1 of 32

Inkscape for Lasers

(a.k.a. How to make a simple lasered token)

2 of 32

What is Inkscape?

Free, open-source vector graphics editor

Available for GNU/Linux, Windows, and MacOS
Similar to Adobe Illustrator and AutoDesk Sketchbook

Commonly used for:

Making designs for laser engraving
Designing logos, posters and flyers

Introduction

3 of 32

Raster vs vector graphics

Raster Images:

Most often pixel-based.
Good for shading and creating the illusion of lights and shadows.

Vectors:

Nodes (points) connected by paths
Paths are equations that can be followed by machines
Can be scaled up and down without losing clarity.

Raster Images are commonly made up of pixels, which are blocks or dots of colors put together in a grid to make an image, mimicking shadows and light. They are able to emulate the smooth transitions of colors and gradients that we see in real life. However, when you re-size a raster image, you are just making each pixel larger, which can make it look blocky or blurry depending on the resolution of the image.

On the other hand, vectors are made up of points on an XY coordinate plane that are connected by lines. These lines are mathematical equations connecting the points - but we don’t need to calculate them manually luckily! The advantage to vector graphics is that these equations can be followed by machines and understood as pathways to follow, and that these graphics can be scaled up or down without losing clarity, because you are just multiplying an equation by a constant.

4 of 32

Vector Graphics

Vector graphics are made up of paths and nodes placed on an XY coordinate plane.

Path: Lines between nodes
Nodes: Points on paths

A vector will commonly have two visible elements:

Stroke: the visible path of the vector, with a line weight, color and/or pattern
Fill: the pattern, color, etc that fills in the defined vector shape.

Path, Stroke (red)

Nodes

Fill (black)

5 of 32

Inkscape Layout

Navigating your Workspace

6 of 32

Layout

Toolbox

Menu Bar

Workspace

Tool Controls Bar

File Name

Page

Command Bar

In the center of our program is a grey box, with a white page inside of it. This is our Workspace. We can navigate around it using the scroll-bars on the sides, our mouse-wheel, and track-pads on our computers. The white area is our Page, and is where our design will stay within.

On the left is our Toolbox, which holds most of our brush tools, shape generators, and cursor tools for making and manipulating vectors. On the top is our Menu bar, which gives options for saving, editing, document properties, extra filters, as well as additional advanced functions. Underneath that is the tool control bar, which will change based on the specific tool you are using.

Finally there is the Command Bar, which may be under the Menu bar or on the right-hand side depending on whether your program is in widescreen mode. This has a lot of your zoom, duplicate, save, copy, paste etc. commands.

7 of 32

Layout

Palette

Status Bar

Node Snapping

Command Bar

Docking Area

8 of 32

Document Properties

Change your Canvas Size

9 of 32

What would be a good size for a playing token?

10 of 32

Document Properties

Setting a page size helps us make sure our design fits on our material.

Make sure to set your units first!

1

2

3

4

5. There is no button to apply so just hit the circled “x” when done!

Units

11 of 32

Basic Tools

Draw your first shape

Move, Scale, and Rotate Shapes

12 of 32

Rectangles

Click and drag to draw a rectangle or square on the page/canvas
Hold control while drawing to lock the proportions
Return to select tool or grab shape by the center x to move it after drawing

Change shape width/height

Move shape

Round corners

Reset corners

Draw a rectangle with rounded corners!

Try it out!

13 of 32

Cursor (Move & Scale)

Left-Click to select an object. Selected object(s) will have a bounding box and arrows appear around them. Hold down shift to select multiple objects.

Move Object: Hold Click & Drag
Scale: Click and drag on arrow handles

Hold control or toggle proportion lock to scale objects proportionally

Move your rectangle, scale it to 1 inch by 1 inch.

Object’s X and Y position on canvas

Proportion Lock

Width and Height of object

Try it out!

14 of 32

Cursor (Rotate/Skew)

Rotate: Select a curved arrow and drag in a direction.
Skew: Select a straight arrow and drag.
Select and drag center of transformation to change the point of rotation/skewing

Rotate

Skew

Center of Transformation

Rotate your rectangle and skew it.

Try it out!

15 of 32

Circle Tool

Use the circle handle to turn your ellipse into an slice, arc, or chord.

