Book Image

Inkscape Beginner's Guide

By : Bethany Hiitola
Book Image

Inkscape Beginner's Guide

By: Bethany Hiitola

Overview of this book

Learning to use Inkscape, an exciting open-source vector graphics program, broadens your software toolkit as a graphic designer. Using practical, real-world examples, you'll learn everything about the software and its capabilities so you'll be able to design anything from logos to websites.Inkscape Beginner's Guide is a practical step-by-step guide for learning this exciting vector graphics software. Not only will it take you through each menu item and toolbar, but you will also learn about creating complex shapes, text styling, filters, working with images, extensions, and the XML editoróall using real world examples.The book starts with an overview of vector graphics and how best to use them when designing for digital and print mediums. Then we install Inkscape and start learning all the ins and outs of the software. You'll build your first vector graphic while learning best practices for using layers, and build simple and complex objects with shapes and paths that will ultimately become exciting graphics to be used in your designs. Beyond designing sample logos and brochures while learning the software, you'll also learn how to use filters, install and use extensions, and the ins-and-outs of SVG and the XML Editor in Inkscape.
Table of Contents (18 chapters)
14
B. Keyboard Shortcuts
15
C. Glossary of Terms
17
Index

How to structure project files

The last section was about saving individual files. However, you may find yourself designing entire web pages or large projects that require more than one Inkscape file. To do this, it requires some basic organization of files within directories or folders to make finding (and using) the Inkscape files easier to use—specifically when saving entire pages of content as individual graphic files. The following section details how best to manage multiple file projects.

Managing multiple file projects

Simply put, if you create one directory or folder where you store all of the files for one project, you can minimize mismanagement of files. Within that directory, you will have more control over how you structure your files for revisions and drafts for work.

As stated, it starts with a project folder placed on your computer in an easy-to-access location. Whenever you create a new file in Inkscape for this project, you can save those source Inkscape files in...