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

Time for action — importing a PDF into Inkscape

Let's import a non-native Inkscape SVG file into Inkscape—as you may need to do this for client logos, photographs, and any number of other real-world examples. Open a browser and go to this link: http://db.tt/xR0ZlBRL

A PDF will be downloaded and saved to your computer. It will be our sample file to work with during this exercise.

  1. Open a document in Inkscape. This can be any in-progress file that we have used previously in this chapter, or a new document.
  2. From the main menu, select File | Import.
    Time for action — importing a PDF into Inkscape

    The Select file to import window displays, as shown in the following screenshot:

    Time for action — importing a PDF into Inkscape
  3. Locate and select the sample PDF file you just downloaded and select Open.
  4. When the PDF Import Settings screen displays, adjust settings as needed and click OK.
    Time for action — importing a PDF into Inkscape
  5. Within Page settings, you can choose whether you want all pages of the PDF to be imported or just a specific page number. The Clip to field has various options (media box, crop box, trim box,...