Using Inkscape for webdesign
by Victor Domingos
What I really miss in Inkscape, in order to make it a great tool for
webdesign, is an easy way to make a split bitmap, with custumized
slices. Similar to what we can find in ImageReady or Fireworks. I
believe that some Gimp builds also have a feature like that, called
Web-o--tine, but in GIMP there seems to be a little flexibility in
slice creation.
Is there any feature like that in the current development roadmap for
Inkscape?
Victor Domingos
http://lojamac.com/blog
15 years, 7 months
Printing a big SVG in a moosaic of pages
by Alberto Simões
Hi
I have a big SVG (a big graph rendered by GraphViz) and I would like
to print it. It doesn't fit an A4 or A3 page. I tried to convert the
postscript generated by GraphViz to a PDF file, and I get it cropped
because it doesn't fit the bigger page supported by GhostScript (A0).
Thus, I would like to create a moosaic of A4 or A3 pages from
inkscape. Inkscape loads the svg file quite well, and I can scale it
to fit the paper I want, but there isn't a simple method (that I know)
to fit the SVG file into, say, 3 A4 pages (one in top of the others).
Is there any easy solution?
Thank you
Alberto
--
Alberto Simões
15 years, 7 months
How to achieve a "reverse mask" function?
by Valerie VK
Currently masks works like this:
- white areas are left opaque
- black and transparent ones become invisible
- greys are in-between
What -I- would like to achieve is the following:
- white And transparent areas are left opaque
- blacks are invisible
- greys are in-between
To achieve that effect with the current mask, I have to make a white
object big enough to cover the whole object I want to work with. And this
becomes cumbersome to work with because I either end up having to hide
(cover) the whole object with the "mask" first (before applying) or on the
contrary, move the mask underneath where it's harder to see and edit.
In bitmap programs this isn't a problem because you can access a mask or
quick mask mode separately and fill the whole thing up. You can't easily
fill a whole layer with Inkscape though.
Do the rest of you know of any work around? Is there some magic place
where by-chance, I can just click a "Mask behavior: leave transparent
areas opaque" option? Because that would be really handy.
Possible applications:
- making easy editable "holes" in objects, including textures for laces
and such.
- blurring edges at selective areas (and not the whole part). I want to
try to achieve a vector fur effect this way. I've seen a few CGs where fur
effect looks like vector in most parts, but some selected tips are
blurred.
If this option really doesn't exist, are there any plans to implement that
"Mask behavior: leave transparent areas opaque" option I've mentioned?
Pretty please?
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15 years, 7 months
Node edit tool for multiple objects
by Stathis Sideris
Hello all,
I think that one of the very few things that Illustrator does better in
comparison to Inkscape is that fact that its node edit tool allows
editing the nodes of multiple objects at the same time. I think the
procedure is: select multiple objects with object select tool, switch to
node select tool, select nodes from separate objects, move.
I do realise that doing a "Combine" on the objects would allow me to
edit their nodes in such a way, but this involves 2 extra steps
(Combine/Break apart). If this functionality is added to the node edit
tool, it may make sense to have a switch (checkbox) to determine whether
to limit it to one object editing or multi-object editing.
Or a related theme, there is no way to scale/rotate a subset of the
nodes of an object in Inkscape (rather than rotating/editing the whole
object).
Does anyone else think that those things would be useful?
Stathis
15 years, 7 months
Re: [Inkscape-user] forum?
by Valerie VK
Aye caramba! We're still on about this forum thing? Well... here are my
two cents:
Mailing list:
It has the advantage of grouping everything together, but it's bad at
fostering the "artistic" side because of its limited multimedia support
and besides, lots of people find mailing lists to be hard to navigate. And
bland. XD
Wiki:
I'm under the impression that wikis would not be the best for fostering an
"interactive" community, but I admit I'm biased because I rarely use wikis
except to find information (and not to interact with other people).
Povray:
I have even Less idea how Povray's community works. After the first hour
spent over the manual (time needed to get how to get a sphere in Povray),
I had decided that it was easier to draw people manually. XP
Galleries:
Opencanvas, as I've previously said, managed to get much exposure thanks
to its art-based community, but this would not likely be appropriate for
Inkscape. However, I think it would be nice if Open Clipart took on a more
advanced gallery interface, a bit like Deviantart and co: Creative Common
or not, someone who registers would be more likely to contribute if they
were filling up "their" gallery (and can get feedback on top of that), and
tagging would allow easing search and browsing. There could be entire
downloadable "collections" too. On top of that, if it has a big "We
recommend Inkscape" (or something in those lines) at the front, so much
the better for Inkscape's visibility.
