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Inkscape for Scientists and Engineers

4.5 Filled star Filled star Filled star Filled star Empty star
Based on 425 ratings
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Dr Aidan Wimshurst

High quality graphs and scientific diagrams can make your academic papers, technical reports and thesis stand out and leave a greater impact on the reader. This course will teach you how to optimize your graphs and diagrams so that they fit perfectly into your document. Regardless of whether you are writing a technical report in Word or your PhD thesis in Latex, this course will provide you with the tools you need to make spectacular graphs and diagrams using Inkscape. These skills will be useful throughout your entire scientific career and will consistently elevate the quality of your documents.

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High quality graphs and scientific diagrams can make your academic papers, technical reports and thesis stand out and leave a greater impact on the reader. This course will teach you how to optimize your graphs and diagrams so that they fit perfectly into your document. Regardless of whether you are writing a technical report in Word or your PhD thesis in Latex, this course will provide you with the tools you need to make spectacular graphs and diagrams using Inkscape. These skills will be useful throughout your entire scientific career and will consistently elevate the quality of your documents.

This course is designed specifically for students and professionals in the science, engineering and mathematics fields, not graphic designers. Every action / click is recorded and you will be guided in a step-by-step manner from installing Inkscape to confidently creating high quality graphics for your documents.

The course starts by installing Inkscape and guiding you through the basic controls, so that you gain confidence with the programme. Next the course looks are interfacing Inkscape with specific programmes (Word, Latex, Python The majority of the course then demonstrates how to create high quality scientific diagrams and combine them with your graphs to create spectacular images. Line plots and contour plots are covered, along with special techniques for creating complex scientific diagrams. 

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • How to download, install and setup inkscape (click-by-click)
  • How to create high-quality scientific diagrams for journal papers and phd / masters theses
  • How to enhance line plots and contour plots created in excel, matlab and python
  • How to optimize graphs for phd / masters theses and journal papers
  • How to match the graph style in inkscape to word, powerpoint and latex documents

Syllabus

Install Inkscape and understand the basic controls

After completing this lecture you will have downloaded inkscape and installed it on your computer. This lecture uses a click-by-click approach to guide you through the installation in a simple and easy manner.

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This video shows how to create a new Inkscape document and navigate around Inkscape canvas and main menus.

In this lecture, we look at creating basic shapes in Inkscape, starting with the rectangle tool. We also learn how to save an Inkscape file as an .svg file (a scalable vector graphics file) and what this file contains.

In this lecture, we learn how to use the bezier tool to create lines, arrows and complex shapes. The bezier tool is one of the most versatile tools in inkscape and is used throughout this course to create professional quality images.

In this lecture, we learn how to add text objects in Inkscape. Text objects are useful for creating labels, text boxes and annotations in scientific diagrams and plots.

An example problem, which will help you learn the basic controls in Inkscape (circle tool, bezier tool, text objects).

In this video, the solution to example problem 1 (two asymmetric circles) is presented.

In this lecture, you will learn how to export images from Inkscape into Microsoft Word and ensure that they are fully clear, consistent and professional.

In this lecture you will learn how to export images from Inkscape and import them into PowerPoint and ensure that they are clear, consistent and professional.

In this lecture you will learn how to export images from Inkscape into Latex and ensure that they are sized correctly. You will also learn how to download and install the Latex font (CMU serif) and use it in Inkscape text objects.

In this lecture you will learn how to export images from Inkscape into Latex (Beamer) Presentations and ensure that they are sized correctly. You will also learn how to calculate the text and figure width for beamer presentations with different aspect ratios (16:9, 4:3 etc).

Learn how to use the 'align and distribution' controls to precisely align objects in complex figures.

In this lecture, you will learn how to import Latex formatted equations into Inkscape, using the programme KLatexFormula.

In this lecture, you will learn how to create complex diagrams in Inkscape by tracing over images. You will also learn how to use 'layers' to make this process easier by hiding the original image.

In this lecture, you will use image tracing (from the previous lecture) to create a diagram of wave motion over a submerged object.

In this lecture, you will learn how to enhance plots that you have created in MATLAB or Python by setting the figure size natively (in MATLAB or Python) and add labels and shaded areas to the plots.

