Inkscape: Faster, Better UI Elements

I'm UnityGirl with a special report on why Inkscape kicks ass for quick UI elements.

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It's Free
I'm sure I don't have to stress to the indie community the value of free dev programs. I'm thrilled about another great program I don't have to buy or subscribe to.

It Goes Faster

Whether it's concept art or creating your final polished UI assets, you have a few options.

• Paint, the Gimp, Paint and the Gimp, Something Not Free, Things on Mac and Linux I don't know about, and Inkscape

Working with Paint, the Gimp, or even both together (my old standby) isn't bad, but Inkscape is faster.

What Makes Inkscape Faster?

• Intuitive layering of every artistic stroke and shape you make
• Easy border and transparency settings
• The sheer number of shape options!
• Helps re-arrange and alter layers quickly for multiple versions of an image (ex: matching buttons)

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It just looks better

With the ease and options of Inkscape, any time you put into polishing your images will show. Here's some personal examples.

This is an example of a loading bar I made mostly in the Gimp. As you can see, it's got a nice metal texture around the edge and a cloth texture in the center. It's rounded at the edges and has a consistent border. On the other hand, it looks flat. It's clearly just two textures stuck together.

Alternately, here's a radial loading dial made in Inkscape. See the simulated dirt? The smooth lines? The mild illusion of depth?

This dial looks better AND was faster and more fun to make than it's bar-shaped older brother. I've found Inkscape a better program for original artwork.

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All blog posts by UnityGirl are inspired by my work with Brunelleschi: Age of Architects on the Aesop Games team. Check out our Crowd Funding page(s)!