No offense, but, I currently do not "get" Open Clipart's interface at all.
XD In Deviantart and co by contrast, people browse and submit work
practically without thinking.
Blogs:
Actually, I'd see a few advantages to a blog-based community. How many of
you know how blog Communities work? Here's an example from the top of my
head:
http://community.livejournal.com/icon_tutorial
If an Inkscape livejournal community were to be made for example, it'd
present the following advantages:
- it's as cohesive as mailing lists, really. You only have to check one
place.
- and for peple who already have their livejournal accounts, when they
join, the community posts appear on their "Friends" list, so it's even
more accessible to them
- there are quite a number of people with their own blogs etc, so they'd
be able to join "easily"
- people can post questions, tutorials, thoughts and tips much like on the
mailing list, albeit with a slightly nicer interface that allows images
and such
- either the users or a moderator would help "tag" the entries for easy
future reference from the "Favorites" section or the "Tutorials
(compilation)" section or the "Frequently asked questions" section, all
easily accesible from the left bar
- the only thing really is that unlike forums, threads can't be "bumped",
but with the tagging it shouldn't be much problem. Besides, how often do
"very old" topics resurface, anyway? Also, you'd have to revisit a topic
to see any new comments, unless you're the one who started it. In practice
though, it's not That much a hassle.
- some people might also feel a certain reluctance to creating an account,
but it's not much more work than signing up to a mailing list or to a
forum, really.
It's basically a mailing list's cohesiveness with many of a forum's
presentation. I'm subscribed to both a few forums and a few livejournal
communities of the similar categories, and livejournal communities (I
admit, I know little of Blogspot and others) are indeed more cohesive and
intimate so to say. Forums are better when the size of the community goes
over the top, but blogs can be a good starter.
Of course, I'm biased towards something I'm familiar with, but maybe the
above explains a few things.
In the future, I'd also suggest a more advanced "tutorial" section on the
main page (and not just accessible through the wiki. I mean... geez).
There are two things I think Inkscape does Very right in regards to
documentation:
1. Include a number of tutorials on the basics in the very releases. Those
are lifesavers.
2. Include screenshots. I give the Inkscape screenshots section 2 thumbs
up because they're Really good at showing off Inkscape's capabilities.
Where the suggested tutorial section is concerned, I'd propose advanced
tutorials with a nice big-enough preview for advanced styles as well as
simpler ones. Categories would include:
- make a photorealistic car
- make a photorealistic person
- various other art styles
- advanced technical blueprints (or whatever)
- setting up a whole set of icons for webpage usage
- the works
This would be similar to what Corel Painter does, which is the great thing
it does with Its documentation. Painter's documentation basically gives
advanced painting tutorials by advanced artists. Inkscape may or may not
have such advanced artists willing to contribute for now, but these will
be good for exposure when available because when a user browses the
webpage, as soon as they see these they'd go "This is what Inkscape is
capable of. This is what -I- may be capable of, if I follow these
tutorials." Sold! If the examples offered in the tutorials are good
enough, the "wow" effect would be as nearly great as an advanced user
gallery section with favourites etc.
A section underneath would provide smaller tips for various effects.
Anyway, those are my 2 cents.
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15 years, 7 months
Students' art
by Victor Domingos
Hi! I'm sharing with you some works made in Inkscape by my students
(12-13 years old), in a Portuguese school. Those were made in a
computer class, not in Arts. I hope you like... :-)
Victor Domingos
http://lojamac.com/blog
15 years, 7 months
Re: [Inkscape-user] forum?
by Valerie VK
> I think that the mailing lists are doing an excellent job on the
> techinical side, but they arent generating a users community in terms
> of art particularly well. I dont think that having all the devs
> reading all the forum is necessary for a forum once we start talking
> about it in the context of art rather than technical support.
> I think if they were done right, and kept pretty focused, then forums
> could be a good way to grow the creative aspect of the community, and
> could help tie together and stimulate some of the excellent work that
> has been going on with the youtube screencast tutorials etc.
> Very much feel they should be something that compiments the mailing
> list rather than replaces, as I'd see them performing a dfferent role.
