Inkscape

[Cartoonme]

Has anyone tried out Inkscape? I just recently found out about it and would love to hear some feedback.

It is a free vector based art program and it looks pretty slick.

http://www.inkscape.org/

If anyone is using it let me know how it is.

[Phact0rri]

there's pros and cons. its a lot like illustrator, and I use it when I'm doing art in linux. The file conversion, options are a little limited, in response to using it with GIMP or a simular program. its decent. I did this with it a little while back. and if you have nothing else it does its job. but if your not use to using vector programs it might be a bit of a curve when starting out. but if your use to working with vector, then it'll be fairly easy for you to get a hang of things.

[Metruis]

Yep, I've tried it. It's a great free vector program... with one drawback that prevents me from using it.

See, there's this glitch while using a pen tablet set to "mouse mode". This means that my pen does not corspond to... like, the screen is equal to the tablet. It means it acts like a mouse, based more or less on speed for how fast it covers the screen. Most programs work all right with this but there's a couple where it interpets an invisible curser as being in 'tablet mode' and hence... what it draws is not where I see my curser at.

If I change it to tablet mode, it works fine. The problem is, I don't use all of my tablet, usually... just the one end unless I'm being very dramatic. So it's too slow and awkward. The second problem is, I have a widescreen monitor so it just doesn't interpet right...

I prefer Expression 3 for vectors, lately. That's an INSANE freebie.

But Inkscape is great, really good if you don't have anything else, easy to handle if you're familiar with vectors though I doubt it'd make as much sense otherwise.

[Cartoonme]

I have never seen Expression 3. Are there some screenshots around for this program?

[Metruis]

I dunno. It's reasonably new, I think. I hate the program, but wow, what it can DO. It can DO paintings in vector, fast..

It's tricksy to find the free download, which is here. http://www.microsoft.com/expression/exp ... y=download

Seriously, it's insane. It's the easiest program I've ever found to do digital lineart, the lines are sooo manipulatable, but it's... like painting. o_O

The program interface SUCKS, no lie, but it's well worth trying.

[Cartoonme]

Wow, that vector painting looks great. I will have to give that a go.

Thanks for the link.

Is the tablet support pretty good?

[Boozeathon4billion]

Yeah, I don't use Inkscape because of the tablet issues as well. I tried switching to Inkscape and GIMP instead of using my old versions of Photoshop and Illustrator (CS1), but I just didn't like them as much. I guess I'll be forced to shell out the money for CS2 or CS3 eventually if I want updated stuff. At least the wacom benefits gives a 50% discount on the adobe CS3 line.

[Metruis]

Wow, that vector painting looks great. I will have to give that a go.

Thanks for the link.

Is the tablet support pretty good?

The tablet support is AMAZING. o_o Well, it's some of the best tablet imput for pressure sensitivity I've used, anyway. I mean, all I've used the tablet for with it is the line varience but the line varience is very good.

And thanks. It was a speed paint so I don't think it's up to par but people sure go o_o when they hear it's vector. >.>

I'd be happy with Illustrator CS1. I have CS2 Photoshop and CS InDesign (and pleaded with my boss to not make me learn Quark instead) and am saving up for one big blast of programification. See, I'm homeschooled, we get this money that lets us buy 'school applicable' stuff, I jumped on the guy who heads up our area 'IF I'M GOING TO ART COLLEGE CAN I APPLY THAT TO ADOBE SOFTWARE? PLZ?' and he said yes. ^_^ Then I just have to bribe a college student with cookies to get me the student discount and buy it from them! >.> "Dirt cheap"... ahaha... man, programs are bloody expensive. >< I actually used Paint Shop Pro for vector stuff for a while but it sucks, and I can't make sense of Photoshop's, so I stick with suck, or using my tablet awkwardly in Inkscape. Stupid messed up imput.

But soon, yes, soooon I'll have the money to buy CS3 creative suite... ahahahahahahaaaa... not that I want to upgrade PHOTOSHOP so much, but I want all the programs I don't have. Particularly Illustrator...