how do you clean something in inkscape

[Guest TracMatt]

I am wondering how you clean a graphic up in inkscape?  Also wondering about how you erase something you don't want in it?

Thanks for sharing the knowledge,

Tracee

[firemalt 10]

Tracee...

To do a node edit, and to delete a portion of an image, first you have to convert the image. So, let's start by importing an image in Inkscape. Open Inkscape, and the hold down the "ctrl" button while you push the "i" button. This will open your import box. Find the image you want, highlight it, and then open it. Should look something like this:

To vectorize this image, push and hold down the "shift" button, the "alt" button, and the "b" button. This will bring up the "trace bitmap" menu, and should look like this:

http://www.texascustomdecals.com/images/ink2.jpg[/img]

I typically just use the "brightness cutoff" setting. Once you play with the "threshold" range, click the "update" button to see if the image is at the thickness you desire, and then click "OK".

Now you should have 2 images on top of each other. The original, and the new vectorized image. You must delete the original image prior to saving the file as a eps. So click the image once somewhere that is white within the highlighted area. Then drag the original image off to the side and delete.

http://www.texascustomdecals.com/images/ink3.jpg[/img]

Once the original image is deleted, now it's time to either save as an eps, or do some node editing. To node edit, click on the image once, to highlight it. and then click once on the node edit icon on the left menu(second icon from the top). Once you click on the node edit icon, your image should look like this:

http://www.texascustomdecals.com/images/ink4.jpg[/img]

From here, move your cursor to the desired area that you want to edit/delete. You can delete one node at a time by placing your cursor over the node(it should turn red), and then click the "delete" button on your keyboard. Or you can click & hold you left mouse button and drag it over an area to delete several nodes at once:

http://www.texascustomdecals.com/images/ink5.jpg[/img]

Once you have the area you want deleted boxed, release your left mouse button, and all the nodes should change to another color:

http://www.texascustomdecals.com/images/ink6.jpg[/img]

Click the delete button on your keyboard, and the area is whipped clean. To get out of the node edit mode, simply click on the first icon(arrow) on the left menu:

http://www.texascustomdecals.com/images/ink7.jpg[/img]

From here, you're ready to save the file. Go to the "File" at the top of the screen, scroll down to "save as", click once. Type in the name of your file, choose the location you want to save it to, make sure the drop down menu at the bottom says that it's saving it as an eps, and click on "save".

You're done... congrats!!!! 

[Guest TracMatt]

Wow,  Thanks so much Firemalt.  And to think I kept trying to take stuff to corel.

Great tutorial.

Again thanks for all the help.

Tracee

[ralais 0]

I don't think I will ever get tird of saying this to you.. YOU ROCK!

[Guest TracMatt]

Ralais you are so right!  He does rock! 

Tracee

[d3c3pti0n5 1]

Awesome write up Firemalt!!! :thumbsup:

[Guest kenya]

Firemalt really explains & shows everything wonderfully !

[Guest TracMatt]

U are darn right!  Got to love him!

Tracee

[Guest fivestar]

Wow,  Thanks so much Firemalt.  And to think I kept trying to take stuff to corel.

Great tutorial.

Again thanks for all the help.

Tracee

Yes Firemalt great write-up, Tracee you do it basically the same way in Corel.

[coloradokev 0]

Great walk-thru firemalt, nicely done.

[Guest TracMatt]

Thanks Five, I got you!

Tracee

[JoeCamaro 11]

Great tut firemalt! It would be nice if you posted that in the instructional contribution section, I bet it will help lots of ppl.

Joe

[firemalt 10]

I posted a thread in the Inkscape forum with the title "Walkthough on how to import, convert, node edit, and save in Inkscape w/pics".