From 179fa413b047bede6e32109e2ce82437c5fb8d34 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: MenTaLguY Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 02:36:01 +0000 Subject: moving trunk for module inkscape (bzr r1) --- share/tutorials/tutorial-calligraphy.svg | 637 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 637 insertions(+) create mode 100644 share/tutorials/tutorial-calligraphy.svg (limited to 'share/tutorials/tutorial-calligraphy.svg') diff --git a/share/tutorials/tutorial-calligraphy.svg b/share/tutorials/tutorial-calligraphy.svg new file mode 100644 index 000000000..d854e87c1 --- /dev/null +++ b/share/tutorials/tutorial-calligraphy.svg @@ -0,0 +1,637 @@ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + image/svg+xml + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ::CALLIGRAPHY + + + +bulia byak, buliabyak@users.sf.net and josh andler, scislac@users.sf.net + + + +One of the many great tools available in Inkscape is the Calligraphy tool. This tutorial +will help you become acquainted with how that tool works, as well as demonstrate some +basic techniques of the art of Calligraphy. + + + + +History and Styles + +Going by the dictionary definition, calligraphy means "beautiful +writing" or "fair or elegant penmanship". Essentially, calligraphy is the art of making +beautiful or elegant handwriting. It may sound intimidating, but with a little practice, +anyone can master the basics of this art. + + +The earliest forms of calligraphy date back to cave-man paintings. Up until roughly 1440 +AD, before the printing press was around, calligraphy was the way books and other +publications were made. A scribe had to handwrite every individual copy of every book or +publication. The handwriting was done with a quill and ink onto materials such as +parchment or vellum. The lettering styles used throughout the ages include Rustic, +Carolingian, Blackletter, etc. Perhaps the most common place where the average person +will run across calligraphy today is on wedding invitations. + + +There are three main styles of calligraphy: + + + +Western or Roman + +Arabic + +Chinese or Oriental + + + +This tutorial focuses mainly on Western calligraphy, as the other two styles tend to use +a brush (instead of a pen with nib), which is not how our Calligraphy tool +currently functions. + + +One great advantage that we have over the scribes of the past is the +Undo command: If you make a mistake, the entire page is not +ruined. Inkscape's Calligraphy tool also enables some techniques which would not be +possible with a traditional pen-and-ink. + + + + +Hardware + +You will get the best results if you use a tablet and pen +(e.g. Wacom). Thanks to the flexibility of our tool, even those with only a mouse can do +some fairly intricate calligraphy, though there will be some difficulty producing fast +sweeping strokes. + + +Inkscape is able to utilize pressure sensitivity and +tilt sensitivity of a tablet pen that supports these features. The sensitivity functions are disabled by +default because they require configuration. Also, keep in mind that calligraphy with a +quill or pen with nib are also not very sensitive to pressure, unlike a brush. + + +If you have a tablet and would like to utilize the sensitivity features, you will need +to configure your device. This configuration will only need to be performed once and +the settings are saved. To enable this support you must have the tablet plugged in +prior to starting inkscape and then proceed to open the Input Devices... +dialog through the File menu. With this dialog open you can choose the +preferred device and settings for your tablet pen. Lastly, after choosing those settings, switch +to the Calligraphy tool and toggle the toolbar buttons for pressure and tilt. From +now on, Inkscape will remember those settings on startup. + + +The Inkscape calligraphy pen can be sensitive to the velocity of +the stroke (see "Thinning" below), so if you are using a mouse, you'll probably want to +zero this parameter. + + + + +Calligraphy Tool Options + +Switch to the Calligraphy tool by pressing Ctrl+F6, pressing the C key, or by clicking on its toolbar button. On the top toolbar, you will +notice there are 6 options: Width & Thinning; Angle & Fixation; and Mass & Drag and two +buttons to toggle tablet Pressure and Tilt sensitivity on and off (for drawing tablets). + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 1.00 + + + + + + + + + Drag: + + 0.02 + + + + + + + + + Mass: + + 0.90 + + + + + + + + + Fixation: + + 30 + + + + + + + + + Angle: + + 0.10 + + + + + + + + + Thinning: + + 0.15 + + + + + + + + + Width: + + + Defaults + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +Width & Thinning + +This pair of options control the width of your pen. The width can +vary from 0 to 1 and is measured in units relative to the size of your editing window, +but independent of zoom. This makes sense, because the natural "unit of measure" in +calligraphy is the range of your hand's movement, and it is therefore convenient to have +the width of your pen nib in constant ratio to the size of your "drawing board" and not +in some real units which would make it depend on zoom. + + +Since pen width is changed often, you can adjust it without going to +the toolbar, using the left and right arrow keys or with a +tablet that supports the pressure sensitivity function. The best thing about +these keys is that they work while you are drawing, so you can change +the width of your pen gradually in the middle of the stroke: + + +width=0.01, growing.... reaching 0.47, decreasing... back to 0 + +Pen width may also depend on the velocity, as controlled by the +thinning parameter. This parameter can take values from -1 to 1; +zero means the width is independent