Lesson video

Hello, my name is Mrs. Jones, and I'm really pleased you decided to join this lesson today.

In this lesson, we will look at creating vector graphics using software, and focus on adding shapes and manipulating the colour, the outline called the stroke, size and rotation, as well as the layer position, and you will use these skills to create a new vector graphic.

So let's get started.

Welcome to today's lesson.

Today's lesson is called Using vector tools to draw and modify shapes from the unit Developing vector graphics.

And by the end of this lesson, you'll be able to use software to draw and modify vector shapes.

There are three key words to today's lesson.

Vector graphic.

Vector graphic is an image made up of lines and shapes.

Z-order.

Z-order is the order of overlapping objects.

Layer.

Layer is the level on which an object, for example, text, shapes and photos can be placed relative to other objects.

There are two sections to today's lesson.

The first is use tools to draw and modify shapes, and the second is change the appearance and position of shapes.

So let's start with use tools to draw and modify shapes.

This flower is a raster graphic.

It has been drawn using a painting package.

It is made of pixels, tiny dots of colour.

This robot is a vector graphic drawing.

Vector graphics are made up of lines and shapes.

How many shapes have been used to make this robot? Pause the video, have a look at that robot, and see if you can work out how many shapes have been used to make it and then I'll reveal the answer.

Let's look at that answer.

So the number of shapes that were used to make up that robot is 19.

Well done if you managed to count those correctly.

Inkscape is an open source and cross platform application for creating vector graphics.

This is the icon for the software.

You are going to use Inkscape to create and manipulate some basic vector shapes.

Inkscape has tools for drawing a variety of different shapes: rectangle and squares, circles, ellipses and arcs, polygons and stars.

And those three icons that you see there are how you access and create those different shapes using those icons that you find in the toolbar, which we'll look at in a second.

Let's have a quick check.

Match the shape names to the tool you would use to draw them.

You have the shapes on the left written out, and then you have A, B, and C of those three different icons.

Pause the video, consider your answer and then we'll check it.

Let's check your answer.

So circles come from B, squares A, ellipses B, stars C, polygons C, arcs B, rectangles A.

Well done if you got those correct.

To draw a shape, choose a shape tool from the menu on the left hand side.

So you can see here on the left those three icons that we've just looked at for squares, the circle and the polygons and stars.

Those are the three that you're looking for there.

Click and drag shapes out onto the page.

To create circles or squares, hold Ctrl as you drag.

You can see here we have a rectangle, square and a circle.

Using Ctrl keeps the ratio of that shape as you resize it.

Let's have a quick check.

When you are using the rectangle, ellipse, or arc tools, which key do you hold down on the keyboard to make a circle or a square? A, Shift, B, Ctrl, C, Alt.

Pause the video to consider your answer and then we'll check it.

Let's check your answer.

The answer was B, Ctrl, 'cause using the Ctrl key will constrain the shape to a perfect square or circle.

Well done if you got that correct.

To draw polygons or stars, you choose the polygon or star shape tool, as you can see here on the left, we're looking for that icon.

Drag a shape out onto the page.

You can change the shape and the number of corners using the options at the top of the screen.

So you can see here that a polygon has been added.

Up the top, you can change to a star.

And then you also have the number of corners, and by reducing or increasing will change the shape that is already being used.

And you can also flip between a polygon and a star because that is the one that is selected.

Let's have a go at an activity.

Draw at least four different types of shape using the three shape tools, including at least one polygon.

Change the shape of one polygon and the number of sides.

Pause the video, use your software, and then we'll have a look at an example of a solution for the different shapes.

Let's have a look at a possible solution.

So Jun had created these four shapes.

Well done for completing the activity, and I hope you enjoyed creating those four different shapes and experimenting with them.

Let's move to the next part of today's lesson, change the appearance and position of shapes.

Now that you can draw shapes, you're going to learn how to change their appearance and position.

Let's take a look at the skills needed.

To reposition shapes, choose the selector tool, which is always the arrow.

The black arrow there is an example of what it looks like, from the top left menu, then click and drag the shape to where you want it.

You can use the handles around the edge of the shape to resize it.

You can see on this shape that on each of the corners as well as each of the sides, there is a double sided arrow that when you click and move it, you'll be able to resize that shape to whatever you want it to be.

When shapes are dragged near to each other, the corners will automatically snap together.

You can see here as this is moved, the triangle is moving close, and then let go 'cause it says move to corner.

And then the green one, as it's moving close, let go and it snaps to the corner.

So the shapes will automatically snap together.

To rotate a shape, choose the selector tool from the top left menu, then click on the shape twice.

Use the handles to rotate the shape.

So when you click on it twice is when the ability to rotate is then visible for you to then move.

So we'll just do that again, you click on it twice.

You can see the arrows change to the rotate, and then you drag from there from the corner to where you want it to be.

Note holding down Ctrl while rotating the shape to snap to whole angles.

You could change the fill and outline, which is called the stroke of a shape, as you create it or after you have created it.

So you can see here, they click on the shape, and down the bottom you have all of the colours to change the colour of the shape, the fill colour.

You click on unset down the bottom there, and now we can go into the stroke paint, so we can change a whole colour there.

