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

Preface

Are you ready to jump into the world of graphic design and illustration? Or have you just begun to explore new tools that can broaden your skill set in these specialties? Inkscape Beginner's Guide is the perfect book to start this journey into the world of vector graphics. This book starts at the very basics of a complex, open source tool on the market today — Inkscape 0.48 (current version as of the publication of this book). Learn everything you need to know from setting up a document file to completing your first illustration.

The Inkscape graphics editor can be daunting when just learning the tool. There are so many features one may not know where to start. Inkscape Beginner's Guide can help to alleviate these fears; it takes a simple step-by-step approach to learning the software. It starts at the very beginning, unlocking the secret to the software's interface, explaining menus and the overall areas of the user interface, and then jumps into real projects that illustrate some simple graphic-building concepts.

Expect to learn everything from using paths, text styles, filters, and images — while building a brochure, logo, icons, illustration, and more — all in the context of real graphic design, illustration, or web projects. Using an informative but simple approach, learning Inkscape becomes a fun and interactive process.

Welcome to the world of Inkscape 0.48 and vector graphics! This book is an informational step-by-step beginner's book for someone just starting their journey in using Inkscape 0.48 in the creation of vector graphics. No previous experience using Inkscape 0.48 or other previous vector graphics programs are required. The book will be chalked full of real-world examples, detailed step-by-step instructions and associated screen captures to keep the information approachable yet easy to digest—and don't forget fun!