How to Make a Chain with Inkscape

Chain is one of the simplest things you can create using Inkscape. What is most amazing is that it can look exactly like a real one we are used to wearing. And once you know how to make this chain you will be able to create a whole lot of jewelry graphics such as bracelet, necklace and earrings. You will be also able to make beautiful frames. Here we will make a bracelet.

Step 1: Choose the rectangle icon. Draw one using width: 161.429, height: 81.429 and Rx: 14.240.

Step2: Duplicate the rectangle using Ctrl and D or by right clicking and then choosing duplicate.

Step 3: For this duplicate, choose a color of your choice.

Step 4: Shrink this duplicate and put it in the middle of the original rectangle.

Step 5: Select both the rectangles by dragging your mouse cursor over them.

Step6: Choose from top menu object to path and then difference. What you will get now is a hollow rectangle.

Step7: Go back to rectangle icon you used from the left before. Draw another box with width: 95.714, height: 30.000 and Rx: 11.064. Drag it to the right side of the first rectangle as shown below.

Step8: Select both the items and from Path choose Union.

Step9: Now we shrink the size of our drawing to width: 84.285 and height: 41.430 and go Path>Object to Path. You can now use it for making any jewelry. Here we will make a bracelet.

Step10: Choose circle icon from the left menu. In shortcut, you can also press F5. Draw a circle. Keep its width: 654.429 and height: 648.714. The one drawn here is kept in red color because of better visibility. Once you draw the circle select it and then choose Path>Object to Path.

Step11: Go back to the first chain portion and rotate it 90 degree clockwise.

Step12: Raise it to the top. That would be object>Raise to top.

Step13: Select both the items and then go to Extensions>Generate from Path>Scatter.

Step14: Now you will have scatter box. Here for space between the lines choose -1.4. Next click Apply and then Close. Our bracelet is partially complete. We don’t need the circle standing behind it. So we delete it.

Step 15: Select the first chain piece and then from Fill and Stroke box choose any yellow color. Here we go for dbaf15ff. This will change the color of our bracelet also.