We can do the style where we can increase the width, which is the thickness of the outline, the stroke line.

And go back to the stroke paint and you can change the colour of the border to whichever you'd like, and you can see there the different variations by changing that has a different effect on what the colour is on the outline.

Inkscape will keep your settings for the next shape you create.

So once you've made all these changes, it then will be stored for when you're creating it again, creating another shape.

Ordering objects.

In vector drawings, each new shape, new object that is added appears on top of any existing objects.

So here we have the first shape that was added, second is put on top, the third, four, fifth, they're all added.

And as they're added, it will automatically appear on top of the previous ones.

And continues until you've finished adding all of the different objects.

The order of the objects shown on the screen is called z-order.

And when an object is moved up or down in the stack of objects, its z-order position is changed.

You can see here that the different axis as well.

We have the X axis, which is the horizontal, the Y axis, which is the vertical, and the Z, which is coming, which makes it the 3D element.

Let's have a quick check, true or false, when an object is moved up or down in the stack of objects, it's x-order position is changed? Pause the video to consider if that is true or false, and then we'll check your answer.

Let's check your answer.

The answer was false.

Pause the video to consider why.

How would you answer that question to say why is it false? What should it be? Let's check your answer.

When an object is moved up or down in the stack of objects, it is the z-order position that is changed, not the x-order.

Well done if you got that correct.

You can move objects up and down the layers in a drawing.

So you can see here clicked onto the blue, and we're using the icons at the top there to move the position.

You can see there we've got a down one, and we've got one that's up as well.

So there's two with arrows going up and two with arrows going down.

Moving them will make them appear in front or behind other objects.

And there were four icons that were used there.

And to change the z-order, you select a shape and then use the buttons on the top toolbar to move it.

And those icons that we looked at then were to the top, which has the arrow pointing right up to the top.

To the bottom, which has an arrow pointing down right to the bottom of the list.

Up one step has an arrow that is curved, and the position of the larger rectangle is in the middle.

And down one step has the same, it's the curved arrow pointing down with the shape not quite at the bottom as well there.

And notice that for the bottom and the down one step, the colour is also slightly different.

Let's have a quick check, true or false, you can tell which of these buttons has been used on the red triangle? So you have a sequence of shapes on the left there that layered on top of each other.

Can we tell which of these buttons have been used on the red triangle? A, all the way to the top, B, up one step, C, all the way to the bottom.

Pause the video to consider if that is true or false.

Let's check your answer.

The answer was false.

Why is that false? Pause the video to consider your answer and then we'll check it.

Let's check your answer.

It depends which position the red triangle was in before the button was pressed.

We know it isn't C as that would send the red triangle to the bottom and it's on the top, but we don't know which way it was because we don't know where it started.

Well done if you got that correct.

Now you're going to use some shapes to make an image.

You can see an example here of a house which is using shapes to create an image.

When combining shapes to create an image, it can be helpful to zoom in or out.

You can see at the bottom there, there is a magnifying glass, which is how we use the zoom in and zoom out option within the software.

You might need to scroll down the menu on the left hand side to find the zoom button.

You may also want to use copy, paste and duplicate when creating your image.

Select the object, then either choose copy, paste, or duplicate from the edit menu, or use the keyboard shortcuts.

Copy is Ctrl plus C, paste is Ctrl plus V, and duplicate is Ctrl plus D.

So you can either use the edit menu or use those keyboard shortcuts to copy, paste and duplicate any selected objects.

Let's do an activity and use all of your new skills to create a simple picture.

And it does say you do not have to create a drawing of a house here.

You can draw anything you want.

The house is an example.

It's your choice.

But there are some steps to follow.

One, you need to add shapes.

Two, change shape colours and outline styles.

Three, rotate objects.

Four, position objects.

Five, change object order.

Six, use zoom if necessary or if it's useful.

Seven, use copy, paste and duplicate if it's helpful.

And eight, explain how you made your image.

Pause the video, go back through the slides to look at any of those helpful guide videos on using the software, and have a go at creating a simple picture using those eight steps there to create a simple picture.

And then we'll have a look at an example solution.

Let's have a look at an example.

So Jun is here and he's created this frog.

Here's how I made a picture of a frog and a fly.

So he's gonna explain how he made this image using shapes.

"First, I chose a fill colour and chose a thicker line width to draw the frog's body and head.

I created one eye and then copied and pasted it.

I used the circle tool to create the nostrils, mouth and light green spots.

I removed the outline for the light green spots, then I added a rectangle for the tongue and used the circle tool for the fly's body and wings.

I copied and pasted the frog's eyes and resized them for the fly.

I drew on the legs and used the rotate tool, then copied them and moved them behind the body shape." It's a really good example there that Jun has created this frog with fly using those different steps required but also using the different shapes.

So well done to Jun there, and well done to you for creating your simple picture using shapes, and I hope they look just as good.

In summary, vector graphics are made from shapes, not pixels.

Vector graphics are built using simple shapes.

In vector drawings, each new shape, object, that is added appears on top of any existing objects.

Objects can be moved up and down the layers in a drawing.

Vector graphics use z-order to show which shapes are in front and are visible.

Well done for completing this lesson using vector tools to draw and modify shapes.