Inkscape Digital Photography Flyer Tutorial

This Inkscape Tutorial gives you the illustrated step by step instructions to create a Digital Photography Flyer using the Open Source Vector Graphics Editor - Inkscape.

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Steps

01: Document Setup
02: Colored Background
03: Rectangle Setup
04: Fill and Stroke
05: Color Palette
06: Fill Both Rectangles
07: Add Text
08: Text and Font Window
09: Change Text Color
10: Add New Text
11: Create Star
12: Change Star's Color
13: Change Star's Opacity
14: Filter Effects
15: Rename Filter
16: Add Effects
17: Gaussian Blur Connection
18: Offset Connection
19: Merge Connection
20: Gaussian Blur - S D
21: Offset - Delta X and Y
22: Apply Drop Shadow
23: Royalty Free Images
24: Import Images
25: Give Image Border
26: Arrange Images
27: Save File

Step 01: Document Setup

Upon opening Inkscape, locate the Menu Bar.

Select File > Document Properties.

This will open up the Document Properties Window.

You will notice tabs for Page, Guides, Grids, Snap, Color Management, and Scripting.

On the Page Tab where the Default Units is set to px, select the Down Arrow and choose in for Inches from the drop down window.

In the Page Size section select US Letter for
8.5" x 11".

Orientation will be set to Portrait by Default.

To close the window, simply click on the x in the upper right hand corner. Now you can move on to creating your document.

Step 02: Colored Background

Now we will make 2 Rectangles that go side by side. Select the Rectangle Tool from the Tool Box.

(Flipped horizontally for the purpose of the Tutorial)

Step 03: Rectangle Setup

Then go up to the Tools Control Bar.

Set the Width to "4.24", Height to "11", Rx to "0", Ry to "0" and then change the last box to "in" for inches. Then draw the Rectangles on the canvas.

Step 04: Fill and Stroke

To the bottom left of the screen is the Fill and Stroke Box.

If you double click on it, the Fill and Stroke Window will appear.

However, if you right click the Fill Color in this Fill and Stroke Box, a menu to edit the Fill will pop up.

Vice versa, if you right click the Stroke Color, a menu to edit the Stroke will pop up.

Step 05: Color Palette

Just above the Fill and Stroke Box is the Color Palette. It should show the Default Inkscape Colors.

To verify, click on the Arrow

to the bottom right of the screen. A Color Menu will pop up.

If you wanted to change the colors that you see, you could select one of the other options on the menu.

Step 06: Fill Both Rectangles

Using the Select Tool

click on the 1st Rectangle and set both its Fill and Stroke to "Black" and the Fill and Stroke of the 2nd Rectangle to "Maroon".

It should look like this:

Step 07: Add Text

Select the Text Tool

on the Tool Box and click anywhere on the canvas and start typing your blocks of Text. In this case we will start with the Title which is "Aiden's Digital Photography".

Go to the Command Bar and select the Text Properties Icon

.

Step 08: Text and Font Window

This will open the Text and Font Window. Here you can change the Font Family, Style, Size, Layout and Line Spacing. You will also be able to see a Preview of your modifications.

In this case the Font Family is "Disko" which is a free Font that was downloaded at FontFreak. The Font Size is "56", Style is Italic and Layout is Centered. Click Apply then Close.

Step 09: Change Text Color

Using the Select Tool, select the Text then go down to the Color Palette and right click on the Color "White" and select Set Fill, this will change the Text to White. Then drag the Text to the desired spot on the flyer.

It should look like this:

Step 10: Add New Text

Next we can add the remaining Text to the document.

The Font used is "Segoe Print" which you can also get at FontFreak.

Be sure to also make this Text White by setting the Fill to "White".

Step 11: Create Star

Next we will create a Star with a Drop Shadow. To do this, click on the Star Tool

on the Tool Box.

Then go up to the Tool Control Bar.

Select the Star Icon, set Corners to "5" and Spoke Ratio to "0.550". Then draw the Star anywhere on the canvas.