Inkscape Beginner Tutorial: Complete Basic Course to Get Started (45 min)

Inkscape Ultimate Quickstart Guide for beginners and new users who want to learn how to get the most out of Inkscape vector graphics software. In this step-by-step beginner tutorial course Rick Johanson will walk you through the basics of Inkscape and provide detailed examples and exercises demonstrating how each tool is used. Follow along at your own pace and make something beautiful.

UPDATE AS OF Inkscape 1.1.1 :
**** Do Geometric Constructions ***** Inkscape REMOVED THIS TOOL as of version 1.1.1 The mirroring feature is now found under PATH- PATH EFFECTS - Mirror Symmetry. Thank you to Ian Barrow for alerting me to this change!

--TIMESTAMPS--
0:00 Intro
0:42 Quick Setup Menu
1:01 How to Switch to Dark Mode
1:31 Quick Start Templates
3:34 Fill and Stroke Menu
5:24 Linear Gradient
7:15 Circle and Ellipses
10:38 Edit Text: Character Spacing
14:37 Stars and Polygons
17:56 Create 3D Boxes
19:25 Spiral Tool
20:44 Bezier Pen
23:35 How to Remove Background from an Image
25:17 Pencil-Draw Freehand Lines
27:22 Draw Calligraphic or Brush Strokes
30:34 Mesh Gradients
31:33 Eye Dropper- Color Picker
33:26 Paint Bucket- Jar of Confusion
35:06 Tweak Objects and Sculpting
36:35 Spray Can Tool
38:09 Eraser Tool
39:18 Create Diagram Connectors
40:06 Do Geometric Constructions ***** Inkscape REMOVED THIS TOOL as of version 1.1.1 The mirroring feature is now found under PATH- PATH EFFECTS - Mirror Symmetry.

ADDITIONAL TUTORIALS RECOMMENDED:
REFERENCE:

SOCIAL MEDIA:

[Gothicgarlic]

Thanks so much for this clear, concise and helpful tutorial!

[dawn]

THANK YOU! I just wasted my entire morning watching other YouTubers ramble on and on but not teach me a single thing! You explained everything so clearly... And now I finally have a little bit of working knowledge on how to use Inkscape. Thank you for this!

[rodbarnes]

Thanks for this. I downloaded Inkscape awhile back but didn’t get anywhere with it because I didn’t understand any of it. I’m sure I’ll be replaying your tutorials several times but this one started clearing the fog for me.

[littletownlad]

You have a real skill for clarity and pacing. I have used Adobe Creative Cloud for years but don't want to pay hundreds a year to rent software. Yet I could not get my head around Inkscape. This was the first time I watched an Inkscape tutorial that was crystal clear and I totally got everything. Top man!

[rahulkumar-qbyc]

I was just tired of searching for a beginner's guide for Inkscape. But when I clicked on your video, it was so easy to understand basic tools and everything. You are doing good work. Best of luck.

[wisdomlounge]

What you did to make the shield was amazing! That's because I saw a tutorial from another YouTuber who made the same shield using a much more complicated process. He combined a rectangle with a oval shape beneath it and a triangle for the bottom. It took him several attempts to get sizes right of each shape to finally form the overall shape of the shield. Then, he perform the difference function I believe, to finally arrived at the shape of the shield with the one stroke line on the outside and fill color within. Your method was much, much, simpler! Even before you made the shield I could already tell you know your stuff with Inkscape. Great tutorial covering all the basics we'd need to get started. Thank you! - "Like" & Subscribe buttons smashed!!!👍

[piumanin]

Congrats. I have learnt more in half an hour than I have been watching for months in Spanish. Really good teacher. Thank you!

[brentonreed]

Thank you so much for this video, I've recently started using Inkscape and I'm overwhelmed by all the functions + tools but they way you explained everything just gives me the assurance I needed. Keep up the good work Rick

[santoshkannada]

You are a Guru who teaches passionately with very high patience and smile on the face. Wonderful tutorial...Thanks a lot...

[nkha]

Amazing video!!! Every other one on YouTube is either no spoken directions with music you don't want to hear, or someone clicking on buttons not explaining their names or function. This foundational video showing you options and tools really encourages me. I'm a quilter/embroidery who has been really wanting to expand my creativity. I'm very much looking to do more modern quilts and wallhangings. Inkscape and these lessons are gonna be very helpful. Thank you again!

[XingWithJulie]

Oh my god this was such an amazing tutorial. I’ve had Inkscape mainly for converting raster images to vector images but you taught me so many thing I had no clue about. Thank you!!

[elizabetholla]

You're the best thing that happened to me this year. I though I'll never be able to design in my life. Everything changed withing 45 minutes of your video. I just made a professional looking logo. May God bless you abundantly.

[lucianchevvy]

This was great man, cracked me up how happy you get just explaining basic tools when you must use them all the time. You started glowing when describing the gradient tool hahah

[mikeh]

the only actual tutorial for true beginners from start to finish.

[donnaleiber]

Outstanding overview and introduction! Your presentation style is engaging, articulate, and appropriately paced. Very helpful content. I look forward to watching many more of your videos.

[geraldobrien]

I must say that this guy is really very good. I don't know him, have never met him but this is a GREAT introduction to INKSCAPE. I was kind of like a guy with a BROWN belt in Karate; I knew just enough to get beat up and not accomplish too much along the way. Just a metaphor, not meant to make fun of someone with a BROWN belt in ANYTHING..
I should say that I'm a disabled veteran. I enjoy trying to do this vector are, albeit not too good yet. I have tried some other paths and this is by far the best one yet. Thank you sir. I truly have enjoyed this exercise and plan to watch this intro a couple of more times.

[worldatlas]

You are an amazing teacher! Thank you! I've learned more from you than anywhere else on the whole wide web!

[thomasfurlano]

"Thank you Rick [son]" (an older student speaking with appreciation to young people like yourself getting us jump started)!

[blackcranedesign]

Thank you Rick this is by far one of the best tutorials for Inkscape I have seen in a long time. Your patience with making sure that every detail is explained is fantastic! I can't wait to see your other lessons. Thank you please keep up the good work.

[cassidycox]

I just want to pause and say THANK YOU. you are the first channel that slowed it down enough for me to follow. Most assume you know all the clicks after they said it once.. also I was looking for a channel that will help me understand how to create effects, styles, techniques that I know how to do by hand in art. You are an art lesson as much as an inkscape lesson 😄 Im feeling confident to start inkscaping and im grateful for you. Ill be watching all of your videos now beginning to end lol while i work