A reader wants to learn more about a program.
“I would like to make a request of you. I came across a program with the title INKSCAPE, but cannot work out whether it’s an image editor or some program even more exciting and mysterious editor. It’s complex with oodles of menus, buttons….etc. Could you please tell me more about it and if there are tutorials, manuals…etc ? Perhaps you could direct me where I might found more about its operation.”
We all know that software used for illustration like Adobe Illustrator and Corel Draw can be pricey. Illustrator is only available as part of an expensive subscription package and Corel Draw can rack up quite a price tag if you get the full graphics suite.
What if I told you there was a free alternative capable of doing almost everything those programs can? There is and you can download it today for Windows, Mac, or Linux.
Inkscape Draw Freely is an open-source software from the same folks that bring you GIMP. If you aren’t familiar with GIMP, it’s a photo editing program that boasts nearly all the capabilities of Photoshop and it’s also free. (Click here to learn about GIMP)
Let’s look at what it offers. You can create objects with freehand and shape tools and there are also calligraphy and text tools for creating customized typefaces with the following features:
- Multi-line text
- Uses any installed outline fonts, including right-to-left scripts
- Kerning, letterspacing, linespacing adjustments
- Text on path (both text and path remain editable)
- Text in shape (fill shape following stroke)
You can move, scale, rotate, and skew existing objects. InkScape Draw Freely also allow you export graphics with an alpha channel so that they’ll appear with transparent backgrounds in other programs like Photoshop.
While this certainly isn’t a simple program, there are lots of tutorials both in written and video form to guide you through the learning curve.
I’m planning on downloading it now for the text editing features. Right now I’m keeping a Windows 7 PC alive for the sole purpose of using an old single-installation of Adobe Illustrator that’s installed on it and having this program will be a huge help to me.
Click here to check it out https://inkscape.org/
You can check out a gallery of images created with the program here: https://inkscape.org/gallery/
Tomorrow, I’ll walk you through the process of downloading an installing.
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