Inkscape Tutorial: Fancy Borders

When I started with the Paisley Motif tutorial I thought I should at least show how to create some basic patterns that can be used in these designs.

I started to write and before I knew I ended up with a very long tutorial. And it is so simple! So I decided to break the tutorial into 2 parts: one about creating a basic patterns library, and one on creating a paisley motif. You are now viewing the first one.

While this tutorial is actually a tutorial about creating a basic pattern library, it will also show you how to create some fancy borders and edges.

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).

Creating pattern elements: building a library

For this tutorial we keep things quite simple and I'll show how to create a few simple elements, but please experiment and find your own interesting shapes.

Size of the elements

As we work with vectors, sizes do not really matter. Everything is scalable to any size without loss of quality.
I know however that these elements will be used for decorating other designs (paisley), so I draw them relatively small. I will give size indications, but feel free to differ :D

Upon completion of this tutorial you'll have a basic library with 13 symbols. The set is available for download at the bottom of this article too.

Let's start.

• Open Inkscape and start with a default document.

Circles

Basic element in all designs. Very easy to use for dotted patterns, strings of beads, buttons and more.

Circle 1

• Use the Ellipse Tool , and draw a small circle on the canvas. Hold down the Ctrl-key and keep an eye on the statusbar at the bottom of the screen: a ratio of 1:1 results in a circle. The one I made is about 15x15 px.
• Give it a black fill: click with the left mouse button on the black swatch in the colour palette at the bottom of the screen.
• Remove the stroke: hold the Shift-key down and click with the left mouse button on the X in the colour palette.

Circle 2

• Make a duplicate of Circle 1: select Edit > Duplicate from the menu (Ctrl+D).
• The duplicate is created on top of the original. Move it to its own spot with the mouse.
• Give the duplicate a black stroke (outline): hold down the Shift-key and click with the left mouse button on the black swatch in the colour palette.
• Set the Stroke width to 2px: click with the right mouse button on the number next to the stroke colour in the left lower corner of the screen. Select 2 from the list.

• Remove the fill: click with the left mouse button on the X in the colour palette.
• Set the size to exactly 15x15 px, use the input options for W and H at the top of the screen.

• Note: setting this size exactly makes life a bit easier later on, when we use this circle as element for Triangle 6.

Triangle variations

Inkscape does not have the triangle as a primitive shape, but it has several methods to create one. I normally start with a rectangle and remove one of the nodes.
In this case I use the render option as it creates the shape I want in one step.

Triangle 1

• Select Extensions > Render > Triangle from the menu.
• Set the Mode dropdown selection to "From three sides".
• Set the lenght of the individual sides. I used 30px for the length of side a, b and c.

• Press the Apply button. An equilateral triangle is created.
• Close the dialog.

Triangle 2

• Create a duplicate of Triangle 1: select Edit > Duplicate from the menu (Ctrl+D).
• The duplicate is created exactly on top of the original, move it aside with the Select tool.
• Give the duplicate a black fill: click with the left mouse button on the black swatch in the colour palette.

Triangle 3

• Create a duplicate of Triangle 2 (Ctrl+D) and move it aside.
• Use the Ellipse Tool to create a small circle on top of the duplicate. Hold down the Ctrl-key to draw a circle with ratio 1:1. Mine was about 12x12px.
• Give the circle a white fill and remove the stroke (like before).
• Open the Align and Distribute dialog  (Shift+Ctrl+A). Align the triangle and the circle at the centre .
• The vertical position should be eyeballed, but about the middle of the black triangle:

• Select both the triangle and circle objects and use Path > Difference (Ctrl+-) from the menu.

Triangle 4

• Create a duplicate of Triangle 3 (Ctrl+D) and move it aside.
• Use the Node Tool .
• Select the top node of the duplicate, and click on the Auto-Smooth button  from the Node Tool - Tool Control bar.

The pattern should look like this:

Triangle 5

• Use the Select Tool .
• Create a duplicate of Triangle 1 (Ctrl+D) and move it aside.
• Use the Node Tool .
• Select the 2 nodes at the bottom of the duplicate: draw a selection window (rubberband) around them.

