Arts and CraftsThe place to talk about stick figure avatars, graphic design, fan art, or any application of the visual arts and creative writing--or just to show off your latest masterwork!
Although I don’t use Inkscape myself, (as some of you may already know ) I’m noticing a large amount of threads being opened up with questions about Inkscape.
So, instead of spamming the board with so many of these threads, I have decided to create a thread where you can post questions, answers and tips about the program.
If there’s a question that gets asked and answered a lot please tell me and I will put in this shiny spoiler box:
Commonly asked questions:
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by DD the Cookiemonster
A pretty commonly asked question is about the file sort.
Photobucket doesn´t support the natural image file that Inkscape uses.
Soooo :
Q : Halp! I´ve tried uploading my Inkscape works, but Photobucket is saying its the wrong kind of file!
A : Go to File, click on export, save it as that. Then export that file. Though do notice, that you should keep your natural saved version, because otherwise you´l lose all your layers and easy editing stuff that comes from having made it yourself.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elder Tsofu
An other, although not so commonly asked question is: Where do I find a good tutorial for the Oots style?
Answer: Use Trazois excellent guide - it will give you a good and healthy start on your new career. Link: http://www.trazoi.net/tutorials/inkscape/oots/
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crimmy
Hey, Inkscape seems to run slow when I try to use the "Blur" effect!
What should I do?
As usual, bigger effects need more virtual memory.
My advise?
Try zooming out on your image by pressing "-" on the numpad.
Then, move the "effected" thing someplace else in the page, where you won't see it when you zoom in again. Then you won't have so many troubles.
Another advise is to have an especific file to keep anything that uses the "blur" or "glowing" effects. Then, when you have already finished your work, you just copy/paste from the other file.
Hey, I wanted to export just a bit of my image, but whenever I try to, I export the whole image again. How can I take just a bit?
Try the rectangle tool. Use it as a frame, taking out the filler collor, and leaving just the lines in black. Alternatively, you can select it, then erase both fill and line, and then exporting it while it's still selected. That way, you'll just take the "blank" space of the square, along with the part of the image that you want.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Castaras
How do you make Speech Bubbles in Inkscape?
To begin with, you draw yourself a nice white oval, the size you want the speech bubble to be.
Then you draw in the.... I dunno what it is called, but the pointy thing that points to the person who's speaking.
Then you select both objects, then go to Path - Union.
Then you have your Speechbubble!
Other Tips:
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crimmy
Okay, let's see with examples.
You want curly hair. I'm sure as hell you [as almost every other artist] are even a bit lazy. You don't want to make curl by curl. You want only the baby, not the labor pains. How to make something that hard? Simple.
First off, you star by making the original shape of the hair covering the head, pretty much in the form of Elan's hair. Next, you switch the fill color to black [in case you want it black]. Now, you take the freeform pencil, and start making little spirals going OVER the original outside of the hair. You switch the thickness of the line and everything. Voilà!
The example, you say?
Why, here it is: look at the hair, you'll see the way the hair is just a spiral going about the head.
EDIT:
What? You say it's too small to see?
Well, here's an example, for both the "rectangle" question and yours!
Quote:
Originally Posted by MethosHazara
Quote:
Originally Posted by Silverraptor
Just a quick question here, how do I "blend" colors together? Like one side red, another yellow, and the middle is an even batch of blended orange from the 2 colors.
You mean a gradient?
Wait, I will put a step-to-step tutorial only for that one
EDIT:
Ok, here is the image-version of the tutorial, my Inkscape is in portuguese, but you shouldn't have any problems finding out what means what...
Any question just ask.
By the way, the images are a little big cuz I'm lazy
First, draw a rough oval and write out your speech. You don't need any line breaks.
Selecting both, choose the "Flow into Frame" option, or press Alt+W.
This is the result, and you can change the size of the oval to give you:
A basic speech oval. (The words re-will wrap automatically)
You can either use it like this, or a recommended tactic is to make the oval fully transparent or move it out of frame, and then draw a new bubble, complete with tail, as the text in this bubble is a bit close to the edge.
A pretty commonly asked question is about the file sort.
Photobucket doesn´t support the natural image file that Inkscape uses.