Some closing remarks to finish the course and a thank you from the instructor.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Teaches how to create high-quality scientific diagrams, which can significantly improve the visual appeal and impact of academic papers and technical reports
Provides step-by-step guidance, making it accessible even for those with limited prior experience in graphic design or with Inkscape itself
Covers interfacing Inkscape with common scientific tools like Word, LaTeX, and Python, which streamlines the workflow for integrating graphics into documents
Focuses on optimizing graphs for theses and journal papers, which is a valuable skill for researchers aiming to publish their work
Requires downloading and installing Inkscape, which may pose a barrier for students who have limited access to computers or face restrictions on software installations
Uses a click-by-click approach to guide learners through the installation process, which may be slow-paced for learners who are already familiar with software installation

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Reviews summary

Inkscape for scientific graphics

According to learners, this course is a highly practical guide tailored specifically for scientists and engineers looking to create high-quality graphics for their work. Students particularly appreciate the step-by-step approach and the focus on integrating Inkscape with common tools like Latex and Word. While the core content is well-received for building a solid foundation in Inkscape basics and scientific diagrams, some find the pace could be faster or wish for more advanced techniques. The demonstrations on enhancing plots and creating complex shapes are frequently mentioned as valuable.
Effectively demonstrates key tools like Bezier.
"The lessons on the <span class="positive">Bezier tool were particularly insightful and useful for creating complex shapes."
"Understanding <span class="positive">layers made organizing my diagrams much more manageable."
"The use of <span class="positive">align and distribution tools is a game-changer for creating precise figures."
"I gained confidence using core <span class="neutral">drawing tools thanks to the clear examples."
Covers exporting graphics for common document types.
"The sections on exporting to <span class="positive">Latex and Word were exactly what I needed."
"Learning how to properly size and format figures for <span class="neutral">academic documents was incredibly helpful."
"The course provides <span class="positive">clear instructions for using Inkscape output in different document types like <span class="neutral">presentations."
"Good tips on ensuring graphics look <span class="positive">clear and professional when inserted into documents."
Beginner-friendly, easy to follow instructions.
"The instructor's <span class="positive">step-by-step approach is excellent, making complex tools easy to grasp."
"Even as a beginner, I found it <span class="positive">easy to follow along and build my skills incrementally."
"Every click and action is explained, which is <span class="positive">great for new users of Inkscape."
"It builds from the <span class="positive">basics in a very logical progression."
Teaches relevant skills for academic/technical work.
"This course is <span class="positive">perfect for anyone who needs to create graphics for scientific papers or presentations."
"I can finally create <span class="positive">professional-looking diagrams for my thesis using the techniques shown."
"The focus on <span class="positive">real-world scientific graphics makes this incredibly useful, unlike generic Inkscape tutorials."
"The skills taught are <span class="positive">directly applicable to producing figures for my research."
Some wish for more advanced content or faster pace.
"While great for beginners, I felt it <span class="warning">moved a bit slow at times, covering very basic ground."
"Could use <span class="warning">more examples of complex or niche scientific diagrams."
"The course provides a <span class="positive">solid foundation, but those looking for <span class="warning">very advanced Inkscape techniques might need to supplement it."
"Wish there were <span class="warning">more on automating tasks or scripting for repetitive graphics."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Inkscape for Scientists and Engineers with these activities:
Review Bezier Tool Fundamentals
Practice using the Bezier tool to create various shapes and lines. Mastering this tool is crucial for creating complex diagrams in Inkscape.
Show steps
  • Watch introductory videos on Bezier curves.
  • Practice creating simple shapes with the Bezier tool.
  • Experiment with different node types and handle adjustments.
Study 'Vector Graphics Using Inkscape'
Explore a general guide to vector graphics to broaden your understanding of design principles and Inkscape's capabilities.
View Putting Knowledge to Work on Amazon
Show steps
  • Acquire a copy of 'Vector Graphics Using Inkscape'.
  • Read the chapters relevant to your interests and skill level.
  • Experiment with the techniques described in the book.
Read 'Inkscape: Guide to a Vector Drawing Program'
Consult a comprehensive Inkscape guide to deepen your understanding of the software's features and capabilities.
View Inkscape on Amazon
Show steps
  • Obtain a copy of 'Inkscape: Guide to a Vector Drawing Program'.
  • Read the chapters relevant to the course topics.
  • Experiment with the techniques described in the book.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Recreate Existing Scientific Figures
Improve your proficiency by recreating existing scientific figures from published papers. This will help you develop your skills in using Inkscape to create accurate and visually appealing diagrams.
Show steps
  • Find scientific figures in published papers.
  • Attempt to recreate the figures in Inkscape.
  • Compare your recreations to the original figures.
Design a Scientific Diagram
Apply your Inkscape skills to create a scientific diagram relevant to your field of study. This project will solidify your understanding of the tools and techniques covered in the course.
Show steps
  • Choose a scientific concept or process to illustrate.
  • Sketch a preliminary design for your diagram.
  • Create the diagram in Inkscape, using the tools and techniques learned in the course.
  • Refine your diagram based on feedback and your own observations.
Optimize Graphs for Publication
Take existing graphs from your research or coursework and optimize them for publication using Inkscape. This will give you practical experience in enhancing the visual quality of your scientific data.
Show steps
  • Select graphs from your research or coursework.
  • Import the graphs into Inkscape.
  • Enhance the graphs by adding labels, annotations, and other visual elements.
  • Export the optimized graphs in a suitable format for publication.
Follow Advanced Inkscape Tutorials
Seek out and follow advanced Inkscape tutorials online to learn specialized techniques and workflows. This will help you push your skills beyond the basics and tackle more complex design challenges.
Show steps
  • Search for advanced Inkscape tutorials online.
  • Choose tutorials that cover topics of interest to you.
  • Follow the tutorials step-by-step, experimenting with the techniques as you go.

