# Mapping Resources > Tutorials/How-To >  Inkscape Mapping Basics

## Hai-Etlik

This is a work in progress, but I decided to post it to get some feedback.  It's a quick run through of some tools that aren't covered by the tutorials that come with Inkscape and their applications in mapping rather than a step by step guide to some particular task.

----------


## eViLe_eAgLe

I just did a quick ran through and it looks nice. Ill get inkscape sometime and try this out!

----------


## Hai-Etlik

> I just did a quick ran through and it looks nice. Ill get inkscape sometime and try this out!


Great, post any comments you have about it.

----------


## Gallifreyan

Thanks for the tutorial. I am currently learning inksape, and this is a great resource. Repped and rated!

----------


## Hai-Etlik

I've added a bit more, and some crossreferences (All crossreferences are hyperlinks you can click on)

----------


## nolgroth

Looks interesting. I'll look more closely at some of these features.

----------


## Hai-Etlik

> Looks interesting. I'll look more closely at some of these features.


Great, please tell me if you find any places the instructions seem insufficient or excessive, or where I made a mistake or missed something.

I'm thinking of adding a section with some "Quick Tricks", very short walk sub-tutorials of some common tasks that aren't immediately obvious, like the description of how to make the forest in the Path Effects section.

----------


## arsheesh

I too am just learning Inkscape so I'm looking forward to reading through this: I'll comment further once I've given it a try.

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

----------


## farvardin

Thank you for sharing your tips!

----------


## Hai-Etlik

I've added another section with a mini tutorial on producing tree symbols similar to the ones in my recent "The Lands of the Inner Sea" map.  I'll probably move the forest path effect bit to that section and expand it to a similar level of detail, and maybe add a few other quick little exercises to make use of the tools explained in the other sections.

----------


## Hai-Etlik

Another new version with icons for the tools used and the forest path effect example is now more detailed.

----------


## Hai-Etlik

The section on path effects is now much more detailed, the forest path effect example now has more detailed illustrations, and I fixed a serious mistake in the instructions.

----------


## Hai-Etlik

Another update.  I've added a section describing how to build a basic layer tree, and how to add a clipping path to a layer (which requires using the XML Editor).

I'm not entirely happy with this bit so any comments are welcome.

----------


## RobA

> Another update.  I've added a section describing how to build a basic layer tree, and how to add a clipping path to a layer (which requires using the XML Editor).
> 
> I'm not entirely happy with this bit so any comments are welcome.


An alternate way to get the same result that I have been using:

ctrl+a to select all the items in the active layer.
ctrl+g to group them
Draw the clipping mask.
ctrl+a to select the group and mask
Object->Clip->Set

Now with the object still selected, enter the xml editor (shift+ctrl+x) and edit the inkscape:groupmode and change it from "maskhelper" to "layer" and it will magically become a sub-layer of the existing layer.  

It you want it to be its own layer (not a sub-layer), use the XML editor and drag it to the root.

Not sure if it is simpler or not, but a different way to do it.

-Rob A>

----------


## AlanShutko

Thanks for the tutorial (which I haven't quite caught up on).  And GO LATEX!

----------


## Scionical

Thank you for this - I just started learning about Inkscape, and this is nicely done.  Very clean document!  When I finish getting the basics down, I look forward to digging into this deeper.  Repped!

----------


## aocchi

Whoa, thank you so much for this tutorial. I use Inkscape for a long time, but never knew it can be used to draw a map.

----------

