* A "path" is a collection of nodes connected by Bezier splines; nodes can connect them smoothly or in a cusp.
* A path has an outline (with color, line thickness, etc) and a fill (none, a flat color, or a gradient).
* An "object" is either a path, a constrained path (like a rectangle or a circle / arc), a bitmap, or a text,
or a group of these. You can nest groups arbitrarily.
Key tools:
* Pointer, the arrow, shortcut F1. This is your main tool. Used to select, move, rotate, stretch objects. Shift-click to select multiple objects. Click-drag to select objects within a rectangle. Ctrl+click to select inside a group. Alt+click to select things under the object on top. Space bar switches between this tool and your other tools.
* Node pointer, the triangle, shortcut F2. Used to edit paths. Click-drag on a path to change curvature, or click on nodes to move / edit them, or ctrl+click to add a node, or drag the spline handles. Does different things to rectangles, circles, stars, by moving their control points.
* Rectangle (F4) and circle (F5) are good starting points for most things.
* Line / polygon drawing tool (Shift+F6). Click on places where you want nodes, press Enter to finish. Press F2 to move nodes and make segments curved.
* Curve drawing tool (F6). Click-drag to draw a freehand curve. Ctrl+L to smooth down the curve.
* Text tool (F8). Click where you want your text, type. When frustrated, press Esc, click the text, Shift+Ctrl+T, edit the text in a convenient dialog.
Most useful keyboard:
* Cursor keys: move the selected object(s) by a small amount.
* Shift+Ctrl+F: fill / stroke dialog (if clicking on colors is not precise enough).
* Ctrl+D: duplicate the current object.
* Ctrl+G: group selected objects, or ungroup a selected group.
* PgUp / Pgdn: move the object up / down in Z-order.
* Shift+Ctrl+A: align and distribute things.
* Shift+Ctrl+M: precisely transform things.
* Space: Switch back to pointer from your current tool.
* Press space, click+drag: scroll the window.
Context menus, accessible by right click, are your friends.
Re symmetries: look at the star tool (press asterisk). Explore clones: clone an object with Shift+D, mirror it with H or V, then try editing the original object. Shift+D brings you from a clone to the original.
How is this all intuitive to me? Well, I started with Corel Draw 3 ca. 1992, and most concepts and shortcuts still apply.
Same for me. Corel on win 3.11. ;)
InDesign is a good option for vector drawing. (Perhaps I have to change some keystrokes interiorized during the flash era)
Helpful! I probably won't do much more than use Inkscape for sketches with that helpful perspective box tool and the ability to work at low resolution and rescale, but it's good to have a reference like this.
* A "path" is a collection of nodes connected by Bezier splines; nodes can connect them smoothly or in a cusp.
* A path has an outline (with color, line thickness, etc) and a fill (none, a flat color, or a gradient).
* An "object" is either a path, a constrained path (like a rectangle or a circle / arc), a bitmap, or a text, or a group of these. You can nest groups arbitrarily.
Key tools:
* Pointer, the arrow, shortcut F1. This is your main tool. Used to select, move, rotate, stretch objects. Shift-click to select multiple objects. Click-drag to select objects within a rectangle. Ctrl+click to select inside a group. Alt+click to select things under the object on top. Space bar switches between this tool and your other tools.
* Node pointer, the triangle, shortcut F2. Used to edit paths. Click-drag on a path to change curvature, or click on nodes to move / edit them, or ctrl+click to add a node, or drag the spline handles. Does different things to rectangles, circles, stars, by moving their control points.
* Rectangle (F4) and circle (F5) are good starting points for most things.
* Line / polygon drawing tool (Shift+F6). Click on places where you want nodes, press Enter to finish. Press F2 to move nodes and make segments curved.
* Curve drawing tool (F6). Click-drag to draw a freehand curve. Ctrl+L to smooth down the curve.
* Text tool (F8). Click where you want your text, type. When frustrated, press Esc, click the text, Shift+Ctrl+T, edit the text in a convenient dialog.
Most useful keyboard:
* Cursor keys: move the selected object(s) by a small amount.
* Shift+Ctrl+F: fill / stroke dialog (if clicking on colors is not precise enough).
* Ctrl+D: duplicate the current object.
* Ctrl+G: group selected objects, or ungroup a selected group.
* PgUp / Pgdn: move the object up / down in Z-order.
* Shift+Ctrl+A: align and distribute things.
* Shift+Ctrl+M: precisely transform things.
* Space: Switch back to pointer from your current tool.
* Press space, click+drag: scroll the window.
Context menus, accessible by right click, are your friends.
Re symmetries: look at the star tool (press asterisk). Explore clones: clone an object with Shift+D, mirror it with H or V, then try editing the original object. Shift+D brings you from a clone to the original.
How is this all intuitive to me? Well, I started with Corel Draw 3 ca. 1992, and most concepts and shortcuts still apply.