How to not fill a certain area in side of a shape

[MGardner (Michael Gardner)]

I am trying to figure out how to not fill in certain areas within a shape.
I drew a square inside of a square inside of a square inside of a square each square is 1/2" smaller than the other. I want to engrave it so that I have a 1/2" wide band around every other square so that it looks like a square band inside of another square band. However when I select any of the squares and tell the layer to fill it wants to fill the entire square. How do I make it on fill to the next square?

I hope this makes sense because after I sat back and proof read it it sounds weird

Thanks
Michael

[Rick (Technical Evangelist)]

Take a look at this post and let us know if this is still causing you issues.

How do I invert (negate) a vector engraving?

If you want to invert a vector engraving (Fill layer) you need to add an outline to it. Think about what happens when you scan a circle, compared to the letter ‘O’. The inner ring of the O toggles the fill. If you add another shape (like a square) outside it, it negates the whole thing: [image] And a slightly different example, this time done by changing the outer line around the design to a ‘Line’, instead of leaving it as part of the Fill layer: [image] In the case above, the design alr…

[MGardner (Michael Gardner)]

Here is another file I am working on that I am having the same issue. If I read the other post in the link correctly I have done what you described?

Here is what the preview shows as you can see it will fill in the eye and the nostril

Thanks
Michael

[Rick (Technical Evangelist)]

The "eye is on a different layer, thus not part of the calculation of which objects you want to be filled. If you change the “eye” shape to your ‘Fill’ layer, you will get what you’d like. You can also have the eye shape cut with a line as you have it now as well if you’d like. Just duplicate that shape and leave that on the ‘Line’ layer.

[MGardner (Michael Gardner)]

That did the trick. Thank you very much

[Rick (Technical Evangelist)]

Glad you are sorted.