Inkscape Watercolor Tutorial: Filter Settings Explained

[@knytt]

0:00 You're Rick Johanson and that beaming smile on the screen means its time for me to do another great INKSCAPE TUTORIAL! Happy times

[@IronEchoDesign]

Haha- Thank You!! This makes my day!!

[@JordanIsHereSometimes]

Thanks for walking through the watercolor troubleshooting. Makes a ton of sense.

[@IronEchoDesign]

Thanks! I've wanted to make this video for a while because watercolor effect seems to work slightly differently every time you open up Inkscape. Hopefully this will help in getting consistent results.

[@JordanIsHereSometimes]

@@IronEchoDesign I’ve noticed that as well. Sometimes I get exactly what I have in my mind, and sometimes, it feels like I can’t make it work. It’s also led to me digging into the filter settings of other things to see how they work under the hood. I’m getting way better results across the board, honestly, even with some filters that I thought weren’t super useful.

[@IronEchoDesign]

Totally agree. I've started using the Felt texture in place of watercolor sometimes after doing that kind of digging. Its fun to experiment, you know?

[@JordanIsHereSometimes]

@@IronEchoDesign Let me throw in one more than that can really effect it, but that you didn't mention - how big the initial shape is. I have wildly different levels effectiveness if my initial shape is 100 x 100 px or 1000 x 1000 px. Like, night and day. I always have to start the shape small, then drag it up AFTER I apply the effect once I find what I want.

[@IronEchoDesign]

Totally agree. I tried to mention in this video to start small, and showed the initial shape small relative to the page size. I don't know why the effect is better small. Maybe its something to do with the sample swatch and how it renders.

[@pasticciottiontheroad]

As always, a very instructive tutorial. Thank you so much for your incredible work and the amount of time you invest. You are the best! Have a wonderful easter!

[@IronEchoDesign]

Thanks so much. You too- Happy Easter!

[@WolkenBrise]

awesome explanation of how to set up watercolor effects. really good job - love it!

[@IronEchoDesign]

Thanks! Watercolor setting were hard for me while I was learning so I wanted to share.

[@Hyper5nic]

Amazing tutorial, I can even see these effects applied to a city skyline or for a kind of movieposter. Or for the sleeve of a blu-ray box. Endless possibilities!

[@ninak.4503]

Thank you so much for sharing your valuable time and tips with us! This is the video i have been waiting for since i first came in contact with the watercolor filter. Whenever i follow your instructions i'm able to level up my skills.

[@IronEchoDesign]

Thank you!! Watercolor is one of my favorite Inkscape effects. Hope the filter settings will help.

[@Mythologos]

Subbed. What you're doing is much more along the lines of what I'm trying to accomplish with vector than the other channels, which are great for logos but not anything more out-there.

[@IronEchoDesign]

Thanks!! That's my favorite thing to do with Inkscape- try to push to new or more out-there ways of using it!

[@kellymaddenartstudio]

Excellent video. Thank you so much! ! !

[@IronEchoDesign]

Thank you very much!

[@mira987]

What a wonderful tutorial! Thank you Rick!🤗🐣

[@IronEchoDesign]

Thank you!! This is one of my favorite Inkscape features!

[@gemmycantik]

New subscriber here :) You explain very well. I really think you deserve more thumbs up.

[@IronEchoDesign]

Thanks so much!! I really appreciate it!

[@expressocean9874]

I love this filter! Thanks a lot for your tutorial!

[@paulfw1961]

Thanks Rick. I really enjoy your videos. I have a question, in Inkscape 1.3 did they remove the Base Frequency and Octave sliders?

[@IronEchoDesign]

Great catch! I know they tried to clean up the Filter Editors because they were (and still are) let's just say....busy. Those two sliders you mention seemed to have their labels removed. Under the Turbulence tab there is an unmarked slider and another called Detail. Those I believe now behave how the old ones did.

[@rihamm1741]

Thank you I have followed all the steps and the blur is still there!!