• Remove the segment between those 2 nodes by pressing this button  in the Node Tool - Tool Control bar.
• This path will be used as skeleton path for triangle 6, but it is useful as pattern in itself.

Triangle 6

• Use the Select Tool .
• Select Circle 2, the small circle that has no fill.
• Press the Home-key to make the circle the top most object in the layer (z-order).
• Hold down the Shift-key and add the Triangle 5 as skeleton path to the selection.

• Select from the menu Extension > Generate from Path > Scatter.
• Use the following settings:

Which results in this if the Live Preview checkbox is ticked:

• Click on Apply and close the dialog.

• The generated pattern exists as a group of objects. Move them aside so they are separate from the skeleton path (Triangle 5).
• With the group selected use Object > Ungroup from the menu (Shift+Ctrl+G).

• Ensure the now ungrouped objects (5 circles) are selected.
• Use Path > Stroke to Path (Ctrl+Alt+C) from the menu. This turns the outline of the circles into a vector object.
• With these objects still selected: use Path > Combine (Ctrl+K) from the menu. This turns the outline shapes into a single path.

Triangle 7

• Make a duplicate from both Triangle 3 and Triangle 6.
• Select both duplicates.

• Use the Align and Distribute dialog  (Shift+Ctrl+A) to align these 2 objects at the centre  and at the bottom .
• Use Path > Combine (Ctrl+K) from the menu to create a fancy triangle.

Leaves

Leaves are part of many designs and stylish leaf patterns are easy to create.

Leaf 1

• Use the Ellipse Tool to draw a horizontally orientated ellipse.
• Select Path > Objec to Path from the menu.
• Use the Node Tool .
• Select the horizontal outer nodes, and make them cusp (corner) .
• If one of the nodes does not turn into a sharp corner, then this is due to the length of the control handles. Select that node with the node tool and hold down the ,-key (comma).
• With the nodes still selected, move them out a bit further (Shift+>).
• Make the top and bottom node Auto-Smooth .
• Remove the fill, and set the stroke to black, width 2.

Leaf 2:

• Make a duplicate of Leaf 1: select Edit > Duplicate from the menu (Ctrl+D).
• Give the leaf a black fill, remove the stroke.

Leaf 3 and 4

• As alternative, follow the the steps for leaf 1, but just make one horizontal node cusp.

• Save your work.

The file you just saved is a library file which can be used in many Inkscape designs. As I said at the beginning of this tutorial, the patterns are quite simple. You can experiment and add new elements to the file at all times, so over time you build up a nice collection.

Making use of the patterns for fancy border designs

Creating fancy borders with Inkscape is about the easiest thing to do as there are a few powerful extensions that makes life extremely easy.

Basic ingredients: a path and a pattern.

• Open a new Inkscape document.
• Import the pattern library file we created in the first part of this tutorial through File > Import. This way you can make use of the patterns without modifying the file itself.
• The contents of the file are imported as group: use Object > Ungroup (Shift+Ctrl+G) to ungroup the patterns.

• Use the bezier tool  to draw a simple path. It does not matter what your path looks like, it could even be a straight line.

Example 1: Beaded String

• Select the open circle symbol from the pattern symbols.
• Press the Home-key to make the pattern the topmost object of the Layer.

The extensions Scatter and Pattern along Path assume that the topmost object in a selection is the pattern. Pressing the Home-key with the pattern object selected ensures this at all times.

• Add the skeleton path to the selection: with the pattern selected, hold down the Shift-key and click on the path.
• Use from the menu Extensions > Generate from Path > Scatter.
• Use the following settings in the Scatter Dialog:

• Tick the preview checkbox to see how the pattern will be scattered along the path.
• Press the Apply button. Close the dialog.

The Scatter extension creates a group of patterns that follows the path.
The Scatter extension does not deform the object that is used as pattern.
The skeleton path has been moved aside for the bottom border. As the pattern is created on top of the skeleton path it is necessary to move the pattern below the path first: select the pattern and press the End-key. Now the path can be selected and moved.

