I am very new with Inkscape and generally that good with art programs all together, but I still like trying things. I am working on updating a graphic for my business and I am using a very old image of questionable quality. It is an all black outline surrounded and filled with white.

I would like to take out the white and make it so that just the black is shown, I feel it will be easier to work with if I am just working with the outline. So is there a way to select all of only one color, in this case black, and copy it and then paste it onto a transparent background?

If this is confusing let me know and I will try and state it simpler, or if there is any other information you need I would be more then willing to supply you with any information needed. Thanks for any help you are able to give, it is very much appreciated!

Since it is only black & white, you can simply Trace the bitmap.
Here's how:
- Import image into inkscape
- Select the image
- Go to Paths -> Trace Bitmap (or Shift + Alt + B)
- Select brightness cutoff, and set the threshold to 0.5 (I would assume that any value between 0 to 1 would work fine since there's no greys in the image)
- You can click the "update" button for a preview, or click the OK button, and the outlines will be traced onto the canvas (you might have to drag them to make them visible from the original image). Depending on the graphic, you might want to simplify the nodes with Path -> Simplify (or Ctrl + L) but this also might deform the image.

Now, you should not only have a traced outline, but it will also be fully scalable.

If you very specifically need to do the process you described, then I don't think Inkscape is the best program. Raster type programs have the capability to select all of a particular color, such as The GIMP (also Open Source) and many others.

However, if you want to stay with Inkscape, the steps zials provided will serve you well!

All best

I did the steps and It deffinitally gave me something I can work with, not to mention it seems to have improved the picture greatly after I altered a few aspects.

I have also downloaded gimp but have yet to really look at it. The only program I have any familiarity with is Paint Shop Pro 7, and that was for doing a comic many many years ago. These two programs intrigue me though and I can't wait to learn more.