To get rid of the unnecessary panels, go to “View” – “Hide”. However, I like that the editor lets you customize the interface, remove or add functions and tools. At the top of the program window, there is a panel with various functions, on the left – basic tools, and on the right – the command bar.Īll this together may seem difficult for a beginner. It hasn’t been updated for more than 5 years. Cluttered and Inconvenient InterfaceĪll available versions of Inkscape software for Windows, Mac OS and Linux have a fairly old interface. Unlike Illustrator and Photoshop, Inkscape has minimal system requirements, and is also highly optimized (programs like GIMP and PhotoScape also have a minimum system requirements threshold, but are poorly optimized). I tested Inkscape on a fairly weak laptop for architecture and I was pleasantly surprised with the speed and responsiveness. Don't hesitate to try it out.Inkscape is a cross-platform vector graphics editor with advanced tools. You can do whatever you can think of if you know how.Īll in all, if you're looking for a free, open-source, and powerful vector graphics editor, Inkscape is definitely what you need. Likewise, Inkscape can be used for almost anything, from really simple to really complicated tasks: from drawing a simple arrow to create a short animation movie. That's why it's never a bad idea to search for a tutorial due to the complexity of the task. Not to carry out basic edits such as cropping an image but for more complex tasks or for designing the layout of a magazine using grids. However, just like almost any worthy vector drawing program, beginners should get hold of some kind of manual. Possibility to expand functions by means of extensions.Support for different vector graphics formats.Main features of InkscapeĪmongst the main functions of this powerful software, we can point out the following: So, even if its aspect may remind us of FreeHand, Inkscape is to Illustrator what GIMP is to Photoshop. The interface is almost identical to that of the latest stable version of FreeHand (11.0) and the toolset available looks almost identical.Īs usual with many open-source alternatives to proprietary programs, it can be downloaded and used for free. In other words, a free alternative to vector drawing program offered by Macromedia to pick things up from where it left off. Well, if this software now resides in Illustrator, Inkscape is probably the closest thing to FreeHand without using that old program. Anyone remember Macromedia's FreeHand? Yes, that company that developed products as popular as Director or Flash that was later taken over by Adobe.

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