Example 2: Chain-Stitch Embroidery

As easy as the previous one, but we use the Extension "Pattern along Path here":

• Select the open leaf pattern.
• Press the Home-key to bring it to top.
• Add the skeleton path to the selection.
• Open Extensions > Generate from Path > Pattern along Path.
• Use the following settings in the dialog:

The negative value for the "space between copies" ensures the overlap of the pattern.

• Preview the effect and press Apply. Close the dialog.

The Scatter extension creates a new path from the pattern, this is a main difference from the Scatter extension.
Pattern along Path will deform the pattern if that is needed to trace the skeleton path.
The skeleton path has been moved aside for the bottom border.

Example 3: A Lace Border

Very easy with the fancy triangle that is part of the library.

• Select the fancy triangle (triangle 7) pattern.
• Press the Home-key to bring it to top.
• Add the skeleton path to the selection.
• Open Extensions > Generate from Path > Pattern along Path.
• Use the following settings in the dialog:

The negative value for "Space between copies" ensures a snug (and slightly overlapping) fit of the pattern along the path. The value for Normal offset moves the pattern a bit off-centre from the path. In this case so much that the bottom of the pattern sits on top of the path.

• Check the preview and press apply. Close the dialog.

The 2nd variant requires a bit of extra work, but is extremely easy to make, as it is basically adding another pattern to the original skeleton path:

• Select the open circle pattern.
• Press the Home-key to bring it to top.
• The generated lace path is on top of the skeleton path, send it to the back by selecting the generated path and then pressing the End-key.
• Select the skeleton path.
• Add the closed circle to the selection: with the skeleton path selected, hold down the Shift-key and click on the closed circle pattern.
• Open Extensions > Generate from Path > Pattern along Path.
• Use the following settings in the dialog:

The value for Normal offset moves the pattern a bit off-centre from the path. In this case so much that the top of the circle pattern aligns with the skeleton path.

• Check the preview and press the Apply button. Close the dialog.

• Bring the skeleton path to front: this is done easiest by selecting the generated circles path that is on top of it and send it to the back by pressing the End-key.
• Select the skeleton path and set the stroke width to 6px: select the number next to the stroke settings in the left bottom corner of the screen with the right mouse button. Select 6 px from the list.

Example 4: FloraL Branches

Very easy with the closed leaf pattern that is part of the library.

• Select the closed leaf pattern.
• Press the Home-key to bring it to top.
• Add the skeleton path to the selection.
• Open Extensions > Generate from Path > Pattern along Path.
• Use the following settings in the dialog:

The value for "Space between copies" ensures an evenly spaced copy of the pattern along the path.
The value for Normal offset moves the pattern a bit off-centre from the path. In this case so much that the pattern is completely isolated from the path.
The value for "Pattern is vertical" ensures that the pattern is rotated over 90 degrees. Otherwise we would have a similar effect as created in example 2: chain stitch.

• Check the preview: one half of the floral pattern is created.
• Click on Apply and close the dialog.
• Select the skeleton path.
• Select from the menu Path > Reverse. This reverses the direction of the path, and that affects how a pattern is rendered along it.
• Add the same closed leaf pattern to the selection: with the path selected, hold down the Shift-key and click on the leaf pattern.
• Open Extensions > Generate from Path > Pattern along Path.
• Use the following settings in the dialog:

The settings are the same as before, except for Tangential offset. This determines the offset along the path, and by giving this the same value as the space between copies the pattern will be generated exactly between the patterns from the previous run.
As the path direction is reversed, the pattern will be created at the opposite site of the path.

• Preview the effect and press Apply. Close the dialog.
• Select the path and set the stroke width to 6px.

Closing remarks

The extensions Pattern along Path and Scatter need a pattern and a skeleton path to work.

The pattern can exist of a path, groups of paths, shapes or clones.

The path however, must be exactly that: a path. That means that any Inkscape primitive shape such as an ellipse, rectangle or star first needs to be converted to a path: menu Path > Object to Path.

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.