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 — hiding layers

To really show how powerful a feature hiding layers can be, let's walk through this example. We're going to change the design of the blog that we have been featuring in this entire chapter. In fact, we will change the navigation icons so that we can make two different designs:

  1. With the blog mockup from the previous exercise open in Inkscape, reopen the Layer dialog if it is not open.
    Time for action — hiding layers
  2. Select the Navigation layer.
  3. Click the Eye icon to the left of the layer name.
    Time for action — hiding layers
  4. The eye will close and essentially hide all objects on that layer—as shown in the previous screenshot.
    Time for action — hiding layers
  5. Now, you can create a new layer with the different navigation elements and make that viewable. This creates another design option to choose from. To do this, create the new layer by using the Layer dialog and the + sign or the Shift + Ctrl + N shortcut keys. Let's name the layer Navigation Option 2:
    Time for action — hiding layers
  6. Make sure this layer remains selected and import some new navigational elements...