Scalable Vector Graphics Production With Inkscape
Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) is a W3C file format useful to publish vector images on web pages. SVG files can be edited with any ASCII text editor, but for beginners this is a difficult task. With the help of free applications that provide a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) interface for SVG and other vector file formats manipulation, the vector graphics production will be simplified.
Inkscape is a free tool, especially designed for vector graphics management, especially SVG files, even it allows the opening or importing of many other image file formats. It provides all the features existing in common drawing programs and various options specific to SVG files processing like markers, clones or alpha blending.
Users will be able to perform nodes editing, bitmaps tracing and more actions through a user friendly interface having an intuitive menu, therefore vector images of any degree of complexity could be created, ranging from photo realistic drawings to organizational charts.
Inkscape allows the editing of raster images (imported in a SVG file) with external programs like Photoshop or GIMP, the modifications being reflected in the current document. As a vector graphics processing tool, Inkscape does not have all the features existing in applications like CorelDraw or Adobe Illustrator, but regarding the facilities offered for SVG files manipulation, it is more efficient.
Inkscape is available for free download for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X users. Over the Internet, there are several tutorials published in order to help the fast understanding of the Inkscape main functions of vector graphics editing.
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