Inkscape tut #8 - Creating Word-Art

[jim_mex]

Hi folks - Producing Word-Art can be achieved in a number of user friendly programs - Microsoft Word being a good example - but sometimes you are limited with how you can manipulate your text. With Inkscape, and similar vector based illustration software you can do so much more.

Here is a simple tutorial which provides the basics for producing Word-Art which when coupled with my previous tutorials on manipulating and positioning closed paths allows you to produce some very elaborate designs.

The image shows what this tutorial will allow you to produce. The rest is up to you - practice a little and using your imagination is the name of the game!

Simple Word-Art



Inkscape Tutorial #8 - creating Word-Art in Inkscape

If you have any questions please shout in the thread

have fun!

[wood-n-things]

Thanks Mate!

[tagordy]

evenin jim, hope all is well down your way. i have a question about inkscape, and since i see you chattin bout it often, i'll inquire unto you. after i create a design in inkscape, is there any way to save the image or wordArt as a .jpg or .bmp type image?

[jim_mex]

is there any way to save the image or wordArt as a .jpg or .bmp type image?

Hi Tim - There certainly is! In fact the images you see in these last 3 tutorial threads have been exported directly from Inkscape as .png files.

The procedure is as follows:

Select whatever you want to save
Go to the File menu and select Export bitmap
Choose the Selection option from the popup panel where you can input the bitmap size in pixels or in units of your choice and set the dpi - around 96 for PC display or around 300 for printing
Then export your selection as a .png file

This can then be used as is or can be opened up in any decent bitmap editing software and converted to .bmp or .jpg if you wish

Note - if you just want to export your whole drawing there is no need to select anything. Go straight to Export Bitmap and choose the Page or Drawing option


Update to this comment

You may want to consider why you should save in a bitmap format. The advantage of saving in the native Inkscape format is that you have a totally scaleable image without loss of quality which can also be modified at a later date if you see fit. If you wish to save purely for savings sake or to have a format that you can view on other computers which do not have Inkscape installed then you can also save directly in a user friendly format such as .pdf.

In my own case I do use the export format as i mentioned earlier for posting .png images in these tutorials but this is something of a special case. Also I guess you would want to save web graphics in the same format

Just a thought....


Have fun!

[Philou]

I'm happy !

Thanks for your tutorial N°8 and for the explanations about the toolbar-not-possible. I will do what you say. It will be a big work with an intarsia pattern project, if there are 20, 50 or 100 pieces of wood

[jim_mex]

Hi Philou - I think now you know as much about Inkscape as i do!

I have one question for you my friend..... Why do you want to colour all of your pattern so accurately in Inkscape! This is a lot of work!

If I wanted an idea of what my finished project would look like I would use normal colours to fill with the approximate colour of the woods I was planning to use. Or, I would print my pattern as a line drawing and then use coloured pencils or water paints to simulate the wood colours

For me the pattern colour is only a guide to point me in a good direction. The real results take place in the workshop and very often I change my mind as I am working depending on how things look at the time. Everyone has a different method of working - this is mine

[Philou]

Hi Jim,
I thought that coloring the pattern with wood textures was a good idea, but in fact you are right : it would be very long and difficult and is not very usefull.
It was just a question from a beginner

[tagordy]

hey jim…i finally made it back to my question here…only took me 2 1/2 years…dang, i’m slow….lol

[jim_mex]

i finally made it back to my question here…only took me 2 1/2 years

LOL Tim - it sounds like you will soon be up to speed!
Now you have me thinking - was it really 2 1/2 years ago when I cooked up these tutorials? - definitely a case of tempus fugit with a vengeance!

[tagordy]

jim, i just looked at the date of my first post on this thread…yep, 2 1/2 years ago