Okay so I have cartoons in black ink lines. Is there a tutorial showing how to apply color to the cartoons? Not replace the black inklines just slect, add color, something simple? Maybe even add shades? It looks like it can be done easily but I must be missing something. Thanks.

Could you get past at making the flat coloured version as suggested here?


To add colours, you would need to draw them as separate shapes, and hide their edges below the black ink outlines.
That was the reason for adding a thin outline at that mentioned post.

There is a bucket fill option that uses the actual rendering data on screen and if you use it, you will end up having gaps between the black outlines and the colours.
And would need to outset/dynamic offset the paths, and/or edit the paths manually too with the node editor.

Hello,
Just general advices:
- Put the black lines in a separate layer, and lock it
- In other layer put the colors
- In other, shadows
- In other, the lights
-To "fill"the areas between the black lines, there is not specific method. You can use the Fill bounded areas tool , but it only works in closed areas. Or Just draw a closed path and then modify it with the node tool or with the Tweak objects tool , or with the calligraphic tool While you are drawing with this tool, just press Shift and the calligraphic stroke will become a path.

Thanks folks. Inkscape should have a selection tool with anti aliasing. It would make life so easier. I've got an ideathat I discovered with color jpeg files that some info you guys just gave me that might work. In the jpeg files that are colored I can remove the black lines and the color plates remain. I can then import them into Inkscape each color on a separate plate or all on one plate then put in the black lines on top of them and see if the anti aliasing will fill in the gaps. It's either going to be two layers, lines and colors or multiple layers of lines and each color. I'll test to see if it works and converts without muddying the colors.

I do need to know how to make a layer transparent. Like the black ink lines.

The layers tab opens by pressing Shift+Ctrl+L.
By default each new layer is empty, which shows up as transparent.
There is also an opacity slider, that you can add total transparency to a layer there.

You may have your raster image auto-traced which results in a group of objects, and,
maybe there is a white background shape added to the group of outlines that you moved on top.


Also, Xav has a tutorial series going on, and the recent issues were about tracing raster images of scanned pencil sketches.
The next episodes that will come may be about how to add fills to them.
http://www.inkscapeforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11981&start=25#p60138

Lazur URH wrote:Also, Xav has a tutorial series going on, and the recent issues were about tracing raster images of scanned pencil sketches.
The next episodes that will come may be about how to add fills to them.
http://www.inkscapeforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11981&start=25#p60138

Thanks for the plug

Yes, recent instalments covered manually and automatically tracing sketches, specifically with one of my comic strip images used as an example. The instalment I'm currently writing is the second part about automatic tracing, which is less applicable as it covers the "Multiple Scans" option. After that I do intend to cover filling, but that won't be available until early January.


@Evolbaby: It sounds to me like you might be importing the black outlines as a JPEG and expecting to fill them directly. That won't give you the results you're looking for - instead you need to trace the outlines (either manually or automatically - that's where my existing tutorials come in) in order to create vector versions of your black outlines. Then you can use the tool with a positive Grow/Shrink setting to fill the large, bounded areas of your drawings. Small areas, unbounded areas, or acute corners will probably need additional attention or manual drawing. You can either fill to a layer below the traced outline, or just bring the outline to the front if you keep it all on one layer.

That's how I colour my "Monsters, Inked" comics. Also take a look at this thread where I've previously posted a more step-by-step guide to the way I work, with some example images.

Thanks, but WHERE is the "positive Grow/Shrink" setting? You didn't write out the path. Xav we're on the same page, check out one of my comic book series "The Monster Posse". http://www.monsterposse.com, aliens and monsters.

Anyhow it seems to me the money is in a program that does easy coloring of svg files and saves them as svg files. Inkscapes tools palate looks like something from the early 1990s. I sell toons in graphics packages and vector sucks for me as I don't get the rich tones and colors, just flat, bland stuff but people need vector toons. So a SIMPLE procedure to color black and white art is essential to me.

Oh yeah Xav, in addition I've been a professional UFOlogist for years. Check out my site http://www.ufomafia.com and ufofight.com

Evolbaby wrote:Thanks, but WHERE is the "positive Grow/Shrink" setting?

On the tool control bar when you're using

Evolbaby wrote:Xav we're on the same page, check out one of my comic book series "The Monster Posse". http://www.monsterposse.com, aliens and monsters.

That looks pretty cool. Nice style to it.

Evolbaby wrote:Anyhow it seems to me the money is in a program that does easy coloring of svg files and saves them as svg files.

Once you get comfortable with the workflow, colouring traced outlines using Inkscape isn't really difficult at all. There might be a bit of tidying up needed at the corners, but just about every technique, whether raster, vector, or a physical pen and ink, tends to need some care and attention at corners and other difficult spots.

I can't see how the workflow for tracing and colouring a comic could be improved a great deal over what's there already. You trace the outline. You bucket fill the areas that can be bucket filled. You tidy up the corners and edges where it's needed. I'd be interested to hear how you think it could be simplified or improved.