Career center

Learners who complete Inkscape for Scientists and Engineers will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Scientific Illustrator
A scientific illustrator creates visuals that explain complex scientific concepts, using skills this course directly addresses. Scientific illustrators need to produce high-quality diagrams for publications, presentations, and educational materials. This course helps you optimize graphs and diagrams, ensuring they fit perfectly into documents and elevate their overall impact. The focus on Inkscape, along with guidance on interfacing with tools like LaTeX, Word, and Python, directly translates to the ability to create spectacular, accurate, and publication-ready illustrations. By mastering Inkscape, you can significantly enhance the clarity and effectiveness of scientific communication. The course's step-by-step approach and specific techniques, such as image tracing and LaTeX integration, are especially valuable for producing detailed scientific visuals.
See salaries and explore the career path for Scientific Illustrator
Technical Writer
A technical writer creates documentation to describe the function of a product. Technical writers need to produce high-quality diagrams for publications, presentations, and educational material. This course helps you optimize graphs and diagrams, ensuring they fit perfectly into documents and elevate their overall impact. The focus on Inkscape, along with guidance on interfacing with tools like LaTeX, Word, and Python, directly translates to the ability to create spectacular, accurate, and publication-ready documentation. By mastering Inkscape, you can significantly enhance the clarity and effectiveness of technical communication. The course's step-by-step approach and specific techniques, such as image tracing and LaTeX integration, are especially valuable for producing detailed technical visuals.
See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer
Research Scientist
Research scientists conduct experiments and analyze data. A key aspect of this role involves presenting findings in publications and reports. This course helps you optimize graphs and diagrams for these purposes. The ability to create high-quality scientific diagrams, as taught in this course, directly enhances the clarity and impact of research publications. Moreover, the course addresses how to interface Inkscape with tools used for writing and analysis such as LaTeX, Word, and Python. The skills gained from this course will be useful throughout your career as a research scientist, consistently elevating the quality of your documents and scientific communications.
See salaries and explore the career path for Research Scientist
Data Visualization Specialist
A data visualization specialist transforms raw data into compelling visual representations. This course helps you optimize graphs and diagrams, ensuring they are of the highest quality. The ability to enhance line plots and contour plots and integrate them seamlessly into reports and presentations is directly relevant. The course, designed for scientists and engineers, not just graphic designers, uses a step-by-step approach to allow you to confidently create high-quality graphics. Data visualization specialists can leverage Inkscape, as taught in this course, to create impactful and informative visuals, improving communication and understanding.
See salaries and explore the career path for Data Visualization Specialist
Science Communicator
Science communicators translate complex scientific information for a general audience. This course helps you optimize graphs and diagrams to make scientific concepts more accessible and engaging. The ability to create high-quality scientific diagrams, as taught, can improve the clarity and impact of presentations, articles, and other science communication materials. The course's focus on using Inkscape and integrating graphics with platforms like PowerPoint and LaTeX, directly contributes to effective science communication. Science communicators can use the skills from this course to create compelling visuals that enhance public understanding of science.
See salaries and explore the career path for Science Communicator
Academic Editor
Academic editors review and prepare scholarly works for publication. This course may be useful because it helps to optimize graphs and diagrams to ensure they meet the highest standards of quality and clarity. Academic editors often work with authors to improve the visual elements of their manuscripts. The ability to use Inkscape to enhance plots and create scientific diagrams can significantly benefit the final publication. The course's instruction on interfacing with tools like LaTeX can be particularly valuable in academic publishing.
See salaries and explore the career path for Academic Editor
Instructional Designer
Instructional designers create engaging and effective learning materials. This course may be useful because it helps you optimize graphs and diagrams for inclusion in educational resources. The ability to create high-quality scientific diagrams can considerably enhance the visual appeal and clarity of textbooks, online courses, and training materials. The course's methods for using Inkscape, along with guidance on integrating graphics, directly contribute to the creation of compelling and effective learning experiences.
See salaries and explore the career path for Instructional Designer
Medical Illustrator
Medical illustrators create visuals for medical textbooks, publications, and patient education. This course may be useful because it helps to optimize diagrams for clarity and accuracy. A medical illustrator needs to present complex medical information visually. The ability to create high-quality diagrams and enhance plots, as taught in this course, directly supports the creation of effective medical illustrations. The course's step-by-step approach to learning Inkscape and its integration with other tools provides a strong foundation for creating visually appealing and informative medical graphics.
See salaries and explore the career path for Medical Illustrator
Patent Illustrator
Patent illustrators create technical drawings of inventions for patent applications. This course may be useful because it helps technical details for drawings to be optimized. This includes the ability to create high-quality scientific diagrams and enhance plots. This is extremely valuable because of the course's hands-on approach when learning Inkscape. The step-by-step approach to learning Inkscape and its integration with other tools provides a strong foundation for creating detailed and accurate patent drawings.
See salaries and explore the career path for Patent Illustrator
Animator
Animators create moving images for various media, including film, television, and video games. This course may be useful because it helps you create and optimize visual elements. The ability to create detailed diagrams and enhance plots, as taught in the course, can be applied to creating visually appealing and informative elements within animations. Learning Inkscape and graphics integration can contribute to the skills needed for creating high-quality animation elements.
See salaries and explore the career path for Animator
Digital Artist
Digital artists use computer software to create artwork. This course may be useful because it helps you learn a specific skill and apply it to your artistic skill set. Digital artists need to be tech savvy and well versed in a variety of different design platforms. The ability to create detailed diagrams and enhance plots is a specific application of these skills. Learning Inkscape and enhancing integration skills can contribute to these skills for creating high-quality artistic elements.
See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Artist
Market Research Analyst
Market research analysts study market conditions to examine potential sales of a product or service. This course may be useful because it helps you learn to convey information. Market research analysts need to present information visually. The ability to create detailed diagrams and enhance plots, as taught in the course, can be applied to create useful and informative visuals. Learning Inkscape and enhancing integration skills can contribute to these skills for creating high-quality visual communication.
See salaries and explore the career path for Market Research Analyst
Website Designer
Website designers plan, create, and code internet sites. This course may be useful because it helps them to create diagrams and other visual elements for websites. This course can provide useful information. Learning the ins and outs of Inkscape and enhancing integration skills can contribute to these skills for creating high-quality web applications.
See salaries and explore the career path for Website Designer
Researcher
Researchers perform experiments and collect data. This course may be useful because it helps you learn to communicate findings. This course can allow for effective communication of results by creating visuals of data. You may find the instructions useful for creating high-quality reports and presentation materials that you can distribute in your field.
See salaries and explore the career path for Researcher
Graphic Designer
Graphic designers create visual concepts to communicate information. Although this course is designed for scientists and engineers, the focus is graphs and diagrams. The course may be helpful in using Inkscape to create a variety of visual products. By mastering Inkscape, you can potentially enhance your clarity and effectiveness of graphic design work. The course's step-by-step approach and specific techniques can potentially be valuable for producing detailed graphic visuals.
See salaries and explore the career path for Graphic Designer

