Open Source

Inkscape fill and stroke menu not showing
Quick Fix: Inkscape Fill and Stroke Menu Not Showing
Quick Fix: Inkscape Fill and Stroke Menu Not Showing 800 470 Nick Saporito

In this post I’ll be going over a quick fix for why your Fill and Stroke Menu may not be showing in Inkscape. In short, if your fill and stroke menu is not showing, it’s probably because it’s minimized in a tab to the right of your screen. Let’s explore a bit. Inkscape Fill and…

read more
Make your SVG background transparent in Inkscape
How To Make your SVG Background Transparent in Inkscape
How To Make your SVG Background Transparent in Inkscape 800 470 Nick Saporito

In this tutorial I’ll be demonstrating how to make your SVG background transparent in Inkscape. This can be done by simply ticking a box in the Document Properties menu. SVG Format Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG for short) is the native file format that Inkscape runs on. Whenever you open up a fresh Inkscape canvas, you’re…

read more
GIMP word art logo
How To Create Word Art Logos with GIMP
How To Create Word Art Logos with GIMP 800 470 Nick Saporito

In this tutorial I’ll be demonstrating how to create simple word art-style logos using a piece of free design software known as GIMP. For this example we’ll be creating a silhouette tracing of a buffalo with the letters of the word “buffalo” making up the silhouette. Normally I don’t use GIMP for logo design because…

read more
Wrap text around a circle with Inkscape
Wrap Text Around A Circle with Inkscape | Beginner Tutorial
Wrap Text Around A Circle with Inkscape | Beginner Tutorial 800 470 Nick Saporito

In this tutorial I’ll be demonstrating how to easily wrap text around a circle with Inkscape. This is something that can be done in 2 clicks! Let’s get started. A few years ago I put together a brief video tutorial demonstrating how to wrap text around a circle with Inkscape. You can watch it here……

read more
Repeat an object around a shape with Inkscape
Repeating an Object Around a Shape with Inkscape
Repeating an Object Around a Shape with Inkscape 800 470 Nick Saporito

In this tutorial I’ll be demonstrating how to use Inkscape to take an object and repeat it along the contours of a shape. To do this we’ll be using a handy path effect called Pattern Along Path. The following is just a brief overview of the steps taken to create this effect. For complete step-by-step…

read more
Inkscape rounded corners
How To Remove Rounded Corners from Rectangles in Inkscape
How To Remove Rounded Corners from Rectangles in Inkscape 800 470 Nick Saporito

Today I’ll be providing a simple fix to a very common (and aggravating) problem — removing rounded corners from rectangles in Inkscape. How To Remove Rounded Corners from Rectangles in Inkscape To remove rounded corners from rectangles in Inkscape, simply grab the Rectangle tool, select the rectangle, then click the icon in the toolbar labeled…

read more
GIMP snowfall effect
Add Falling Snow to Any Image with GIMP
Add Falling Snow to Any Image with GIMP 800 470 Nick Saporito

In this tutorial I’ll be demonstrating how to add falling snow to any image using GIMP. We’ll be generating the snow effect from scratch with the HSV noise filter. The following is just a brief overview of the steps taken to achieve this effect. For complete step-by-step instructions please watch the video tutorial at the…

read more
Inkscape text to path upside down
Why Your Text to Path is Upside Down in Inkscape
Why Your Text to Path is Upside Down in Inkscape 800 470 Nick Saporito

Inkscape allows you to shape, alter, and warp text in a variety of different ways. One problem you may run into though is that your text to path is upside down in Inkscape. In this post I will briefly explain why that happens and how you can easily correct it. Inkscape Text To Path Upside…

read more
Material design with Inkscape tutorial
How To Create A Material Design Pattern with Inkscape
How To Create A Material Design Pattern with Inkscape 800 470 Nick Saporito

In this tutorial I’ll be demonstrating how to create a vector material design pattern with Inkscape. The pattern is an abstract design with layered waves. The finished pattern could work well for clipping text and various other objects. The following is just a brief overview of the steps taken to create this material design pattern.…

read more
GIMP Distressed Effect
How To Create A Distressed Effect in GIMP
How To Create A Distressed Effect in GIMP 800 470 Nick Saporito

In this tutorial I’ll be demonstrating how to use layer masking to apply textures to objects in GIMP in order to create a distressed effect. This is good for giving your designs an aged, worn, vintage sort of appeal. The following is just a brief overview of the steps taken to apply this distressed effect…

read more