Inkscape Tutorial... The very first basics.

I often get asked how I design my fabrics or anything I design on the computer. Well, depending on what I do, I use a pile of different programs, but for my designing I mostly use Inkscape nowadays. I told a few about it, they downloaded it for free, and now they are REALLY wondering how to do it!!
Hmm... Not sure if I have any clue how to write a tutorial, but I will try! I will assume that whoever is reading this will be a complete Newbie to using a vector-based graphic program..

Click for Inkscape tutorial ...





#1.    This is what Inkscape looks like when you open the program..

#2.     Click the Rectangle on the left hand side to start creating an object...

#3.      Left-click with your mouse and drag across screen to make a rectangle of desired size...

 #4.     Click on your rectangle to select it. Then choose "Object to Path" like shown below:

#5.  Then select the Node button on the left hand side..

#6.   To add more nodes, select the entire Rectangle (all nodes), or select two nodes you want to add a node in between. The nodes are the little squares on the outline of whatever object you make. The nodes can be moved anywhere you want t change the shape of your object. This is how I tweak a simple rectangle or circle to get whatever shape I want. Time consuming? Yes, I suppose.

#7.  After you have added your nodes, moved them etc to get whatever shape you want, you can change the nodes to create smoother paths. 

Here I have moved the nodes in my rectangle (added nodes along the way) to make a shape of a dog. I select all nodes but the top of the ear & the end of the tail, then click the "auto-smooth" button I have pointed out below, to make my path rounded.

#8.  ...here I show another useful button.. To make nodes into sharp corners.

#9.     The other way I start my designs is with the freehand option. I have a Wacom Tablet (the mouse is shaped like a pen) that makes freehand drawing not so awkward.

#10.     When I choose the freehand drawing option, all it is is left-click to draw lines on the screen, in whatever shape you want. Once you have your shape there, you select it, then choose "Object to Path" under the "Path" menu, like I did with the rectangle before. Then click Node button again:

(I drew a shape similar to the dog shape I created with the rectangle before. This is a new drawing, not the same dog in the pictures above)

#11. Here comes my favorite step. When you draw freehand lines, you don't get smooth, simple paths. To fix this, all you have to do is select the object with the "node button" mode, then click "Ctrl"+"L". This automatically reduces the amount of nodes and simplifies the path immensely. I love this. This is what makes your hand-drawn pictures so manageable! 

Now you just change the nodes like I described before to get whatever shape you want. 

This is the VERY basics. To change fill & stroke color, click on the color boxes at the bottom of Inkscape's screen. Double click to open a dialogue-box with more options.

Play around with the paths - make many paths to create a picture, then try the different ways of combining paths in the Path menu. Hope this helps some!! 

Feel free to ask questions, and maybe I will have a slight clue how to answer. I am by no means a pro at using Inkscape, but I have a few years below my belt of using all sorts of graphic programs. I love them all :)