Inkscape Addicts

Inkscape is a free and open-source vector-based image tool. You can download it here. Its main use on AP is for vectoring scans which miss a part, have texts all over them or are noisy. Well, you can also use it for the fun of vectoring a scan or because you suck at extracting (which was the main reason when I started vectoring.) Vectored images are nice for making wallpaper since you can resize and crop them as you see fit without a loss of quality. You can also alter the colors, add effect, using vectored parts as mask for raster painting and so on. Vector are nowadays used more often in wallpapers for our utmost pleasure.

To come back at Inkscape, its principal feature is its price. It's free and I don't think Adobe can do better. Those of you who have already done some serious works in Illustrator might have been frustrated with frequent crashes and saving time. Be happy, Inkscape allows you to save your work anytime almost instantly since SVG are lightweight. I won't lie and say that Inkscape doesn't crash, it does but less often than Illustrator. If crashes are really something you don't want to see and that you will do everything to not see them then use Inkscape under Linux. It's almost never crashing. Why the difference ? Because there is more people using Inkscape under Linux than under Windows or Mac OS hence more bugs reports for the Linux version.

What I present you here is a series of tutorial on basic-to-advanced techniques using Inkscape for making (or at least for trying to make) nice vectors. Some of those techniques can be used with Illustrator and affiliated but it's out of scope. If you have already done some vectors with Illustrator and know the basic techniques (irregular outlines and solid shading), I suggest you to skip those parts since it would be boring. Also I don't intend to teach you how to use Inkscape tools. There is an excellent manual for this purpose: click here . If you are a beginner with Inkscape, I recommend you to go through the 7th and 9th chapters at least. Use this manual as a reference when you search something or when you aren't sure about the use of a functionality. I will assume that know how to use the Bezier tool, the node tool, the selection tool and basic use of the fill and stroke dialog.

Let's end here with the introduction which I feel like is already too long. Happy Inkscapeing.

Contents: - Basic Techniques: Irregular Outlines- Basic techniques: solid shading - Intermediate techniques: gradient use - Intermediate techniques: colored outlines - Advanced techniques: masking 101 - Advanced techniques: vector painting effects - Tips and tricks - FAQ