{"id":2431,"date":"2020-01-29T15:20:44","date_gmt":"2020-01-29T20:20:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/crystalscrafties.com\/?p=2431"},"modified":"2020-03-05T20:00:35","modified_gmt":"2020-03-06T01:00:35","slug":"how-to-make-your-own-stacked-word-svg-file-in-inkscape","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crystalscrafties.com\/index.php\/2020\/01\/29\/how-to-make-your-own-stacked-word-svg-file-in-inkscape\/","title":{"rendered":"How to make your own Stacked Word SVG file in Inkscape"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Those retro stacked word designs are starting to pop up everywhere. I thought they were pretty awesome and wanted to start selling them in my Etsy shop so I pulled up my Inkscape and learned how to make the SVG file. Now that I know how to make stacked word SVG files I want to share my method with you.\u00a0 You\u2019ll need Inkscape to do this but don\u2019t worry, it\u2019s free and an easy download.\u00a0 Just click this link and download Inkscape now.\u00a0 Once you have Inkscape on your computer you\u2019re ready to go.\u00a0 Simply follow the steps below to make your own stacked word SVG files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"How<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

(This post contains affiliate links. This just means if you purchase something by clicking one of my links I may receive a small commission at no fee to you.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step One: Pull in your text<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First you need to add in your text. In my example I used \u201cGood Vibes\u201d. To do this just click the \u201ctext\u201d icon in your left menu bar and then click into the work area on your screen.\u00a0 Type in your word(s) and select your font.\u00a0 I used the Hank Rounded<\/a> font from Creative Fabrica (it\u2019s free with a subscription).\u00a0 Once you have your word typed in, click on the \u201cselector\u201d tool in the left menu bar and then click your word to \u201cselect\u201d it.\u00a0 When your word is selected go up to \u201cpath\u201d and then \u201cobject to path\u201d.\u00a0 This will turn your word from a text file into a path which is what your cutting machine needs to be able to cut the word.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Inkscape<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Now that your word is a path you will want to select each letter individually (just triple click into the letters while holding shift or drag a box around your whole word).\u00a0 When all the letters are individually selected, go to \u201cPath\u201d and then \u201cUnion\u201d.\u00a0 This is like welding the word together in Design Space.\u00a0 These steps have to be followed or you will not be able to create the hollow effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Select<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Step Two: Hollow out your word<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Okay so now you have your word and it is a united path.\u00a0 You need to add some shadow to it.\u00a0 To do this, select your word and then go to \u201cPath\u201d and \u201clinked offset\u201d.\u00a0 From here you can either drag the little diamond until you get a large enough shadow or you can hold \u201cCtrl\u201d and click the right parenthesis as many times as you\u2019d like to get the amount of shadow you want. The amount of shadow is totally up to you.\u00a0 Once you have your shadow where you want it, click in the middle of your word and drag out your original word (see pic below).\u00a0 You now have two layers; your original word and your shadow word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"shadow<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Change the color of your original word by selecting the word\nand clicking on a color box at the bottom.\u00a0\nYou want to be able to see the two different layers. Now you need to\nmake some duplicates.\u00a0 While your original\nword is selected hit \u201cCtrl\u201d + \u201cD\u201d and it will duplicate.\u00a0 Select your shadow word and duplicate\nit.\u00a0 Move your duplicate words to the\nside of your work area.\u00a0 You\u2019ll need them\nlater.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Place your original word on top of your shadow word and center them.\u00a0 Select both words by dragging a box around them and then up to the align tool (see pic below) on your top menu bar.\u00a0 Center your words both vertically and horizontally.\u00a0 While they are both still selected go to \u201cPath\u201d and \u201cDifference\u201d.\u00a0 You\u2019ll see the original word disappear and you\u2019re left with a hollow shadow layer. That\u2019s your first stacked word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Stacked<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Step Three: create the stacked word effect<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now it\u2019s time to layer your words.\u00a0 Select the shadow word you had off to the side and duplicate it again.\u00a0 (You\u2019re going to duplicate several times.\u00a0 Just drag your duplicates off to the side because you\u2019ll need them later.) Move your shadow layer under your first stacked word.\u00a0 Align it to where it has the layered effect you want (see pic below) and make sure you center it with your first stacked word. When everything looks right, drag a box around both words to select them and then go to \u201cpath\u201d and \u201cdifference\u201d.\u00a0 You\u2019ll see the bottom shadow layer be removed from your first stacked word. This gives you the cutout you\u2019ll need to put your next layer in.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Stacked<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Now it\u2019s time to duplicate some more.\u00a0 Make a duplicate of both your original word\nand your shadow layer that you have over to the side.\u00a0 Take one of the original words and move it\ninto the center of one of the shadow words.\u00a0\nCenter everything like you did before and go to \u201cpath\u201d and \u201cdifference\u201d.\u00a0 You now have your second stacked word.\u00a0 Move it under your first stacked word and\nchange its color so you can see the difference and where it all lines up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For your third stacked word just follow everything from step 3 again. \u00a0You can do this as many times as you want to achieve the look you want.\u00a0 I just did 3 layers but you can keep going.\u00a0 I\u2019ve seen as many as 7 before\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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