Create slice/arc/chord

Slice

Reset ellipse

Convert object between slice, arc or chord.

Slice Arc Chord

16 of 32

Polygons

Default shapes

Adjust number of corners

Spoke tip to base ratio

Move shape

Adjust tip/base radius

Adjust number of corners

Spoke tip to base ratio

Round spokes

Randomize polygon

Reset Polygon

17 of 32

Text

Text tool

Type text onto the page/canvas
Choose Inkscape native fonts or download fonts

Font family

Font style

Font size

Text alignment

18 of 32

Fill and Stroke

19 of 32

Open the Fill and Stroke menu

To bring up the Menu:

Object - Fill and Stroke

OR

Paint Brush Icon

20 of 32

Change Fill

Apply paint and patterns to the fill of an object
Adjust how blurry and transparent an object can be

Fill tab

Blur an object

Adjust opacity of the fill only

Adjust color

Patterns

Select Color Mode

Adjust opacity of entire vector

Change the fill of your shape to black, then turn off the fill entirely.

Try it out!

21 of 32

Change Stroke Paint

Change the color of an object’s stroke/border
Adjust the stroke’s blurriness and transparency

Stroke paint tab

Adjust color

Patterns

Select Color Mode

Adjust opacity of the stroke only

Adjust opacity of entire vector

Change your stroke paint to solid RGB (255, 0, 0, 100)

Try it out!

22 of 32

Stroke Style

Line Width and Pattern
When changing line width, change the units first, and then type in the width.

Stroke style tab

Change the ends on dashes

Choose front, middle, and end markers

Choose/Manually enter dash pattern

Pattern offset

Dash width

Change your stroke style to a solid line that is .001 inches wide.

Try it out!

23 of 32

Fill and Stroke For Laser

(Skip if you’re not lasering)

24 of 32

Fill and stroke settings for laser cutting

Fill:

Used for engraving on your material
Engraved areas should have a solid fill RGB Color code-(0,0,0,100)
No stroke

Stroke

Used for cutting or scoring your material
Cut lines should have a solid stroke RGB (255, 0, 0, 100) Color code and be .001” inch in width
No fill

25 of 32

Inkscape 101: importing images

Most of the time we need to bring outside images into Inkscape to trace or work with.

We can do this by clicking File (1) and then Import (2) and selecting the file from the window browser that appears.

26 of 32

Trace Bitmap

Go to the Path menu along the top bar

Select third option “Trace Bitmap”

Stick with Single scan and Brightness cutoff for the Detection mode.
Change Threshold if preview isn’t showing desired details.
Click Apply button.

Delete original image, but keep the new vector path!

27 of 32

Create Custom Shape

Select the vector path and Duplicate or Copy and Paste
With the clone vector path, select it and go to “Path” and click “Break Apart”
Then, with all broken up shapes selected, go to “Path” and click “Union”

28 of 32

Align Cut line & Etched Image

Select both the vector path that will be the etched part & the vector cut line.

Hold SHIFT to select multiple objects.

Open the Align and Distribute menu

“Object” and last option

Default “Relative to:” (Biggest Object is fine)

Then click Center on Vertical Axis & Center on Horizontal Axis

29 of 32

Extend Cut Shape (optional)

You can alter the cut shape to add to your design.
Click the Edit Node tool & change individual nodes

I grabbed the nodes that made up the bottom line and moved them down to create a box below.
Then I added text for a fun message!

30 of 32

Prep Wood

If you want a colored token, you can paint the wood beforehand.

Use a thin to moderate coat of acrylic paint. Do not paint it on too thick.
Spray Paint is an option too.
You get creative and blend/mix the paint colors.
Wait for paint to fully dry before lasering it!

31 of 32

Laser Painted Wood

For the 60W (Blue) Laser, set the material to 1/8in. Birch wood and Adjust the Intensity for the Raster to +5%
Send file to laser like normal.

If paint wasn’t fully removed with etching, do a second run of just the etch. Leave the wood in place in the laser, if you move it, you won’t be able to re-laser it.

32 of 32

Remove from Laser and Finish

Remove your token from the laser.
Add any finishes to the token.

I.e. magnets, pins, keychains, etc.