inkscape svg
In this post, we provide an Inkscape SVG sketch. Inkscape SVG is a file format (SVG stands for Scalable Vector Graphics), which means you can edit an object from this file to change its size and properties without losing quality.
Process of making Inkscape SVG
In this tutorial, we’ll look at the process you can use to convert a JPEG or raster image to a vector file and save that vector file for use on other design platforms. It includes parameter adjustment of the bitmap tracking functions of the menu bar of this software and we also go through some other parameters.
So let’s use these functions to get the desired result.
To get started, we need a raster image. You can get these online. Assuming you’re looking for a cartoon, search for “cartoon character clipart” and select one.
RELATED: How to make SVG files in Photoshop
How to make Inkscape SVG
- Open the Inkscape software and open the downloaded image, you can do this by clicking on the file in the menu bar or by pressing CTRL/CMD + O on your keyboard.
- Then browse and select the saved image in your save folder. Now click the Open button of this dialog.
- After you select this image, the next task is to follow it. So, to track it, go to the Path menu from the menu bar and click on it. Click the Trace Bitmap option from the dropdown of this menu or you can use the keyboard shortcut Shift + Alt + B on your keyboard.
- Or right-click on the image and choose the Trace Bitmap option from the pop-up list.
- An Image Tracking dialog box appears. Where we have many ways to trace a bitmap, but let’s go with the first one, the glow clipping.
- This option has a threshold value, and if you change the value, you may get a different result when following bitmaps.
- Click the Refresh button in this dialog box to view the scan result.
- And in the preview part of this box, you can see the result, but we only want to follow the outline of this character, so we will adjust the threshold to follow only the outline.
- Then click the Ok button to follow it.
- You can place your tracked image next to the original image and this tracked image will be in vector format.
- Now let’s fill the color in this traced image and for that go to the bottom of the UI and click on the arrow button. After clicking the arrow button, you will get a popup list, choose Eyedropper from this list.
- Before you pick up an eyedropper, make sure nothing is selected in our document section. Then move the cursor over the color you want to trace. Let’s move the eyedropper cursor to the skin tone of this cartoon character which is yellow in color.
- Then grab the ‘Fill Bounded Areas’ tool from the tool panel to drop our chosen color onto the desired area of the traced image. You can also press Shift+7 for this tool.
- And click on the traced image skin with the cursor of this tool and it will fill like this.
- To choose the next color, uncheck the previous part of the tracked image, otherwise, your next new color choice will overwrite the fill color of the previous part in this way.
- Complete all parts of this character by repeating the same process as above.
- Now you can see our character’s skin is ready in no time.
- Let’s draw a dark-colored rectangle to explain the things to remember while filling.
- This is the white area of this character and you have to fill it too because you accidentally leave it blank because our background is white. Do the same for the black color if any part is black. Basically, you have to fill all parts with color, be it white or black or the same background color.
- Now let’s unite the same part of this character. Then select this part of the lip and go to the Path menu and click on the Union option from the drop-down list or use Ctrl + + as the keyboard shortcut.
- You can see it’s a part now.
- Do the same for all the parts you want to put in a part.
- You need to analyze all the parts so that no parts remain.
- For example, you may notice that this is a small area of your skin that is separated from your entire body, so unite it with your whole body skin.
- Now every part of this character is ready. Each part is on a separate layer.
- Now select the outline of this character and make a duplicate of it by pressing the CTRL/CMD + D button on your keyboard to use it in your future work.
- You can change the outline color as well as your choice
- Now you can save it as an SVG file, so go to the File menu and click the Save As option from the drop-down list.
- It will show you a list of file extensions, choose the Plain SVG option and also choose the location where you want to save it and click the Save button.
- And the Inkscape SVG file is ready to be used in other design software.
- You may notice that our outline character was not saved because it was outside the area of your document. So make sure that the content you want in your SVG file is within the document area.
- And after saving it’s done.
See the difference between Inkscape and Photoshop
Conclusion – Inkscape SVG
After reading this article, you will be able to create several Inkscape SVG files for your project and make changes to the objects in that file without losing quality because you know SVG is a vector file format. Try another object and set that object’s SVG layer to an Inkscape SVG file.
More tutorial on Inkscape: How to select multiple objects on Inkscape
