Grunge

2010 Review - 11 Best Tutorials for Learning Inkscape




This list is not necessarily the best Inkscape tutorials per se, but this is a list that will help someone become an expert using Inkscape.  If you are a beginner just starting to use Inkscape, completing these tutorials will help you understand a great variety of the tools that Inkscape has to offer.

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#1 - Create a Grunge RSS Box Icon


Why this is awesome:
You learn a lot of great different steps in this tutorial.  The end result is easy to achieve and looks great! Wonderful tutorial if you want to get experienced in Inkscape.

What you should pay attention to:
Step 15 has a nice way to get a grunge effect. Step 24 shows you how to create texture.


#2 - Drawing volumetric objects in Inkscape - Snowman

Why this is awesome:
This is definitely one of the best drawings I have seen created in Inkscape. This is a more advanced tutorial, but if you can complete it, you will have on great looking snowman!

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What you should pay attention to:
This tutorial is heavy in gradients.  This is good practice if you want to work on radial gradients.

#3 - Draw a first-aid kit


Why this is awesome: 
Another incredibly good looking drawing done in Inkscape.  If you are interested in industrial or product design, you should definitely complete this tutorial.


What you should pay attention to:
Use of gradients for curves is great!
 

#4 - Starburst background

Why this is awesome:
The starbust effect seems pretty popular in design right now. This is a simple tutorial to get a nice effect.

What you should pay attention to:
Step 7 talks about rotating the image while holding down the space bar in order to leave a stamp of your clone.  I have been using Inkscape for years and had no idea you could do this!  I was happy to try this out and loved this tutorial because I learned something new!

#5 - Creating a Coffee Cup



Why this is awesome:
A simple yet elegant looking cup.  Good use of gradients.


What you should pay attention to:
Steps 13-15 have a great way of making the blue stripes that go around the cup.  Nice looking objects on a curved surface can be difficult to attain.

#6 - How to Make a Vector 3D RSS Icon


Why this is awesome:
Vector art is perhaps most associated with icon creation.  Here is a wonderful example of a great looking icon created using Inkscape.

What you should pay attention to:
Step 2 use a great method for creating the RSS symbol. Step 3 is a nice basic refresher on aligning.


#7 - Faking irregular gradients





Why this is awesome:
I have always felt that a limitation with Inkscape is the inability to do curved gradients.  Hopefully one day this will be possible, until then, consider using blend or interpolate.

What you should pay attention to:
Step 5 shows the interpolation effect.


#8 - Draw A Realistic Vector Guitar


Why this is awesome:
This is just an overall nice looking image and tutorial.  The many steps will help you with combinations of elements.

What you should pay attention to:
This tutorial starts with the image of a guitar. Consider using this principle when trying to replicate images using Inkscape.

 #9 -  Text and Simple Styling



Why this is awesome:
One of the most common things to do with vector graphics is logo and text manipulation.  This tutorial offers a good idea that you can consider.


What you should pay attention to:
Step 2 talks about tracking.  Unless you are a heavy Inkscape user, you probably don't know about this.  Try it out!


 #10 - Chrome Effect

 

Why this is awesome:
This chrome effect looks really nice.  This tutorial goes in depth with explinations and is great for helping to understand different concepts.

What you should pay attention to:
Layers are an important but often overlooked tool in Inkscape.  This tutorial does a great job utilizing layers.


#11 - Render Bitmap Images using Tiled SVG Clones




Why this is awesome:
Half tones are common in graphic design; especially if you are doing T-Shirt design.  Half tones are not the easiest thing to do in Inkscape, but they are possible.  This tutorial shows how.

What you should pay attention to:
Tiled clones.


If you feel like I forgot any concepts or left out any tutorials, please feel free to write a comment below with a link to a tutorial you felt should have been included.  You can also look as the Inkscape tutorials I have done.

Please request a tutorial if you would like to see something not listed here :)

About McKay

2 comments:

  1. Hey there. Is the "Rendering Bitmap as Tiled Clones" tutorial available elsewhere. The link is broken. Thanks so much!

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  2. @Sean

    there is web archive for this tutorial

    http://web.archive.org/web/20100206013751/http://sidux.com/index.php?module=Wikula&tag=InkscapeTiledCloneToolBitmapRenderEN

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