Soooo :
Q : Halp! I´ve tried uploading my Inkscape works, but Photobucket is saying its the wrong kind of file!
A : Go to File, click on export, save it as that. Then export that file. Though do notice, that you should keep your natural saved version, because otherwise you´l lose all your layers and easy editing stuff that comes from having made it yourself.
__________________
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by RabbitHoleLost
DD: .... DEM HIPS.
Quote:
Originally Posted by banjo1985
My wedding underwear has a picture of Dallas Dakota's face on them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by faerwain
Why do I have the feeling that you actually really grind Smurfs to make your ice cream?
An other, although not so commonly asked question is: Where do I find a good tutorial for the Oots style?
Answer: Use Trazois excellent guide - it will give you a good and healthy start on your new career. Link: http://www.trazoi.net/tutorials/inkscape/oots/
Hey, Inkscape seems to run slow when I try to use the "Blur" effect!
What should I do?
As usual, bigger effects need more virtual memory.
My advise?
Try zooming out on your image by pressing "-" on the numpad.
Then, move the "effected" thing someplace else in the page, where you won't see it when you zoom in again. Then you won't have so many troubles.
Another advise is to have an especific file to keep anything that uses the "blur" or "glowing" effects. Then, when you have already finished your work, you just copy/paste from the other file.
Hey, I wanted to export just a bit of my image, but whenever I try to, I export the whole image again. How can I take just a bit?
Try the rectangle tool. Use it as a frame, taking out the filler collor, and leaving just the lines in black. Alternatively, you can select it, then erase both fill and line, and then exporting it while it's still selected. That way, you'll just take the "blank" space of the square, along with the part of the image that you want.
Well, those ase both the two F.A.Q. I've had over the past year from avatarists from this place and other forums.
Righto. I'll transfer over my post from that other thread.
Quote:
This thread actually gives me the chance to ask a question of my own, specifically involving hair(again.)
Mainly I'm curious as to how to go about creating hair like Sabine, or the Bard Girl avatar. It seems like it's just a lot of lines piled on top of each other but I don't know how to go about making it look like hair.
Righto. I'll transfer over my post from that other thread.
Nice question!
Lookee Here!!
Spoiler
Okay, let's see with examples.
You want curly hair. I'm sure as hell you [as almost every other artist] are even a bit lazy. You don't want to make curl by curl. You want only the baby, not the labor pains. How to make something that hard? Simple.
First off, you star by making the original shape of the hair covering the head, pretty much in the form of Elan's hair. Next, you switch the fill color to black [in case you want it black]. Now, you take the freeform pencil, and start making little spirals going OVER the original outside of the hair. You switch the thickness of the line and everything. Voilà!
The example, you say?
Why, here it is: look at the hair, you'll see the way the hair is just a spiral going about the head.
EDIT:
What? You say it's too small to see?
Well, here's an example, for both the "rectangle" question and yours!
You want curly hair. I'm sure as hell you [as almost every other artist] are even a bit lazy. You don't want to make curl by curl. You want only the baby, not the labor pains. How to make something that hard? Simple.
First off, you star by making the original shape of the hair covering the head, pretty much in the form of Elan's hair. Next, you switch the fill color to black [in case you want it black]. Now, you take the freeform pencil, and start making little spirals going OVER the original outside of the hair. You switch the thickness of the line and everything. Voilà!
The example, you say?
Why, here it is: look at the hair, you'll see the way the hair is just a spiral going about the head.
EDIT:
What? You say it's too small to see?
Well, here's an example, for both the "rectangle" question and yours!
To begin with, you draw yourself a nice white oval, the size you want the speech bubble to be.
Then you draw in the.... I dunno what it is called, but the pointy thing that points to the person who's speaking.
Then you select both objects, then go to Path - Union.
Then you have your Speechbubble!
__________________ "I'm just going on motive and opportunity here and the fact that if the earth got swallowed by a black hole, I'd look suspiciously in your direction first."
~ Timberwolf
"After the first day we universally agreed that she was banned from fire thereafter. The second day she ended up with the power to create 5 extra copies of herself."
~ Heliomance
"You're like Pinkie Pie powered by a nuclear reactor."
