Scribd
Upload
23 views

Inkscape Tutorial

Inkscape tutorials

Uploaded by

vgov0031
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
23 views

Inkscape Tutorial

Inkscape tutorials

Uploaded by

vgov0031
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 21

Inkscape Tutorial

v2024-05
Simon Andrews

[email protected]
What is Inkscape?
• Vector Graphics Editor
• Free, Cross Platform

• Good for:
– Editing
– Drawing
– Compositing
• Not for:
– Bitmap editing

www.inkscape.org
Setting up a canvas
• File > Document Properties
• Shows page in view
• Doesn’t restrict drawing
• Useful as a guide
Moving around
• Panning
– Scroll bars on bottom / right
– Scroll up/down, Shift+scroll for left/right

• Zooming in / out
– Click to zoom in, shift+click to zoom out
– Control + Scroll Up/Down to zoom in/out to cursor

• Shortcuts
– Fit page, drawing, selection in window
The main toolbar
• Selection tool
• Edit nodes tool
• Make rectangles
• Make ellipses / arcs
• Make polygons / stars
• Make 3D boxes
• Make spirals
• Draw straight lines / curves
• Draw freehand lines
• Calligraphy tool
• Add text
Creating basic shapes
• Select tool from toolbar

• Click and drag on canvas


– Box selects the bounds of the new shape
– Colours are remembered from the last shape

• Basic options appear in top toolbar


– Number of spokes on stars
– Rounded corners on rectangles
– Circle vs segment vs arc
Creating basic shapes
Creating basic shapes
• Modifiers – press keys whilst drawing
– Control = Constrain height/width ratio
– Easiest way to make circles / squares

– Shift = grow from centre not edge

– Help appears at the bottom of the screen


General Transformations
• Select the Selection tool
• Moving – Click and drag an object
• Duplicating – Select object and press Ctrl+D
• Resizing / Rotating Resize

– Click on object
– Click again to change control arrow type
– Click and drag arrows to resize / rotate
Rotate
Transform Shortcuts
Selecting and Grouping
• Selecting multiple objects
– Drag a box to cover multiple objects
– Shift+click to add an object to a selection
– Shift+click on a selected object to remove it from the selection

• Grouping (Control + G or Object > Group)


– Combine multiple objects into a single object
– Reversible (Control + shift + G or Object > Ungroup)
Fill and Stroke (Object > Fill and Stroke)

• Fill = Colour/Gradient/Pattern within a shape

• Stroke = The line around a shape

• Edit
– Colours
– Opacity
Aligning and Distributing
• Object > Align and Distribute
– Align = Give objects the same centre/edge position
– Distribute = Space objects evenly

• Align relative to
– First/Last selected object in group
– Largest/Smallest object in group
– Page
– Drawing
Aligning and Distributing

Align top edges Align centres (horizontal)

Align centres (vertical) Even spaces between objects


Z axis - Ordering
• New objects sit over the top of old objects
• Objects obscure those underneath them (except for
transparency)
Z-axis Ordering

• Send object to bottom of z-stack


• Lower object one level
• Raise object one level
• Bring object to top
Working with imported pictures
• File > Import
– PNG, JPEG, SVG, PDF etc.

• (Bitmaps) Choose Embed


– Copies image into Inkscape
– Create single portable file
Working with imported pictures
Pictures are usually grouped Text may not actually be text
Adding Text
• Use the text tool to add text

• Click and type to generate text

• Text can be scaled or rotated as any other object


– Always hold Ctrl when scaling otherwise the aspect ratio will be
messed up
Text options
• Text toolbar

• Text and font settings


– Font (always Arial for scientific figures)
– Size
– Alignment
Saving & Exporting
• Saving
– File > Save (As)
– Default is Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG)

• Exporting as a Vector
– Can export as a PDF
– File > Save (As), select PDF

You might also like