This lesson provides a step-by-step walkthrough for creating a custom computer icon of a cartoon character -- Fin from Cartoon Network's Adventure Time. The class was designed for tweens (ages 9-12). Tools covered include: circle/ellipse, align, distribute, rectangle, path, curves, and fill/stroke. The same class can be used when creating a logo.

1. Inkscape
Custom Icons and Graphics

2. Learning to use Inkscape
Today we’ll create
a custom Fin Icon
with the Inkscape
Vector Graphics
Editor.
Inkscape is different from most photo editors, like
Photoshop, because it creates and edits Vector
Images; the others use Raster Images. Vector
images use geometry and math to create
“perfectly smooth” images.

3. Drawing Fin: Face Time
1. Click on the
circle tool.
2. Pick a pink color.
3. Click, hold, and drag
the mouse to draw an
oval for his face.

4. Drawing Fin: Face Time
4. Change the
color to black.
3. Draw one black circle
for his eye.
4. With his eye
selected press
Ctrl+C to Copy.
5. Press Ctrl+V to Paste.

5. Get those eyes straight.
6. Select both eyes.
5. Press Ctrl+Shift+A,
or go to the Object Menu
and select Align.
Your eyes may not be perfectly
level (which is fine), but if you
want even eyes then you need to
Align.
Hold SHIFT when
click to select both

6. Using the Align + Distribute Tool
Align: “line up” the
objects along a line
or a point.
Distribute: “space
out” the objects.
The relative to option is
important because it tells
you what your guide it
for moves.

7. Get those eyes straight.
7. Click on [Center on
Horizontal Axis]
8. Move eyes to where
you want them.
9. Select eyes and face
10. Click [Distribute
Centers evenly]

8. We need a hat.
1. Click on the
square tool.
2. Draw a box bigger
than his face.
3. With the box still
selected press [PgDn].
Page down [PgDn] and Page
up [PgUp] move the objects
above and below each other to
layer them.

9. Align the hat with the face.
4. Select the
hat and face
(not the eyes)
3. Open Align:
Ctrl+Shift+A.
4. Align Relative:
Smallest Object
5. Align
Center

10. Add ears
6. Click the
rectangle tool
7. Draw one ear.
8. Align Left Edges;
Relative to Biggest.
9. Click the
point edit tool
10. Move the circle
point down

11. Add other ear and Align
11. Select ear
12. Copy and Paste
13. Move to the right
14. Select Left & Hat
16. Select Right & Hat
15. Align Left Edges:
Respective to Biggest
17. Align Right Edges:
Respective to Biggest

12. Adding his mouth
1. Click the
pen tool
2. Click to start drawing
4. Click again to draw a
line by setting an end
point. You’ll get a
green line.
5. Press Enter

13. Making him smile
1. Click the
point edit tool
2. Click on the mouth
3. Select both nodes
4. Click on [Make
selected curves]

14. Making him smile
5. Select both nodes.
6. Open Align:
Ctrl+Shift+A
7. Align: Horizontal Line
8. Double Click on line
9. Move the lines
to make a smile

15. Making his smile bigger
1. Click the
select tool
2. Click on the mouth
3. Click on Stroke
4. Click on Stroke Style

16. Making his smile bigger
5. Set width to 10px
6. Set End Cap
to Rounded
You now have a complete
face! Time for some color
changes.

17. Change the Hat’s Color
1. Select all parts of the
hat (ears + hood)
2. Click Object then
Group (Ctrl+G)
3. Send object to back
with PgDn

18. Change the Hat’s Color
4. Select the hat group
5. Click on a color to set
the Fill Color.
6. Shift+Click to set the
Stroke Color
Both Colors
have to be the
same or you’ll
see lines

19. More Color Options
8. Click either Fill or
Stroke to bring up their
menus.
Fill: The color
inside of the
shape.
Stroke: The
color of the
outline.
You can select more colors and
effects in this menu.

20. Making a Fin Icon
1. Go to File Menu
Use what you’ve learned about
shapes and colors to add a
background and fix anything
you don’t like.
2. Click Document
Properties.
3. Click Resize
to drawing

21. Making a Fin Icon
1. Go to File Menu
Use what you’ve learned about
shapes and colors to add a
background and fix anything
you don’t like.
2. Click Document
Properties.
3. Click Resize
to drawing
4. Save

22. http://iconverticons.com/online/
Let’s you convert any
picture into an icon.
1. Click “Click to
browse”
2. Find Saved File
3. Click Open
4. Download the
Icon File (.ico)

23. Custom Computer Icons
1. Find a computer icon
you can change
2. Click [Change Icon]
3. Find where you saved
the Icon File
4. Click OK then Apply
You’ll now have a custom icon
for that program or file.

24. Original Class Design and
Presentation by
Rino A. Landa
June 7, 2014