I enjoy cutting holes through backgrounds that are provided in Inkscape, holes of various shapes, like rips and tears. This way I can show another image behind the rip or tear or hole, very cool. 

However, the program will not allow me to cut holes through any image that I insert and use as my background. 

Is there some method where I can do such a thing? I really want to be able to do this.

Thank you in advance.

John

If you are referring to bitmap images imported into Inkscape, I'd try using inverse clip or filling an object with the image as a pattern, then use clip or boolean difference.

I cannot seem to see how to do what was stated. I don't see any inverse clip function or how to select my image as a pattern.

OK I was able to find out how to select my image as a pattern and then selected the area I wanted that had the hole already cut out and it did paste in my image onto that part. However, the pasted pattern is was too large a scale. Is there a way to scale down the pattern so that it fits what I am trying to do?

Two ways :

1. Use fill and stroke panel, tab fill. Here you'll find (inkscape 1.3) the pattern options : scale is what you're looking for.
2. Use node tool (any version of inkscape) ; select your pattern filled shape, and look for three handles disposed as three corners or a rectangle (a circle, and two squares). In old versions of inkscape, you may have to zoom out to find these handles (sometimes they are very far from your pattern filled shape).

• The upper left square modifies the origin point of the pattern for your shape.
• The lower right square modifies the scale ; drag it holding ctrl key to preserve aspect ratio of the pattern.
• The upper right circle sets pattern orientation.

EDIT : modified text on pattern handles.

EDIT 2 : theses handles may be confusing when you just converted an image to pattern : then you get a rectangle with a pattern fill : its pattern handles have the exact position and aspect of its rectangle handles.

Thanks for the info. I was able to use the provided info to better understand how Inkscape works and now I can do what I wanted.