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 — blurring the background of a photograph

We will take the same photograph we used from a previous exercise and manipulate it differently here. We will select the foreground that we want to keep crisp, and clear and then blur the background. Here are the steps on how this is done:

  1. Open a new Inkscape document and import a bitmap/photograph you want to use for this exercise. From the main menu, select File and then Import.
  2. Select the correct bitmap file and click Open. Make sure your imported bitmap is selected, and then select File and then Document Properties. In the Custom Size section, click Resize page to content, as shown in the following screenshot:
    Time for action — blurring the background of a photograph
  3. Click Resize page to drawing or selection.

    Your document page size will now be adjusted to match that of your imported bitmap image, as shown in the following screenshot.

  4. Select your photograph objects in the window and now choose Edit and Duplicate as follows:
    Time for action — blurring the background of a photograph
  5. Select and then drag the top duplicate photograph off to...