Friday 22 May 2009

Video Tutorial - Alpha and Opacity in Inkscape

Someone messaged me asking for help with an Inkscape problem they were having. They were trying to draw squares using the rectangle tool, but it wasn't working. I got them to send me their file to take a look at, and this video uses their problem as a means of examining the alpha and opacity properties of objects created in Inkscape.

I hope you find it useful! :)

To see a full screen version, click here.

20 comments :

CRK said...

Thanks Dan. That was really interesting. You do such easy to follow tutorials. Please keep it up.

Anonymous said...

Well I am the lady in question that was having all the problems. I know I have emailed you personally Dan, but I wanted everyone to know just how very helpful you have been to me. You have spent time helping me with this problem and I really do appreciate it. Your tutorials are just excellent. Thanks agin.

Valerie

SEB said...

Just a quick question.
Can you use the cut files from the original Cricut design software on the SCAL software ??

Dan said...

No SEB, you can't. Cut files are composed from shapes on Cricut cartridges and SCAL does not use the cartridges (apart from needing one in the machine so that the mat will feed through). You can create designs in SCAL by combining the library of assorted shapes included with it (these are called .scut files), as well as designs in the many free dingbat and silhouette fonts on the web. If you want to draw your own designs from scratch, you can use the free program Inkscape to create your own SVG files to import into SCAL.

Anonymous said...

Dan, you are so amazing...what a wonderful explanation. I don't need this right now, but I'm sure it will be useful in the future. thanks again. Mary in Hong Kong

kkrewtea said...

You rock Dan! All your videos make so much sense. VERY easy to understand. Thanks for all you do!

bck said...

Great tutorial! So easy to follow!! THANKS!!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your clear tutorial, Dan. I haven't encountered that problem (yet!) but it's nice to know what to do if I can't see what I've drawn.
Evelyn

Anonymous said...

Dan,

I always learn something new when I watch one of your tutorials. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge in such a way that is easy to understand. It is very much appreciated.

Treasure Box Designs said...

Thanks so much for this tutorial. It really helped me with a problem I was having -- the same one you were explaining for the person that sent you the squares! Great Tutorial!

Thanks again,

Stacy

Treasure Box Designs said...

I am loving your tutorials. I am starting to go through them one by one... They are incredible and so helpful. Thank you for making them and taking the time for all the rest of us that need them!

Stacy

Anonymous said...

How kind and really considerate... With your help I am sure many more people will become more confident with Inkscape... I love watching your explanations/videos - they are clear and even though I may not have experienced the same problems I learn something new - THANK YOU so much!

Tammy said...

Dan... I am new to Inkscape, downloaded it and installed SCAL exactly one week ago and you just answered a question that I had too. Somehow, in my exploring of the program I and changed the opacity and couldn't figure out what I had done... so THANKS! I like learning one little aspect at a time... my brain might actually retain the information. Thanks again!

Anonymous said...

Dan,
I am in debt with you! I have been hitting my head against the wall and couldn't figure out why SCAL was showing several figures! It was until I saw your tutorial that I got it (I had to watch it a few times LOL).

Thanks a zillion!

soraya

Gabriele said...

wooow, this is something which came right at the right time *gg*
I`ve been working with the GIMP for several years now and I think that I can do at least the basic things there, resp.: what I want to do can be done and that`s sufficient. 3 days ago I downloades Inkscape and can say: each time I open it and try to make sth with Inkscape, the word "desperate" comes into my mind. Don`t know whether I`m just too stupid or whether I compare it too much with the GIMP (but the difference shouldn`t be that much, should it??). But NOTHING works how I want it to work.
The first day I had the same problem with alpha/ opacity and couldn`t see my rectangles. Found it out... now THAT works, but nearly nothing else...
so: thank you so much, I am soooo happy to discover ANY tutorial on Inkscape (there are not too much good ones in the internet, I think).

(pls apologize that my comment became so long... just wanted somebody to feel with me :D )

Gabriele

Anonymous said...

Hi, I'm an Inkscape noob but not a complete vector art noob, your clear video really helped explain a couple of things for me. Tx

Unknown said...

Hello Dan. What software are you using to create your SVG images?

Gary said...

I loved your Opacity explanation.

Tarkul said...

Hey cool tutorial

Just one question. Is it possible to open an image in inkscape supposedly has alpha set to 0, but the backround appears as black in inkscape?
Does it mean that the alpha value is 255?

Celine Bourdon said...

There is another way to select a transparent object. If you drag a selection box around the transparent object, it selects it.
This means you have to guess the approximate location of the box, but you dont have to use "select all". Cheeers!! love the videos!

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