Welcome to Making Scroll Saw Patterns with Inkscape. This class will last for 4 weeks with 2 lessons released each week. Each class will include a video demonstration, written out instruction, downloadable source materials, and an open forum where you can get your questions answered. I encourage you to ask lots of questions. That's what this class is all about.

Here's a quick rundown of what you can expect from this class:

• Lesson 1 - Introduction To Inkscape
• Lesson 2 - Creating Simple Shapes
• Lesson 3 - Aligning Our Objects
• Lesson 4 - Building Complex Shapes
• Lesson 5 - Nodes and Editing
• Lesson 6 - Working With Text
• Lesson 7 - Designing A Trinket Box
• Lesson 8 - Designing A Desk Clock

This class will be a bit more difficult than the GIMP class. Mostly because Inkscape is a different way of thinking than what we're used to. The first 6 lessons will be mostly fundamentals without much inter-connectivity to one another. But these are the essential building blocks we use to create our scroll saw patterns. Everything will start to make sense in Lessons 7 & 8 when we start applying what we have learned to create a scroll saw pattern. So if you feel a bit lost, you won't be alone. Just stick with it. You'll get it soon enough. Once all the lessons are completed, I suggest you go through the class again. I have a feeling the second time around, everything will click for you.

Inkscape is a free vector-based graphics program similar to programs like Corel Draw and Adobe Illustrator. It can be used to design scroll saw patterns like trinket boxes, candle holders, trivets, and other functional/decorative type items. It is also very useful for traditional fretwork designs.

Inkscape is open-source software. A large community comes together and programs this software in their spare time. The source code is available for anybody to download, study, modify or improve. Since a large community programs the software together, no one person actually owns the software. This is why Open Source Software is free.

There are several advantages to open-source software. First, obviously, is the fact it is free. Second, since a large community is programming the software, the program is always advancing and adding new features (assuming the community is active). Lastly, since the software source code is open to scrutiny, it is very unlikely that viruses or other malware can be inserted into the code. Someone will spot it and remove it immediately. So you can feel safe about downloading this great software.

There are two basic types of graphics out there. There are vector-based graphics created by programs like Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw, and Inkscape. Then there are bitmap or raster graphics like those created by Adobe Photoshop, Corel Photopaint, and GIMP.

Vector-based graphics are mathematical representations of an image. Vectors are composed of nodes that define the space in relation to other nodes to create shapes, lines, and curves. These complex shapes are then layered upon each other in order to define an image. The advantage of vector graphics is the file size tends to be much smaller. You may enlarge or shrink down a vector graphic without losing quality because the nodes stay within the same relative position to one another. The mathematical formulas recalculate the image based on node information, so there is no information that is lost (or gained) during resizing.

Bitmaps are rectangular grids of pixels (blocks of color) used to define a picture. The more pixels that are used in an image, the more information the image contains. This is called resolution. The higher the resolution is, the more detail you can pull from an image. You can enlarge a low-resolution graphic. But since a low resolution only has so much information (number of pixels), when you enlarge it, it only spreads that information over a larger area. You do not gain additional detail by enlarging a low-resolution graphic. (You can see an example here).

So why would we want to work with vectors? Scaling is a big advantage. Often, we scale our patterns to the size we need for the stock we have on hand. Since quality is not lost with resizing, vector base graphics very useful. The second is the ability to quickly alter a graphic. If a line or edge isn't quite right, we can go in and move the line to the appropriate place. We can also add and subtract from the image quickly and efficiently. The ease of editing also comes with the ease of designing. Each element is separate from one another and its properties independent of other objects. So it's very easy to move things around, line them up, flip, rotate, and any other function. Once you know how to use the tools, you can make a simple scroll saw pattern in a matter of minutes.

One drawback to vector graphics is that vector graphics can only be viewed by people who have a vector graphic program installed on their computer. To work around this shortcoming, it is advised that you export your vector graphics to a bitmap before sharing your patterns. Bitmaps have the advantage of being universally accepted.

You can find a copy of Inkscape on their website at http://www.inkscape.org. At the upper right of the screen, you'll see a "Download Now" button. Click this and you'll automatically download the latest edition of Inkscape. Once it is downloaded, go ahead and install your new program.

The Inkscape website has a number of really great resources. They have their documentation/user manual, tutorials, wiki, and support forums. Be sure to check out what they have to offer. This would be the first place I'd turn to if you wanted more information on a certain function.

Inkscape is a popular program. You can find lots of tutorials on the internet. Just Google "Inkscape Tutorials" and you'll find a lot of great resources. YouTube is another great place to find some great video instruction.

Most of the tutorials on the internet focus on illustrations since that's really what Inkscape is intended for. So you may have a tough time finding a tutorial focused on what you want to do with it. However, this is a great way to learn the ins and outs of Inkscape. Once you understand the tools, you can do anything you want.

