011-01-29 14:54 Hi Kris, I'm glad you figured it out! You're right Inkscape has a lot of functions and some people never explore the fancy functions in the lower menu's. It is cool to try them out tho and see how far their functionality reaches. And yea sometimes it takes a bit of tweaking to get it perfect - or in your case.. good enough. Also note that I made this tut with version 0.47 and that there have been significant changes (with some degradations) in the node tool for Inkscape 0.48. I will revisit this tutorial when the bug fix version 0.48.1 has been released. Thanks for your feedback. Cheers, Syllie
# Greg 2011-01-27 09:48 Very informative -- I'm a complete noob with Inkscape, but I got up and running quickly with this clever, simple and useful toot. Thanks!!!!
# syllie 2011-01-29 14:58 Hi Greg! Thanks for your feedback. I am always happy to read that the tutorials help to get someone started with Inkscape - it
is an awesome program for an awesome price Cheers, Syllie
# papasue 2011-05-02 02:01 Every time I do one of your tuts I learn a bunch more techniques for using Inkscape over and above making the design. I do wish the "security" code was easier to see as I spend more
time trying to see it and enter it than I do on the tut thanks
# syllie 2011-05-02 16:07 Hi PapaSue, I am glad you are enjoying the tutorials and I am sorry to hear you have difficulties posting feedback because of the captcha. It is a necessary means, as the site receives too much spam
Page 18 of 19Inkscape Tutorial: Paisley Motif | Vectors
otherwise. I just wanted to let you know that all comments are moderated, so they won't appear until I have manually approved them. So far I have seen 2x comments from you on two tutorials, so you posted successfully. Sorry for the inconvenience and I am really happy with your feedback! Cheers, Syllie
# Stu 2011-06-06 16:01 This was a wonderful tutorial. Very informative. Thanks for your time.
# Tekki 2011-08-03 04:24 Wow! This tutorial made me love inkscape. I though inkskape is very difficult, now I know that I can use it with ease and hand down. Thanks! :)
# Colleen 2011-10-23 04:07 Fantastic! I made my own paisley design after
doing this tut and have learnt a little more Thanks!
# Kadin 2012-01-13 15:08
Excellent tutorial,I love this! thanks for sharing
# Teresa J 2012-02-20 12:07 This was a very well done tutorial. I thank you for