How to create a heart shape

From Scribus Wiki
Revision as of 09:43, 24 March 2015 by Garryp (talk | contribs) (Converted to use new TOC+Key combination.)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This article is part of the HOWTOs series.
Installation Usage PDF issues Imposition Other
Heart shape title.png
Key
This article uses these graphical conventions
Tutorial template icon window.pngWindow ⟩⟩ Tab/Panel in Window
ButtonMenuChoiceKeyboard

Introduction

This tutorial will show you how to use some of the Scribus drawing tools to make a simple "heart" shape.

Specific techniques used in this tutorial

  • Setting a grid.
  • Creating a circle.
  • Creating a bezier curve.
  • Converting to a polygon.
  • Joining curves.
  • Joining shapes.

Setup

  • Open Scribus and create a new document. (A4/Letter portrait will do.)
Figure 1

First, you should display the grid and set grid snapping on. This is important because it will allow you to create the shapes much easier than otherwise.

  • Choose menu FileDocument Setup
  • Select "Guides" from the scrolling list on the left.
  • Check the "Show Page Grid" icon.
  • Set the "Major Grid" Spacing to 100pt.
  • Set the "Minor Grid" Spacing to 20pt.
  • OK the dialog.
  • Choose menu PageSnap to Grid. If "Snap to Grid" was already ticked then don't select it, leave it ticked.

Your document should look like figure 1.

Circles

Figure 2
  • Choose menu InsertInsert ShapeDefault ShapesCircle
  • Draw a circle the same size as two of the larger grid squares.
  • Choose menu ItemDuplicate
  • Drag the duplicated circle across to the right of the original so that the duplicate overlaps the original by two of the smaller grid squares - see figure 2.

Curves

Figure 3

It might be helpful to look at figure 3 before trying the next bit so that you have a better idea of what the instructions mean.

  • Choose menu InsertInsert Bezier Curve
  • Click at the point seven small grid squares down from the bottom of the two circles aligned vertically with the point where the two circles meet.
  • Drag the pointer down from the left of the left-hand circle by the same distance as one of the larger grid squares and release the mouse button.
  • Right-click to complete the bezier curve.
Figure 4
  • Select the curve you've just drawn.
  • Choose menu ItemDuplicate
  • Go to Tutorial template icon window.pngProperties ⟩⟩ X,Y,Z and press the "Flip Horizontal" button.
  • Drag the flipped curve so that its bottom end meets the bottom end of the original curve.

You should now have something that looks like figure 4.

Joining Up

Figure 5
  • Select one of the curves.
  • Shift-select the other curve.
  • Choose menu ItemPath ToolsConnect Paths
  • Set "Connect First Line" to "Starting Point".
  • Set "with Second Line" to "Starting Point".
  • Check to see that the dialog box looks like figure 5 and press OK
  • Re-select the new joined curve.
  • Choose menu ItemConvert toPolygon
  • Select one of the circles.
  • Shift-select the other circle.
  • Choose menu ItemPath ToolsPath Operations…
  • Accept the dialog box as it is and press OK
  • Select the joined circles.
  • Shift-select the joined curves.
  • Choose menu ItemPath ToolsPath Operations…
  • Accept the dialog box as it is and press OK
Figure 6

You should now have you heart shape as it looks in figure 6.

You can now add this shape to your scrapbook and use it wherever you need it.