creating icons with inkscape – a basic workflow

Updated: This tutorial has been updated and enhanced, so be sure to check it out again!

Here is another great tutorial for everyone’s favourite open source vector graphics editor. (that would be inkscape…)

Today’s tutorial outlines a basic workflow for creating, tweaking and exporting icons with inkscape. If you need some more icon tutorials check out the icon category

Create an impressive stick man cartoon character / avatar

Here is another tutorial / in depth guide on creating cartoon characters by one of my favourite inkscape tutorialists, David Shaw. A while back, he published an awesome guide to creating a simple cartoon character in the tutorial Slime to Start.

This time he has created another in-depth guide to character creation with Inkscape, and this time the goal is to create a cute cartoon stick man with a style similar to the Order of the Stick by Rich Burlew. Once again, David goes into immense detail of his entire creative process, and the result is a great introduction to inkscape with an awesome result.

For those of you interested in cartooning in inkscape, make sure you check out the following screenshot by Inkscape artist / developer, John Bintz (of Moment of Clarity fame.) It outlines the workflow that John goes through tracing, tweaking and inking his cartoons. Note that the screenshot is done before the 0.46 paint bucket tool came out (which i am pretty sure john had a hand in developing) so cartooning in inkscape is even easier.

howto illustrate a chinese dragon using inkscape

here is another great tutorial from kalaalog, in this one the entire workflow to illustrate a chinese style dragon, from concept sketches to finish product is outlined. This tutorial is in two parts, the link after the break links to part 1, and there is a link at the end of that to part 2 of this tutorial.

creating fire / flames using inkscape (and the new SVG filters!)

Please Note: This tutorial uses features that are not currently available in the most recent stable version of inkscape (0.45.1). To achieve the effects in this tutorial, you will need to download an unstable version of inkscape, or wait until the 0.46 release.

Here is a great tutorial that demonstrates how to use the new SVG filters feature in inkscape to create fire / flames.

Drawing a compass graphic with inkscape.

Here is a neat workflow showing how to create a fairly detailed compass graphic by adding and editing simple shapes. This is a great tutorial for inkscape beginners, as it is well communicated, and intoduces simple inkscape operations like node editing. As always the link to the tut is after the break.

Abstract Effect using paths and markers

Please Note: This tutorial uses features that are not currently available in the most recent stable version of inkscape (0.45.1). To achieve the effects in this tutorial, you will need to download an unstable version of inkscape, or wait until the 0.46 release.

This tutorial describes a neat little technique for creating impressive abstract images using paths and markers. As usual, the link to the tutorial is after the break. An impressive result of the tutorial is shown below.

Create a Metal Orb using inkscape

Here is a great tutorial on making a metal orbs from chrisdesign.

pac-man ghosts / baddies tutorial

nicu has outdone himself again. Not only has he created a tutorial for creating cool pacman baddies, but he has again put his results into the public domain for all to download, and this time he has also done a screencast of his process… enjoy!

inkscape text tricks

This tutorial covers the following useful text tips and tricks:

• Applying bold and italic styles
• Changing the vertical baseline
• Manual kerning
• Rotating letters

chrome text effect

Here is a detailed tutorial that demonstrates how to create chrome text using inkscape.

Official Inkscape Tutorial: Using the Interpolation Extension

This is a new official tutorial for inkscape, and it covers in detail how to use the powerful interpolation extension (effect) in inkscape.

How to make RPG map elements with inkscape.

Here is yet another awesome tutorial from Nicu a great tutorial for creating RPG map symbols using inkscape. In this “How it was made”, Nicu outlines a workflow for creating a simple jailhouse RPG element. Nicu is a major contributor to the Open Clip Art Library, and he has placed a large collection (50+ drawings) of these RPG map symbols into the public domain. You can also download the whole package from his own clipart gallery. Comments and praise should be left at Nicu’s Blog post for this tutorial.

all languages:

draw a snowman with inkscape

this is a simple tutorial that shows you how to illustrate a simple snowman using inkscape.

create a desktop background by tracing bitmaps and overlaying them

Render a bitmap Image using Tiled SVG Clones to create a nice effect

tutorial to Illustrate An Ornate Pitcher

Drawing a diamond using inkscape

here is another simple tutorial, that has a very impressive finished product, a brilliant cut diamond!

Illustrating Basic 3D looking objects in Inkscape

here is a good tutorial on creating basic 3d looking objects using inkscape.

drawing a simple axe using inkscape.

here is a simple yet effective procedure for drawing an axe using inkscape.

How To Illustrate Palm Tree using Inkscape

Yet another awesome step-by-step from kalaalog demonstrating how to illustrate a palm tree. The result is quite impressive.

Dragon – Sketch To Vector Art

Here is a great little tutorial demonstrating the procedure of manually tracing a sketch in inkscape to create a vector version.

Drawing real looking hair in Inkscape

 This Tutorial shows how to create complex structures such as hair with Inkscape…

view this tutorial

a Quick Guide to Inkscape

this is an awesome quick guide into some of the basics of inkscape.

it is a great introductory guide and a great quick reference guide for inkscape

it covers:

• working with paths
• working with objects
• working with groups
• working with clips and paths
• working with layers
• working with gradients

 

Reflecting images on surfaces with Inkscape (and the GIMP): a tutorial by nicu

Here is another tutorial by Nicu that shows you in detail how to achieve the reflected surfaces effect. This tutorial covers how to achieve this in Inkscape first. Nicu then covers how to do it in the GIMP.

Create Playing Cards – a video tutorial by screencasters.heathenx.org

 Another awesome video tutorial by the screencasters.heathenx.org guys.

in this one, they demonstrate how to make playing cards.