Not able to fill outlined graphic

[notJenn]

I created this simple graphic with a mix of the straight line tool and the shape tool. Any color I drag on to any panel of this hat only changes the background color. I've made sure that all these lines have snapped to the appropriate edges and have tried many combinations of joining shapes and converting to shapes, etc...

I'm new to Xara and have been using Flash for quite some time, and have noticed the vectors don't seem to work the same so I'm not sure this is even possible. Any suggestions are appreciated!

[angelize]

Hello notJenn, you need a closed shape in order to fill it with colour. As an example I used the shape editor tool and traced around the lines on your hat, when you get back to the beginning of the shape put the cursor over the first node and you will see a plus sign, the lines will join and you will have a closed shape and you will be able to fill it with colour. if you want the lines to show above the colours you can create the colours on a separate layer under the lines layer. I've attached your hat with two sections coloured I just sent the two sections to the back instead of adding the extra layer.

[notJenn]

So basically, if I want to make the panels on the hat different colors, I need to make them all separate shapes?

Also, I was unaware the Xara actually had layers... I thought all of the objects had their order from front to back and that was it. Thanks for mentioning this, it will come in very handy

[gwpriester]

Actually in the case of your cap, the round top and curved bottom shapes need to be joined. Select both lines, then switch to the Shape Editor Tool. Select one of the corners where the two lines come together and drag the control point out and back a short distance. The cursor will display a + to indicate the lines are about to be joined.

Repeat this for the other side and when you are done the shape will be closed.
The order in which objects are stacked can be considered separate layers, which is what Frances is referring to. These are not the same as Layers you create in the Page and Layer Gallery, but basically the same idea.

[notJenn]

Ok, so being snapped doesn't mean that the lines are joined... that helps a lot!
After playing with this for a little while, I figured out that I can select the vertical curved line and the recently joined top and bottom lines and splice them in order to color the different vertical panels separately.

Thanks so much to you both for your help! This is an awesome community...

[wizard509]

I've been playing around with this so here is another way of doing it.
If anyone sees any problem with doing it this way please let me know.
I know this works because I have done the same thing several times, and it works every time.

[handrawn]

Hi Larry - my way too, spot on, only thing I'd add - I always 'convert line to shape' between your steps 1 & 2, this is likely not necessary unless you are performing step 2 on a mixture of lines and shapes, but I always do it just in case

[mg.architect]

@wizard509: What are you doing in step 2? Are you using the Add Shapes command on the lines from step 1? Or are you creating shapes of each segment? You've lost me in the two steps.
Thanks,
mg

[zaphodeist]

Another way that might help perhaps ...

[angelize]

There is also what I like to call the cartoonist method, draw your lines on one layer create a second layer below the first draw your colour shapes there

cartoonist_method.xar