Chapter 2, The Book of Inkscape: An Inkscape primer
Nov. 21, 2024
This marks Week 1 of exploring The Book of Inkscape. Below are the key takeaways from Chapter 2. (Chapter 1 serves as an introduction to the software.)
Note: All keystrokes and shortcuts mentioned are specific to macOS.
Key Tips and Shortcuts
Fullscreen Mode
- Toggle fullscreen with Control + Command + F.
Infinite Canvas: Removing the Page Frame/Border
- Navigate to File → Document Properties.
- Uncheck the Border option.
- Set both the page and desk colors to white (#fff).
- Save this setup as a template via File → Save Template.
- (Optional): Click Set as Default Template to start every session with this layout.
- Use Shift + ? to quickly search through menus.
Status Bar Messages
- Check the status bar at the bottom of the canvas for helpful, context-specific messages.
Panning
- Press and hold the middle mouse wheel, then drag to pan.
Zooming
- Use the + and - keys to zoom in and out.
The Calligraphy Tool in Inkscape is versatile and enjoyable for drawing and writing. It provides impressive accuracy, even when using a mouse, thanks to customizable settings available in the Tool Controls Bar at the top of the screen. Adjust parameters like Width, Thinning, Angle, and more to refine the tool’s behavior to suit your style.
Changing Stroke Colors of an Object
- To change the stroke color of an object, Shift + click your desired color in the color palette.
(Note: Clicking without holding Shift only changes the fill color.)
Removing Stroke or Fill Colors via the Selected Style Indicator
- In the Selected Style Indicator (located at the bottom left of the screen, next to the horizontal scrollbar), you can quickly remove a stroke or fill color by middle-clicking on the corresponding area.
Exporting
- Open the export dialog with Shift + Command + E to save in raster formats like
.png
.
(Note: Saving typically supports vector formats or .pdf
.)