Inkscape

Inkscape is a vector graphics editor from open source, with capabilities similar to those of apps such as Adobe Illustrator, Freehand, CorelDraw or Xara X. The program, which has a multitude of tools for both artistic illustration and technical drawing, will allow you to convert any sketch or drawing you have at hand into a professional quality work, ready to be published on any web page or to be printed directly in physical format.

Create vector images from scratch

With Inkscape you can either create your own vector graphics from a blank page, or import images in any format to work on them. The app supports all common image formats such as PNG, JPG, BMP or TIFF. You will be able to import any document in any of these formats and work with it without any problems. Once you have finished with a job, you can save it in SVG format to continue working with it later, or you can export it to a multitude of different formats, such as PNG, PDF, DXF or EPS.

SVG, the vector standard

The main format you can work with at Inkscape is SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics). The advantage of this format, whose objective is the correct representation of two-dimensional graphics on a screen without any loss of quality, is that it is perfectly compatible with other similar apps and even with most browsers. Another advantage of SVG files is that they can be searched, indexed and compressed, all without losing quality.

All the tools you need

The quantity and quality of tools available at Inkscape is so great that it would be almost impossible to list them one by one. The app itself also has a Wiki and a tutorial that offer just that: a detailed breakdown of each of its tools. In the left menu of Inkscape you can find all the editing and drawing tools, which allow you to create shapes or draw freely using the cursor. On the right menu, on the other hand, you will have control of layers and tools with which to group, clone or duplicate objects. Filters are located at the top of the interface.

The best extensions for Inkscape

Inkscape has a very useful resource, which are the extensions. Extensions are add-ons, usually created by the community, that you can easily install and that allow you to add certain features. Please note, however, that for an extension to install correctly, you must first restart the program. This is very important. Until you restart Inkscape the extensions you have installed will not work. On the official website you will find hundreds of extensions ready to install.

Learn the most useful keyboard shortcuts

As is usual with most Windows editing programs, Inkscape has dozens of keyboard shortcuts, with which you can perform virtually any action in half the time. As already mentioned, in the program's own Wiki it is possible to find not only a tutorial, but also a complete scheme with all the keyboard shortcuts. Familiarizing yourself with the keyboard shortcuts of your most frequently used tools can save you a lot of time.

The king of vector editing

Download Inkscape and discover a drawing and design tool that is as powerful as it is convenient. Thanks to this program you will be able to create professionally finished works on your desktop PC, with the only help of a keyboard and a mouse. The app also has a huge user community, which is constantly contributing tips, tricks and new tutorials in the official forums and channels.