Need help doing an offset. PLEASE!!

[jason.jason.p]

Hey all, I'm trying to take this batman logo and offset the path to the inside. For some reason, my software simply will not let me do this.
I can offset other files/drawing just not this one. In my CAD program or inkscape (which I used to convert the clipart to dxf for this file) I have had zero luck getting anything resembling what I want.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, I want to learn what I am doing wrong.

The finished product needs to be about 24" wide with a 2" inset all the way around.

Here is the file and a picture of what I am trying to accomplish.

[acourtjester]

What I have found is Inkscape will not do any function toward the inside. what you may try is to copy the shape and paste it on the same page, and change the pasted ones size and the place it inside the other. The select both by using the click and then shift key and select the other. Use the align and distribute tool to center the inside one.

align.jpg (54.15 KiB) Viewed 1318 times

align.jpg (54.15 KiB) Viewed 1318 times

[Shane Warnick]

I understand your frustration, and frankly, this is something that your software either does great, or sucks at. The problem with doing it like acourtjester outlines above, is that when you scale one down to place it in the center of the other one, the aspect ratios change, and it isn't offset exactly the same all the way around the drawing. It works awesome with a square or circle, not so much with more complex shapes, such as the one above, or the outline of a state etc.

That being said, my software does it great, so here it is. If you need some done in the future, hit me up and if I have a second I can help you out. You can email me at shane (dot) warnick (@) gmail (dot) com or the one in my signature works too, just takes awhile to fetch to the gmail account.

So, I offset it by 3/4". 1", 1.5", and 2". I don't think 2" is what you are looking for, if you are wanting it to look anything like the example you posted above, but since you requested 2", it's there if you want it. If you need a different offset let me know I can make it happen.

Be safe
Shane

Logo with offset.dxf

(447 KiB) Downloaded 60 times

Logo with offset.dxf

(447 KiB) Downloaded 60 times

[jason.jason.p]

acourtjester: Thanks for the suggestion. I'm not nearly as fluent with inkscape as i would like but I did do something like what you're saying in my CAD and ended up with the results below.

[jason.jason.p]

Mr. Warnick: You have saved the day!!

Thank you so much I really appreciate you taking the time to help and go above and beyond.
You're correct 3/4-1"is what i am looking for, I was going off a customer request for the 2" Its just hard for me to visualize how much 2" really is without seeing it for myself. (that's what she said).

Thanks again

[Gamelord]

sizing up or down will not make the shape even all the way around, you end up with the picture above, To do this (In Corel) you would use the contour tool, I believe Inkscape has the same feature but not sure if it is called contour as well.

This thread explains how the tool works.
http://www.plasmaspider.com/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=14750

[acourtjester]

Ok after some playing I found out how to do it in Inkscape. If you have your drawing and it is in a path you highlight it. Click on Ctrl+d which makes a duplicate on top of the drawing. Now while still highlighted click on Ctrl+( this is for inset) it will reduce the top drawing step by step each time you repeat the Ctrl+( until you have the inset you want). To enlarge the drawing you use the outset (Ctrl+)
A old dog can learn a new trick

batman 2.jpg (9.23 KiB) Viewed 1262 times

batman 2.jpg (9.23 KiB) Viewed 1262 times

[little blue choo]

OK Old Dog, you've tried to teach me a new trick that I can't learn. Dose not work like that on my Inkscape or I older and will take longer to learn. Check your post and teach me something. LOL

Rick

[sawdust1]

I offset to the inside by using a negative number.
David

[acourtjester]

I made a video to show how I did the inset from a path, I am using Inkscape version 0.91
It is to large to attach here even if I ZIPed it, I can email it to you if you PM me with your email address.