~ Lix Lorn
Changing the node types quickly and easily: Clicking on a node while pressing Ctrl+Click will cycle through the three node types.
__________________ "I'm just going on motive and opportunity here and the fact that if the earth got swallowed by a black hole, I'd look suspiciously in your direction first."
~ Timberwolf
"After the first day we universally agreed that she was banned from fire thereafter. The second day she ended up with the power to create 5 extra copies of herself."
~ Heliomance
"You're like Pinkie Pie powered by a nuclear reactor."
~ Lix Lorn
Nice to see some more contributions.
Note on the changing of nodes, "ctrl + z" is your best friend when quickly changing back.
And I'm quite surprised to see that the "Argh! How do I prevent inkscape from crashing on me and removing everything I did until then?!" haven't come up. "ctrl + s" is your best friend here, get the habit of pushing it now and then to quicksave your great works. Crashes will be a lot less annoying afterwards.
And I'm quite surprised to see that the "Argh! How do I prevent inkscape from crashing on me and removing everything I did until then?!" haven't come up.
Having two open sessions of Inkscape is a sure-fire way to provoke a crash of opportunity. Especially if you work layers on both projects at the same time.
Think ahead and quick save before you even attempt anything like that.
Having two open sessions of Inkscape is a sure-fire way to provoke a crash of opportunity. Especially if you work layers on both projects at the same time.
Think ahead and quick save before you even attempt anything like that.
Or have two separate computers, one for each Inkscape.
Be sure, after you saved your work, to make a back-up copy on a USB stick or something, just in case the program goes haywire and corrupts ALL your stuff.
__________________
Bugfalcon and banner drawn by me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JGoldenberg
you would make an awesome propagandist for Kobolds.
What is a good pixel size for an avatar?(that is at the export screen when it says Bitmap size)
Avatars on the forum will be scaled if they are larger than 120px, so it is a good idea to keep them to that size or under. Just change the larger dimension to 120, and the smaller one should scale appropriately, along with the dpi. Then export, upload, and start using it.
The normal size of an avatar is 117x117. No idea why, that's just how it's always been.
__________________ "I'm just going on motive and opportunity here and the fact that if the earth got swallowed by a black hole, I'd look suspiciously in your direction first."
~ Timberwolf
"After the first day we universally agreed that she was banned from fire thereafter. The second day she ended up with the power to create 5 extra copies of herself."
~ Heliomance
"You're like Pinkie Pie powered by a nuclear reactor."
~ Lix Lorn
usually you can overlap something with a large black box (change the opaque settings to make it transparent) with a spotlight-shaped hole manufactured in the middle.
Make a box object with a radial gradient. Give the center of the gradient 0 Opacity, and the outside 170-255 Opacity, and make the outside color black. Orient the gradient how you'd like it.
__________________
The artist formerly known as Tired N' Drowzy, master of puns.
Make a box object with a radial gradient. Give the center of the gradient 0 Opacity, and the outside 170-255 Opacity, and make the outside color black. Orient the gradient how you'd like it.
Hey! That's totally what I wanna do but I have no clue how to do it on Inkscape! Every time I try I end up with the wrong kind of gradient...
Can you take some screen shots of how I do it?
__________________
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Hey thanks guys, this really helped me get started. ^.^
A question though, while the PNG format works fine for avatars and stuff, I can't seem to find a good way to convert it to other file types without it losing the smoothness that Inkscape exports it as, even when using something like the GIMP for conversion, is there anyway around this if I wanna convert filetypes or am I stuck with either PNG or unsmooth images?
(I know this technically isn't Inkscape it's the aftersteps, so I hope this counts... ^.^;)
Here's a question: occasionally Inkscape'll lock up by taking up all of the CPU at once. Once that happens I don't think it unfreezes, and it loves to happen after I'm just about to save again. Only way to kill it is by killing the process.
Will it unfreeze after awhile if I'm patient, or is this a "You just lost your work" freeze?
EDIT: Darknesslord, try Irfanview. Might be able to do it.
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) I’m noticing a large amount of threads being opened up with questions about Inkscape.
look at the hair, you'll see the way the hair is just a spiral going about the head.
This cannot be... unless... of course!
" haven't come up.