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Inkscape for Scientists and Engineers.
Cover image
Inkscape
Save
Provides a comprehensive guide to Inkscape, covering everything from basic tools to advanced techniques. It serves as a valuable reference for understanding the software's capabilities and exploring different workflows. While the course covers essential aspects, this book offers more in-depth explanations and examples, making it a useful resource for expanding your knowledge.
Inkscape
Paperback
Check
Inkscape
Kindle Edition
Check
Cover image
Putting Knowledge to Work
Save
Provides a practical introduction to vector graphics using Inkscape. It covers the essential tools and techniques for creating illustrations, logos, and diagrams. While the course focuses on scientific applications, this book offers a broader perspective on vector graphics design, which can be helpful for understanding the underlying principles and exploring creative possibilities.
Putting Knowledge to Work
Paperback
Check
Putting Knowledge to Work
Kindle Edition
Check

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Rating
4.5 Filled star Filled star Filled star Filled star Empty star
Effort
5 total hours
Via
Udemy
Instructor
Dr Aidan Wimshurst
Language
English
Traffic lights
Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Teaches how to create high-quality scientific diagrams, which can significantly improve the visual appeal and impact of academic papers and technical reports
Provides step-by-step guidance, making it accessible even for those with limited prior experience in graphic design or with Inkscape itself
Covers interfacing Inkscape with common scientific tools like Word, LaTeX, and Python, which streamlines the workflow for integrating graphics into documents
Focuses on optimizing graphs for theses and journal papers, which is a valuable skill for researchers aiming to publish their work
Requires downloading and installing Inkscape, which may pose a barrier for students who have limited access to computers or face restrictions on software installations
Uses a click-by-click approach to guide learners through the installation process, which may be slow-paced for learners who are already familiar with software installation
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