Use the Shape Builder Tool to Draw a Radiation Warning Symbol

This tutorial shows intermediate Inkscape users how to use the Shape Builder tool . It’s probably too difficult for new beginners, but we have a beginners tutorial for the Shape Builder tool. Or you can find many beginner lessons in Inkscape for Artists – Step by Step.

1. Draw a series of lines or shapes that looks like the screenshot below — 7 concentric circles and a hexagon with 3 lines connecting opposite corners. Note that both the innermost and the outermost circles are actually 2 separate circles, on top of each other.
   
   
   
   
   1a – Draw the hexagon first. While the Star/Polygon tool can draw a hexagon, it usually is not entirely symmetrical. So if you want the drawing to be precise, you can use an axonometric grid with snapping, and draw it with the Pen tool . If the hexagon is perfectly symmetrical, the lines will all cross on the center point. Just make sure it is rotated so that there are horizontal sides at the top and bottom.
   
   1b – Next draw the circles, on top of the hexagon. Using the Ellipse/Circle tool , if you press Shift and Ctrl while dragging the mouse, the circle will be drawn from the center and remain symmetrical. And if you have snapping enabled and set up like in the screenshot above, they will all be drawn from the center point of the hexagon. Be sure to Duplicate both the inner and outer circles, and leave them where they are (on top of the originals).
   
2. Select all the lines except the 3 smallest inner circles (the 2 smallest that are on top of each other, and the next larger one), using whatever selection technique you prefer. Switch to the Shape Builder tool .
   
3. Click on the 3 “pie pieces” like in the screenshot below. Then click the green checkmark “Finish” button in the controls bar.
   
   
   
4. Click the black chip in the palette, to fill them with black. While they are all still selected, click Path menu > Combine.
   
5. Select the 2 inner circles (one of the smallest, and the next larger). Click Path menu > Combine. Fill it with any color (it doesn’t matter which since it’s about to disappear). If necessary, open the Fill and Stroke dialog, and click the Fill Rule button . This creates a small ring shape. Hold the Shift key, and click on the 3 black pie pieces, so that the pie pieces and the small ring are both selected at the same time.
   
6. Switch to the Shape Builder tool, and click the Remove/Delete button on the tool controls bar. Your window should look like the screenshot below. As you pass your mouse over each gray piece, it will become pink colored. If you click on it, it will disappear. Remove all the pieces of the small ring. Then click the green checkmark “Finish” button in the controls bar.
   
   
   
   
7. With the Selection tool, remove the original black pie pieces and leftover inner ring. Now you should have an image like below.
   
   
8. Delete the circle which defines the outer edges of the 3 pie pieces (it is no longer needed). You could also either delete, or move the hexagon with the 3 crossed lines out of the way. They are no longer needed either.
   
9. Select the 2 outer circles, then click Path menu > Combine. Fill this with black. If necessary, open the Fill and Stroke dialog, and click the Fill Rule button .
   
   
   
10. With the Selection tool positioned over the outer edge of this black ring, hold the Alt key and click 2 or 3 times. This will select the 2nd of the largest circles, which should be below the black ring. Click on a gold or orange color in the palette to fill this circle. And here is our final image!

If you enjoyed this tutorial, you can find more in the menu at the top of this page. Or visit our homepage at Inkscape Friends. If you have any questions or comments, you’re welcome to visit our forum and post them there.

Use the Shape Builder Tool to Draw a Radiation Warning Symbol © 2025 by J Brynn is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0