By Mary Zimmerman

Select an image
–Select & open the image into
Inkscape
•Jpg, gif, bmp, anything
–Make sure the image itself is
selected (look for the BLACK
arrows around the image).
–Go to <Edit> <Make Bitmap>
–Delete the original (move the
‘new’ image, then select the
original & delete)
 Trace Bitmap
• Select the ‘new’ bitmap
image (black arrows)
• Go to <Path><Trace
Bitmap>
• Select <Brightness Cutoff
—Threshold>
– Play around with the
Threshold #s: you will
need to reselect the bitmap
each time you change the
numbers. Cont. playing
with these numbers until
you find something that
works for you.
 Break Apart
• Move the Bitmap image
out of the way
• Select the ‘traced’ image
(black arrows)
• Go to <Path><Break
Apart>
• Deselect the entire
‘traced’ image, then click • If the ‘break apart’ doesn’t
somewhere near the pull all the pieces you
edge of the image-this want (the eye, the
should select the ‘base’, nostrils, the hair, the
the largest piece from the shadow, etc…) Reselect
break apart. the starting image and
repeat the ‘trace’-change
threshold #s, & ‘break
apart’.
 NODES

Nodes allow you to move and adjust the ‘traced’ pieces-

reshaping parts as you desire. Once you select NODES
zoom in to see up close what you are moving. If you need
to, you can move your ‘traced’ piece over your image to
see where you want the lines to be. I try to keep the
pieces just slightly smaller than the outer edge, as I like to
see the outline of the base when it is all put together.
 More of NODES
• If you have same color pieces that ‘broke apart’ and you want
them to be one piece (easier when cutting & piecing together!)
• Select the pieces: hold shift and select each piece you want to
make into one.
• Once they are all selected <ctrl><K> at the same time (this
combines them.
• Now-if there is space between the pieces, and you want to
attach them to each other, go ahead & move the parts, add
nodes, etc… to where you want everything.
• Select the pieces that you have adjusted and that you want to
be ‘joined’. <Path><Union> then <Path><Combine> I have
found that if I don’t do both Union & Combine, when I cut the
piece out, the separate pieces cut out, not Unioned/Combined.
Pieces that Wouldn’t Trace
• Cont to ‘trace’ & ‘break
apart’ until you have what
you need. If you find that
no matter what Threshold
you try, you can’t get a
piece or two, you will have
to create your own piece.
• The simplest way I have
found is to copy a piece you
already have, move it over
you image, to the spot that
did not trace. Here you will
use the NODES to adjust it
to the shape you need.
 Preview
• Place your pieces together-
to see how they fit (don’t
use the base) You can
change the color of the
pieces by Rt clicking on the
selected piece <fill &
stroke> select color
• You can adjust your pieces
to fit tight or loose (so that
you can see the base
between the pieces), it is up
to you.
 Saving the File

• Remember to Rt Click, <Fill and Stroke> change the piece

back to black. Separate the pieces.
• <Save as> where ever you like, Name it what ever you like.
This is saved as .svg.
• IMPORT into SCaL, adjust to the size you want, and Cut
Away!!!