Go ahead and launch Inkscape. The program will launch with a brand new document. In the center of the screen, you'll see a rectangle. This represents your printable document. Anything inside the printable document will be printed. Anything outside will not. By default, the document size is A4. But since I live in the US, I prefer working with US Letter (8.5x11"). To change my document size, go to File>Document Properties. This will pop up a new window. Choose "US Letter". You may be looking for an OK button or an Apply button, but there isn't any in this pop-up window. You'll notice whenever you choose a preset, the paper on your screen automatically updates. When you chose the document size you prefer, just click the red X in the upper right corner.

This should be no surprise. This section is the menu section you find on any program across the top of the screen. Each menu has a number of options organized under a menu title (File, Edit, View, Layer, etc). These menus contain access to all of the functions within the program. The very first thing I do when learning a new program is to go through each of these menus and look to see what they offer. This will give you a good idea of what the program can do and how it's organized. You'll also notice shortcut keys next to the menu options. For functions that you use on a regular basis, it is very helpful to learn those shortcut keys.

Directly below the file menus, you'll see a toolbar with your most commonly used buttons. It starts with your traditional buttons such as File, Save, Import, Export, Undo, etc. You'll also find access to other Inkscape-specific functions like duplicate and grouping. Probably the two tools you'll use most often are the Text Property button and the Align And Distribute button. You can see what each icon represents by hovering your mouse over the icon for a moment. A tooltip will pop up with a short description of what that tool does. Take time to look at each tool.

Below the Tool Bar is the Options Bar. We'll discuss this in a moment. Just know that it is directly below the Tool Bar.

Along the left side of your screen is the Tool Box. This houses the tools you'll need to build your shapes and drawings. Most of the tools deal with making shapes or lines. However, there are a few editing tools available there too. Hover over each tool to pop up a tooltip that explains what the tool is used for. Take time to see what tools are offered.

Along the bottom of your screen, you'll see a color palette that spans the width of your screen. You have a number of colors to choose from. This is the area where you set the color for your fill (color of the object) by clicking and where you can set the stroke (outline of the object) by right-clicking and choosing Set Stroke.

Below the color palette in the left corner, you'll find a section that says Fill and Stroke. This indicates your chosen fill and stroke colors. Next to the stroke color, you'll see a number. This shows the size of the stroke. Right-click on this number and it will pop up a number of presets along with a remove option.

Next to the Stroke and Fill area is a box with up/down options. This refers to the opacity/transparency of your selected object. For this class, this should always be set to 100%.

Next are a few icons; an eye, a lock, and a pulldown that says Layer 1. This is your layer options. While layers are very useful for complex illustrations, they're not necessary for what we want to accomplish. We won't be using these options.

Following that is the tooltip area. Whenever you have a tool or option selected, this area will show some helpful tips or instructions on how to use this tool.

The last box shows you where your cursor is located. This may be helpful to some, but I don't use it. Next to that is your zoom box. This allows you to zoom into the area where you are working so you can see the detail easier.

We're returning to the section directly below the Tool Bar. This area changes depending on which tool you have selected from your Tool Box. This will give you a lot of control over whatever tool you are currently working with. Be sure to click each tool in the Tool Box and see what options you have available in this section. You will start to see the possibilities opening up from the basic tools in the Tool Box. The most common option you'll use in this class is the scaling options when your selector tool is active. Here you'll be able to lock the aspect ratio and type in specific sizes for your objects.

Along the top and left side of your work area, you'll see a ruler. This comes in handy when laying out objects. You can change the unit of measure in your document properties (File>Document Properties). Look for the Default Unit section under the General section (Page tab). Choose whichever measurement you're comfortable with from the pulldown menu.

We'll have a lot of dialog boxes pop up from time to time. These dialogs offer additional control over a particular function. There are two types of dialog boxes. The first is pop-up dialogs. These will float on your screen until you close them. Often you'll only use them once, and you'll close them when you're done. The second dialog is docked dialogs. These are dialog boxes that you'll use a bit more often. These will dock on the right side of your screen. If you open multiple docked dialogs, they will stack on top of each other. Just use the scroll bar to navigate to the dialog you need.

You can close any of the dialogs by clicking the X in the upper right corner. These dialogs do take up a bit of space, so in order to keep them handy, but not in the way, you can make them into buttons. To the left of the X in the upper right corner, you'll see a small triangle. When you click that, that dialog becomes a button on the right side of your screen. When you need the dialog again, just click the button and it pops up. This is especially handy for dialogs that are only accessible through the menu system.

You'll need to move around your document quickly and easily. There are a number of ways to navigate your document.

Panning up and down, or left and right is pretty easy. You can simply use the scroll bars located on the bottom and right side of your work area. Alternatively, you can click the middle mouse-wheel button and drag.

Zooming in and out is necessary for seeing small detail. You'll be doing this quite a bit. To zoom in and out, use the + and - keys on your keyboard or number pad. Alternatively, you can roll the middle mouse wheel to zoom in and out. You can also use the Zoom tool in the Tool Box. Clicking will zoom in, whereas Shift-clicking will zoom out. You can also use the zoom box in the lower right corner of the screen.

• Download and install Inkscape
• Check out the menu options.
• Click each tool and see what options are available in the Options bar.
• Start playing with the program.