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Inkscape Adventure Into Vector Graphics

Have you ever taken a graphics course that provides only mechanical instruction on how to use the software tools? But, you're left wondering what you can create with them? Or at the opposite end, some tutorials show how to create a specific project, but when you try to branch out, you realize you can't make the tools do what you want them to!

The Inkscape Adventure course gives you the best of both worlds - thorough step-by-step instruction on Inkscape's tools and features as well as hands-on, practical assignments for you to complete. The progressive assignments help you master the concepts taught in the video lessons.

The course culminates with a major project - the creation of a colorful layout for a fictional board game. This project is approached one element at a time with students creating their own copy of the design.

Complete Course Outline, Registration, and Login

Course Price

$39

  • 119 instructional videos.
  • PDF listing video topics with a session completion checklist
  • Assignment summary PDF that provides instructions for all the projects in one handy document
  • Sample images needed for a particular lesson are available for download

Course Details

This course was recorded mainly with Inkscape 0.92. The current Inkscape version is 1.3. The course focuses on fundamental operations that won't change or at least not significantly in Inkscape. Generally, updates add new features rather than changing old ones. The course is still very usable, but you will notice differences in the interface if you're using version 1.3 that may cause confusion.

To follow the videos more exactly, you could install the same version of Inkscape I used in the course, from this page: 
https://inkscape.org/release/inkscape-0.92.5

Developing a course like this involves a huge investment of time. At some point, I plan to re-record the entire thing, but I'm hoping they stabilize Inkscape at some point with a version that lasts longer than a few months. :)

While the pen and node tools are the most important to master, as they are the heart of vector graphics; every tool in the Inkscape toolbar is covered in this course. Additional lessons explain the most commonly used operations such as: path operations, bitmap tracing, cloning, tiled clones, clipping, masking, patterns, offsets, and live path effects. Several filters and extensions are demonstrated as well.

If GIMP is the Photoshop of free software, then Inkscape is the free equivalent of Adobe Illustrator. Inkscape was designed to create scalable vector graphics. These images may be used for print, web design, social media, game characters, animation frames, and so forth.

The skills acquired learning Inkscape will be useful even if you eventually transition to another vector graphics program such as Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw. The core functionality of all these programs is quite similar.

Ages: The topic of vector graphics in general is a little more advanced than bitmap graphics (GIMP/Photoshop). For my GIMP course, I generally suggest ages 12 and up. This course is aimed a little higher, maybe 14 and up. But, a highly-motivated 12-year-old might be able to handle it.

Requirements: Inkscape works on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux, and it's free. The course videos use version 0.92 of the software, but if you have a prior or more recent version, you should be fine. Inkscape is very slow to make significant changes. The basic interface has remained the same for many years.

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