Inkscape Please help!!!!

[canadianscrapper]

I am totally frustrated with this program. I have tried the tutorials - I get no where. I find it is worse than Photoshop in terms of user friendliness.
First off, why is there a big rectangle in the middle of the "page". Am I limited to creating something only inside of this?
I tried to simply open a new file and draw with the calligraphy tool. I get a cursor that is red and when I click and drag there is nothing.
I tried opening a text box and as soon as I click inside of it, it disappears.
I tried doing a shape ( star ) and this is what I get. If I click on it, it's gone.




I am absolutely clueless with this program. I did a lot of reading before getting SCA and thought this would be great but so far I am so frustrated I feel like biffing the computer out the window! Is there anyone who can help me????????
Lisa

[sboz]

Lisa,

I am a beginner to Inkscape myself so I am probably not much help. Have you worked your way through these tutorials? http://www.craftedge.com/tutorials/tutorials.html

Shari

[AnointedHands]

OK, Lisa, take deep breaths...breath in...breath out...

While Photoshop is a bitmap based program, Inkscape is a vector based program. In other words, in PS, you work with pixels (if you zoom in real close, you will see the squares (pixels) that make up the picture.

Inkscape is a vector based program and it uses nodes to make changes to picture (have included a photo below.

You are able to work anyplace in the screen that you see...that square when you start the program reps the workspace which can be changed (more about that later). I can see that you have started to create something by the two nodes on the screen but it seems that you need to add some Fill and Stroke. If you click on any color on the color bar right below your image it will give some color to your shape. Also if you look below the color bar on the left you will see a F and below that a S...that is Fill and Stoke...double click to open up the or right click on the image and the Fill and Stroke option is there...left click and it will open. Fill is for the Color of the shape and Stroke is for the outline of the shape.

Trial.jpg (93.57 KiB) Viewed 5405 times

This photo shows the nodes on an image and that is how you change the image. Once you click on the second icon it will show the nodes. You many need to zoom it to work with them cuz they are tricky. There are different types of nodes and they change the shape of the design in different ways.

Work slow and have patience.

[canadianscrapper]

Girls, thanks for your replies.... I tried the tutorial you posted Shari and though the instructions seemed easy, I am not able to do any where near how it is explained. For one, I can't find " Landscape Mode"
The only way to get anything to show up is to make a text box first, then choose the font etc. for EACH letter EACH time. It doesn't say anything about that in the tutorial This is what I came up with after a half hour of frigging around:


Anointedhands, I think I have to go to bed now before I break something lol! Maybe I'll feel better tomorrow and try what you suggested... I am just so po'ed right now. I considered myself to be pretty computer savvy - WRONG! LOL!

[AnointedHands]

This is just a different type of program...being computer savvy, you will get it in no time.

You don't have to make a text box (I didn't even know you could make a text box), just click on the A and you will see a cursor and start typing. Now you might have to make the size of the font larger to see the cursor...I usually work with a 144 point size and then make the word smaller, if necessary.

[jancy]

have you tried the instructions from my eariler posts?

how to make a connected/welded title
http://forums.surecutsalot.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=140


how to make a shadow/mat for your title
http://forums.surecutsalot.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=141


to set your canvas to landscape in inkscape go to:
file: document properties: landscape

I work just fine in portrait, so I wouldn't worry about that too much.

as far as I recall, you don't need inkscape to make a connected word or mat/shadow as you can now do that in SCAL--don't know positively as I don't have SCAL yet.

you can manipulate shapes & text etc. in inkscape by clicking on the icon below the large arrow; the small arrow with the 3 boxes/squares next to it. select that tool & then click on your imag/text, whatever. you'll see small boxes--called nodes--appear all over your image/text, etc. you can now manipulate the image by clicking on individual nodes & deleting, moving, etc. If you look at the tool options on the vertical toolbar--the one with the little squares/nodes--you'll see the options you have for manipulating nodes. You can do all kinds of things with the image by working with the nodes.

hope this makes sense.

[canadianscrapper]

Ok, I got some typing down, now how do I get it to show up in SCA? Actually, I know this could have been created more easily in SCA but I just wanted to try it. I saved it, then "Traced Bitmap" pressed "ok" a number of times ( it doesn't just go away after you click the button) I tried to open it in SCA but there is nothing??
I am actually going to go to bed now ( it's 12:30am here lol! ) and I will check in the moring to see if there are any replies - I thank you so much ladies for trying to help me. I will be driving you all crazy until I "get" this.

[jancy]

[quote="canadianscrapper"]Ok, I got some typing down, now how do I get it to show up in SCA? not sure, don't have it yet I saved it, then "Traced Bitmap" pressed "ok" a number of times ( it doesn't just go away after you click the button) I tried to open it in SCA but there is nothing?? in inkscape, try path: object to path: path: union & then save
I am actually going to go to bed now ( it's 12:30am here lol! ) and I will check in the moring to see if there are any replies - I thank you so much ladies for trying to help me. I will be driving you all crazy until I "get" this.

hth.

[AnointedHands]

You have it selected...good...but you need to do Path>Object to Path

With it still selected, Path>Union

Save and it should open in SCAL

[kkrewtea]

I feel your pain!!! I open & close. The thing scares me!!! Is there anyway to make it in inches? I can't figure out anything with the measurements they have! Maybe if it were in inches?