Inkscape Beginner's Guide: Create Attractive Layout Designs, Logos, Brochures, Icons, and More Using the Inkscape Vector Graphics Editor - Softcover

Hiitola, Bethany

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1849517207 ISBN 13: 9781849517201

Publisher: Packt Pub Ltd, 2012

Synopsis

Create attractive layout design, logos, brochures, icons, and more using the Inkspace vector graphics editor

Overview

• Comprehensive coverage of all aspects of Inkscape required for graphic design
• Real world examples show you how to create everything from paths, complex shapes, to stylized text
• Become an expert at using filters and working with images in Inkscape

In Detail

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 editor—all 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.

What you will learn from this book

• Explore Inkscape by taking a tour of the software: menu by menu, toolbar by toolbar
• A primer for what vector graphics are and how best they are used in design
• Manage project files and discover what file types work best in Inkscape
• Build your first vector graphic in Inkscape—and then make that simple shape more complex by combining it with others, and changing fill or stroke colors
• Transform objects to paths, use stroke to paths, and even track bitmaps using the Path Effect editor
• Make 2D graphics come to life by using filters
• Import, render, and trace images. Raster images to vector, and learn how to export these images for best use in print or digital design
• Explore what templates and extensions to add to Inkscape and install other Open Source plugins, scripts, extensions, and templates.

Approach

As part of Packt's Beginner's Guide series, each chapter covers an aspect of working with Inkscape, with plenty of screenshots and practical examples.

Who this book is written for

This book is intended for beginning graphic and web designers who want to expand their graphic software expertise. General familiarity with a graphics program is recommended, but not required.

About this title

About the Author:

Bethany Hiitola is a working writer and technology geek. With a degree in Scientific and Technical Communications, she's worked as a technical writer and multimedia developer for over 12 years—she spends the rest of her time as a wife, mother, gadget geek, and Master of the Household. She's written more user manuals than she can count, essays, novels, and a few technical books—including Inkscape 0.48 Essentials for Web Designers. More details are at her website: bethanyhiitola.com.

About this edition

• Publisher: Packt Pub Ltd
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 1849517207
• ISBN 13: 9781849517201
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 279