of velocity, positive values make faster strokes +thinner, negative values make faster strokes broader. The default of 0.1 means moderate +thinning of fast strokes. Here are a few examples, all drawn with width=0.2 and +angle=90: + + +thinning = 0 (uniform width) thinning = 0.1thinning = 0.4thinning = -0.2thinning = -0.6 + +For fun, set Width and Thinning both to 1 (maximum) and draw with +jerky movements to get strangely naturalistic, neuron-like shapes: + + + + + + + +Angle & Fixation + +After width, angle is the most important calligraphy +parameter. It is the angle of your pen in degrees, changing from 0 (horizontal) to +90 (vertical counterclockwise) or to -90 (vertical clockwise). Note that if you +turn tilt sensitivity on for a tablet, the angle parameter is greyed out and +the angle is determined by the tilt of the pen. + + + + + + + + + + angle = 90 degangle = 30 (default)angle = 0angle = -90 deg + + + + + + + + + +Each traditional calligraphy style has its own prevalent pen angle. For example, the +Unicial hand uses the angle of 25 degrees. More complex hands and more experienced +calligraphers will often vary the angle while drawing, and Inkscape makes this possible +by pressing up and down arrow keys or with a tablet that +supports the tilt sensitivity feature. For beginning calligraphy lessons, however, +keeping the angle constant will work best. Here are examples of strokes drawn at +different angles (fixation = 1): + + +angle = 30angle = 60angle = 90angle = 0angle = 15angle = -45 + +As you can see, the stroke is at its thinnest when it is drawn parallel to its angle, +and at its broadest when drawn perpendicular. Positive angles are the most +natural and traditional for right-handed calligraphy. + + +The level of contrast between the thinnest and the thickest is controlled by the +fixation parameter. The value of 1 means that the angle is always +constant, as set in the Angle field. Decreasing fixation lets the pen turn a little +against the direction of the stroke. With fixation=0, pen rotates freely to be always +perpendicular to the stroke, and Angle has no effect anymore: + + + + + + + angle = 30fixation = 1angle = 30fixation = 0.8angle = 30fixation = 0 + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +Typographically speaking, maximum fixation and therefore maximum stroke width contrast +(above left) are the features of antique serif typefaces, such as Times or Bodoni +(because these typefaces were historically an imitation of fixed-pen calligraphy). Zero +fixation and zero width contrast (above right), on the other hand, suggest modern sans +serif typefaces such as Helvetica. + + + + +Mass & Drag + +Unlike width and angle, these two last parameters define how the tool "feels" rather +than affect its visual output. So there won't be any illustrations in this section; +instead just try them yourself to get a better idea. + + +In physics, mass is what causes inertia; the higher the mass of +the Inkscape calligraphy tool, the more it lags behind your mouse pointer and the more +it smoothes out sharp turns and quick jerks in your stroke. By default this value is +quite small (0.02) so that the tool is fast and responsive, but you can increase mass to +get slower and smoother pen. + + +Drag is the resistance of the paper to the movement of the +pen. The default is at maximum (1), and lowering this parameter makes paper "slippery": +if the mass is big, the pen tends to run away on sharp turns; if the mass is zero, low +drag makes the pen to wiggle wildly. + + + + +Calligraphy examples + +Now that you know the basic capabilities of the tool, you can try to produce some real +calligraphy. If you are new to this art, get yourself a good calligraphy book and study +it with Inkscape. This section will show you just a few simple examples. + + +First of all, to do letters, you need to create a pair of rulers to guide you. If you're +going to write in a slanted or cursive hand, add some slanted guides across the two +rulers as well, for example: + + + + +Then zoom in so that the height between the rulers corresponds to your most natural hand +movement range, adjust width and angle, and off you go! + + +Probably the first thing you would do as a beginner calligrapher is practice the basic +elements of letters — vertical and horizontal stems, round strokes, slanted +stems. Here are some letter elements for the Unicial hand: + + + + +Several useful tips: + + + +If your hand is comfortable on the tablet, don't move it. Instead, +scroll the canvas (Ctrl+arrow keys) with your left hand after finishing +each letter. + +If your last stroke is bad, just undo it +(Ctrl+Z). However, if its shape is good but the position or size are +slightly off, it's better to switch to Selector temporarily (Space) and +nudge/scale/rotate it as needed (using mouse or keys), then press Space +again to return to Calligraphy tool. + + +Having done a word, switch to Selector again to adjust stem uniformity +and letterspacing. Don't overdo this, however; good calligraphy must retain somewhat +irregular handwritten look. Resist the temptation to copy over letters and letter +elements; each stroke must be original. + + + +And here are some complete lettering examples: + + +Unicial handCarolingian handGothic handBâtarde handFlourished Italic hand + + + + + + +Conclusion + +Calligraphy is not only fun; it's a deeply spiritual art that may +transform your outlook on everything you do and see. Inkscape's +calligraphy tool can only serve as a modest introduction. And yet +it is very nice to play with and may be useful in real design. Enjoy! + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + image/svg+xml + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + \ No newline at end of file -- cgit v1.2.3