[@krizzazz6051]

I love your videos! I'm teaching myself how to do some minor graphics and your videos help me alot! One thing I'm finding hard to accomplish is making a text paragraph into the shape of something. Example: having a mantra text in the shape of a Buddha silhouette. Is there a way to accomplish that??

[@IronEchoDesign]

Thanks so much!! And, yes there is a feature in Inkscape to get a paragraph of text inside a shape. 1. With Bezier Pen, create an object roughly matching the Buddha silhouette. This is your flow object. 2. Type out your desired text. 3. Select both the flow object and the text. 4. Choose from the top menu Text- Flow into Frame. 5. Using Edit Paths by Node, you can make adjustments to the edges of the flow object and where the text flows. 6. Delete the flow object and drop your shaped text into place. Hope this helps!

[@timinwsac]

It answered questions I didn't know I had.

[@IronEchoDesign]

Haha! Perfect!

[@a7xfanben]

Nice video!

[@IronEchoDesign]

Thank you!

[@MrCat07]

I love this effect

[@IronEchoDesign]

Same here!

[@mazharquraishi5880]

Hi Iron Man, It is a delight to use these tutorials, which are presented in such small details in such a pleasant manner. You are a true teacher. Please accept gratitude from an ancient Republic of Harvard Square citizen. Maybe we can find other locals and meet somewhere for coffee keeping the old tradition. I would like to bring to your attention that this tutorial works just like supposed to up to version 1.1. In version 1.2, at 8:35 when it said to "Object ==> Clip ==> Set" fails as there is no command such as this one. The command "Set" has changed to "Set Clip", and it does something. Can you please check? Maybe I am doing something wrong (which I do often) or there is another way? I would appreciate very much your suggestion. There is a similar problem in another watercolor tutorial in transferring objects to target objects also fails in 1.2.

[@IronEchoDesign]

Thanks so much. I think you are exactly right. I noticed out of habit I have been wording it differently that the correct drop down descriptions. I appreciate the attention to detail and I want to keep the instruction accurate. Also I think a meet-up would be fun for Inkscape users in the area. One of the main developers is actually in Cambridge believe it or not!

[@kistipero2594]

Is it possible to blow up watercolor somehow to get vector outlines?

[@imdxpertm]

Thank you. it's quite detailed tutorial. Suggestion, 1) How about a modern 2022 typography tutorial: text "Rick Rocks!" 🙂 2) Professional logo Mockups using Inkscape.

[@IronEchoDesign]

Haha! Thank you so much!! I love doing typography tutorials. For the mockup, do you mean like branding peripherals? Last week I put up a logo mockup tutorial for apparel if that is something that could be interesting. Thanks again!

[@imdxpertm]

@@IronEchoDesign I mean logo Mockups for Cars, trucks,Vans, buses, those with perspective. Later you can do package designing ( Pizza box, beauty products, etc)

[@IronEchoDesign]

Oh cool! I'll play around with that. Great idea, thanks!

[@jawadahmed8956]

Hi on my inskcape the effect is not working like this it appearing grundgy and hard

[@Roboto-chan_1402]

I could tell your machine had to work really hard for this one. 😅 Inkscape (or any graphic design app) can be quite demanding on processor and graphics card. But yes, always love your watercolour renderings. Well done!

[@IronEchoDesign]

Thanks so much! And, you're right! Fan on the computer was whirring away, especially with the screenrecorder going too.

[@KG-gy3uc]

In turbulence editior, base frequency has only 2 decimal points and it wont let me add more.. any suggestions?

[@umc1709]

Thank you!

[@IronEchoDesign]

Thanks!!

[@brennafrenchphotography]

I must be missing something because I'm struggling to get it to work

[@trscsaeg]

I think i did something wrong because mine definitely has a vinegar smell

[@IronEchoDesign]

Hahaha! Happens from time to time.

[@jessapps]

The last version of Inkscape is so bugged up…)) It’s not even funny

[@IronEchoDesign]

1.2.2 ? I'm still using regular 1.2. Is stuff not working in the latest release?

[@mastermill79]

THANK YOU!

[@IronEchoDesign]

Thanks!😊