>
>
> > That's the main reason I'd prefer the "official" Inkscape forum to be
> an interface to the mailing list over other approaches, even though I
> certainly do appreciate the benefits of "real" forums (e.g. being able
> to post inline images as examples, more robust threading, etc.).
> >
> > -mental
> >
Hmm. If the goal is to develop an effective artistic community, then
that's a whole new direction, and one that Open Source hasn't been very
good at in my opinion (I view Gimp for example as a failure in terms of
developing a cohesive Artistic community. If you want to find One
community where there are lots of advanced Gimp artists, you just won't
find that. Some Gimp artists would try to gather, but it's never been
handled well in my opinion).
It's true though that an active, cohesive and visible (artist) community
would increase the visibility of Inkscape. Some people like to gather and
discuss about their favorite programs just as much as they like using the
program (just like how there are fan communities of books etc). It's not
easy to obtain though. Photoshop has active communities left and right but
that's because it's the industry standard, and since the community is so
active (both in producing artwork and in making tutorials), it leads to
More people picking it up, much like a viral effect. By contrast,
Procreate Painter is also a powerful painting tool, but fewer people pick
it up because most people use Photoshop and that's where all the tips and
tutorials are.
That said, I'm personally neutral on the issue of developing an artistic
community for Inkscape. Inkscape can be used for casual art (and the
online CG population happens to be quite large - see the size of
Deviantart), but it's mostly (?) targeted at productive tasks such as icon
or web layout creations, either for personal use or for work. And those
people don't need as much of a marketing effect (at least... I don't think
so?), because they might pick it up for work might pick it up just because
it works fine and is free. It's productive issue.
By contrast, casual artists of the Deviantart type for the example, flock
towards the program that seems to give the biggest number of pretty
results (even if they can't achieve them themselves XD ).
If people are still curious though, here's an interesting non-forum
community example I know of: a Japanese program known as Opencanvas
(which, contrary to its name, is not open source). It started years ago as
a free (as in "free beer") version, and subsequent versions had to be paid
for, while the free one was no longer offered. Even then, however, it
managed to retain a highly dedicated community.
You can find it here:
http://www.portalgraphics.net/en/ (English main page)
http://www.portalgraphics.net/ja/ (Japanese main page, more developed)
http://www.portalgraphics.net/oc/en/ (English version of the community
page)
No, I don't want Inkscape to mimick it (at all :S ). I just think it's an
interesting case study. Opencanvas is actually a relatively simple program
"that works". One interesting feature (that I don't want in Inkscape
though :S ) is the "recording" of "events": basically for any finished
work you can playback the whole process. Also interesting is the ability
to automatically upload artworks (each process-playbackable) to its
community page with just a few commands, where they can be judged and
voted on.
>From a user point of view: the user is curious as to the capabilities of
the program, he goes to the community page, he immediately sees the "best"
recent artworks made by the program, said artwork can be downloaded for
the user to playback its whole drawing process. Also located on the
community page are a number of art tutorials (strange, I can't find them
anymore, ah well). The user says "wow" and gets the program for himself.
Again, I am not advocating anything like that for Inkscape. I don't think
it's possible, either. :S But it's an interesting and unconventional case
study on artistic communities. Opencanvas as a result has become Very well
known in Japan, and is even being adopted elsewhere. I admit, even I
bought it at first (then practically never used it XD ).
Oh by the way, can someone tell me just how Do you reply in a way that the
message ends in the right thread in the mailing list archive? :S
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15 years, 7 months
Re: [Inkscape-user] forum?
by gri3f on
Valerie VK wrote:
> No, I don't want Inkscape to mimick it (at all :S ). I just think it's an
> interesting case study. Opencanvas is actually a relatively simple program
> "that works". One interesting feature (that I don't want in Inkscape
> though :S ) is the "recording" of "events": basically for any finished
> work you can playback the whole process. Also interesting is the ability
> to automatically upload artworks (each process-playbackable) to its
> community page with just a few commands, where they can be judged and
> voted on.
Don't be surprised if you see event recording and playback in Inkscape
someday. Mental and a few others have been building the necessary
infrastructure to support this and a few other uses.
Aaron Spike
is this going to be something like the "action" on photoshop? where you can record series of process. and applied the same process onto different object?
gri3fon
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15 years, 7 months
