Inkscape Fish Text Creation Tutorial

May 7, 2025

Inkscape Tutorial: Creating Text in the Shape of a Fish

Welcome to today's tutorial where we will learn to use Inkscape to take the text and form it into the shape of an object. The example we'll be working with today is creating the word 'fish' into the shape of a fish.

Prerequisites

  • Font Required: Chunk 5 (download and install this font before starting).
  • Software: Inkscape.

Step-by-Step Guide

Setup Inkscape

  • Open Inkscape.
  • Set view to custom.
  • Zoom to 1:1.
  • Open Align and Distribute menu (set to 'last selected').
  • Open Edit Objects, Colors, Gradients, and Stroke menu.

Create the Base Shape

  1. Circle Creation:

    • Select the 'Create circles and ellipses' tool.
    • Draw a circle.
    • Set both width and height to 400.
    • Reduce opacity to half and color it red.

  2. Rectangle Creation:

    • Select the rectangle tool and draw a rectangle.
    • Set width to 400 and height to 100.
    • Align the rectangle with the circle using vertical axis alignment and top edge alignment.
    • Use 'Path > Intersection'.

  3. Duplicate and Manipulate

    • Duplicate the shape and flip it vertically.
    • Align bottom edges using 'Align bottom edges of objects'.
    • Use 'Path > Union'.
    • Duplicate again, move it to the right, create a new rectangle and align.
    • Use 'Path > Difference', then 'Path > Union' to finalize the fish shape.

Creating Text for the Shape

  1. Text Setup:

    • Select text tool and type 'FISH' in all caps.
    • Set the font to Chunk 5.
    • Convert text to a path using 'Path > Object to Path'.

  2. Flow Text into Shape:

    • Open Path Effect Editor and choose 'Envelope Deformation'.
    • Align text to fish shape.
    • Adjust text using the envelope deformation by manipulating the top and bottom bend paths.

  3. Finalization:

    • Once satisfied, convert to path with 'Path > Object to Path'.

Adding Final Touches

  • Eye Creation:

    • Create an ellipse for the nose.
    • Align with the fish using path intersection.
    • Create a circle for the eye, align and use path difference.

  • Final Adjustments:

    • Adjust the opacity back to 100%.
    • Fill the shape with a solid color, e.g., an aqua shade of blue.

Conclusion

  • This tutorial covers the basics of using the path envelope effect in Inkscape.
  • For any questions, feel free to ask.

Thank you for watching!

Full transcript