Inkscape Tutorials 2

Tutorial Number 2:
How to create cartoon Images from Hand Drawn Line work. Using The GIMP to scan the Image and Inkscape to Trace and apply Color and effects. We will then edit the final to produce Images suitable for Animation.

Step 1:
Create a line drawing around 3 inches high in black and white as I have on the left.

Step 2:
Open The GIMP and choose the following option.
File > Acquire > Scanner Camera
Place your image in your scanner. Choose the Black and White option and scan the image at 600dpi.

Level: Medium: You must learn the Inkscape basics first . You will also require a scanner.

Step 3:
From the main menu Choose File > Save As and save the file as a .bmp file. Make sure you save the file somewhere where you can find it easily. Then you can close down The GIMP.

Step 4:
Open up Inkscape and choose a blank A4 page. Then choose File > Import.
Choose the file you just saved.

Scale the Image to fit the page as on the Left

Step 5 :
Choose Path > Trace Bitmap from the main menu.

Choose the setting in the trace dialog as I have below and click the OK button.

Step 6:
You should have a traced image directly on top of the imported bitmap image. Use your Select Tool to select and drag your new traced vector image away from the original image.

Step 7:
Select the original bitmap image and delete it. Then move your new traced image to the center of the page.

Step 8:
With the new Image still selected choose Object > Ungroup.

Step 9:
With the Image still selected choose Path > Break Apart.

Your Image will turn all black like the Image on the above.
Don’t panic it’s all good.

Step 10:
Choose View > Display mode > Outline

You can now see the line work without color
If you select the areas inside the Image with the Select Tool you can change their color. You won’t see this until you turn the View mode back to normal. Make sure you click on the inside line not the outside line or you will change the line work.

Select the eyebrows as I have on the left and color them white.

Step 11:
You can hold the shift key down and select multiple objects like the petals in the flower. Choose Path > Combine to join these objects together. I the future you will be able to click on any petal and change the color of all of them.

Step 12:
Choose View > Display mode > Normal to return to the full color screen mode.

I also selected his toes and combined them with the rest of the body so as one click allows me to fill the whole body.

Step 13:
I used the fill and stroke menu to set a body fill of green.

I then colored his eyebrows gray.

You can now save this file as a .svg file, or even an Illustrator .ai file or a .pdf

Step 14:
Select the arm as I have on the right.

Click on the arm again with the Select Tool to bring up rotation handle as on Left.

Move the little + at the center of the arm to the top middle of the arm. Next grab the rotation handle on the corner and rotate the arm. Note how it rotates around the top of the arm.

There is no color in the arm so we need to fix this situation.

Step 15:
Rotate the arm back to its normal position and zoom in.

With the Object still selected choose the Eyedropper Tool and click on the Green in the body to copy that color. Remove any Stroke color the new object may have

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Click around the arm as I have done below. I have given my Stroke (outline) a white color so as you can see it.

With the Object still selected choose the Eyedropper Tool and click on the Green in the body to copy that color.

Now carefully click on the black outline of the arm and click the Raise to top button

Step 16:
Hold the Shift key down and select both the foreground black arm and the inside arm shape.

Choose Object > Group to group the two objects together.

Step 17:
Click on the new grouped arm twice with the Selection Tool to bring up the rotation handles.

Move the center + to the top center of the arm as on the left.

You can now rotate the arm into different positions. This can be used for creating simple animations.