If you are just tracing a bitmap to black vector, and you want to separate pieces of the results into different objects, you need to do these things:
1. Select your vectorized result
2. Choose Path -> "Break apart" (this will turn every part of your graphic into an ungrouped shape, and turn the negative shapes in your objects black, but don't worry about that just yet...)
3. drag a selection box around each piece you want to make a new object out of, and select Path -> Combine (this will have the effect of making your negative shapes back into holes in your object, and creating a new shape from what you have selected.
4.Enjoy your new separated graphics.
Why does this happen? Inkscape treats the result of your bitmap trace as one large vector shape. To make a hole (negative space) in your shape, it makes another shape inside your outer shape, but since it's part of the same shape, Inkscape knows it's a hole instead of two different shapes stacked on top of eachother. The "break apart" command breaks every shape in your graphic into a separate shape, and since they are no longer part of the same shape, Inkscape fills them with the colour of the original shape (in this case black). When you reselect the parts of your original trace you want to turn into new shapes, and run the "Combine" command, Inkscape realises that what you had selected is a single shape, and applies the negative-shape rule again, so your vectors look as they should with holes in places you expect them.
kianamaiart
pixelskylines
kaledo-art
stormborns
areudirty