changing color of stock images from istock

[molly234000]

I'm new to inkscape, so pardon my question, but I've purchased some website iconography & banners from istock and i've figured out i think how to clip around individual ones and remove them from the collection, but now cannot figure out how to change the color of the image(s) to a custom color ... any pointers?

[brynn]

Hi molly234000,
Welcome to InkscapeForum!

You could try Extensions menu > Color > Replace Color. I have not used it myself, but it's my understanding it does what you're asking.
Let us know how it goes

All best

Edit
On 2nd thought, it might not work. Your stock images are probably JPG or some other raster format, I'm guessing. I don't know if this extension will work on non-SVG formats. I'll try to find a JPG or something, and try it, then I'll let you know. Or maybe the Inkscape manual will have something to say about it (Help menu > Inkscape manual). Anyway, I'll let you know what I learn....brb

[brynn]

Yeah, I was wrong. That's not going to work unless the image is in SVG format. You could use Path menu > Trace Bitmap, to convert it to SVG, but if it's really a photo, like a landscape or a family photo, you probably will not be happy with the results. If that's the case, you'd probably be better off with a raster graphics program, such as The GIMP, Paint.NET or Irfanview. (There's a fundamental difference between raster and vector formats, which makes raster graphics a better choice for this, in this case.)

However, if the stock image is more like an icon or logo, you should be able to vectorize it with the Trace Bitmap engine easily. Then the Replace color extension will work!

[molly234000]

thanks for all your help! here's a link to the image set on istock http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-illust ... orners.php ... of course it says "To modify this file you will need vector editing software such as Adobe Illustrator, Freehand, or CorelDRAW." ... so i assumed since i saw the word "vector" i could manipulate it in inkscape. i am trying the trace bitmap suggestion as we speak, but is it typical for it to take a long time to generate the preview? I assume you select the image you want to use, select trace bitmap from the menu and then click "update" ... when i do it it doesn't do anything. ???

[brynn]

The preview doesn't usually take very long, although the actual trace might, if it's a large image. However note that there's a bug with Brightness Cutoff, where the preview does not update. However you can still use that method. You just have to perform the trace, and at that time, the preview updates. Then you can undo the trace, and keep fiddling with it. It's not ideal, but the bug only affects that one, and it will be fixed, hopefully in the next version.

But check the format of the image. Maybe Trace Bitmap won't work on SVG itself??

it says "To modify this file you will need vector editing software such as Adobe Illustrator, Freehand, or CorelDRAW." ... so i assumed since i saw the word "vector" i could manipulate it in inkscape

Well yes, I can see how you could think so. But still, and while I'm not very familiar with those programs, they could use other file formats besides SVG, that are (is?) still vector. I'm a little over my head here though. I don't know if Trace Bitmap will trace another vector format.

But just for the record, what is the file format of your image? If Trace Bitmap doesn't work, go ahead and try the extension I mentioned originally -- Replace Color. If it's SVG format, it will definitely work. If it's another vector format, I'm thinking it might work anyway.

And meanwhile someone else can explain about how many vector formats are available, and with which programs -- as well as anything else I've gotten wrong here, lol

[prkos]

You should have gotten a vector file there, probably eps, so open it in Inkscape. You should see objects just like in any other vector format, they will probably be grouped so enter the groups or ungroup to get to individual objects. Look in the statusbar to see the information about the selected object, let us know what you see there. Once you select an object you can change its color and other properties like you would with any object created in Inkscape. Try reading the manual about basic color editing.

[molly234000]

ok, i'm feeling like a dummy --- why can't i see & open my eps file from inkscape? when i go to "open" or "import" from within the program all i see are jpg, pngs, etc but i can't see my eps file?

[druban]

What version of Inkscape and what platform are you on? Some versions, if not all of them anymore, require you to install Ghostscript to open eps files. This may no longer be the case with the most recent versions of Inkscape. However i have had gs installed for so long I don't know if it is necessary anymore.
Just a possibilty...
Someone else can come along and confirm this vague statement. I'm looking at you, ~suv, you poor overworked* thing .

*But greatly appreciated!

[~suv]

Some versions, if not all of them anymore, require you to install Ghostscript to open eps files. This may no longer be the case with the most recent versions of Inkscape.

• PS/EPS Import
  All recent Inkscape versions - on all platforms - require Ghostscript for PS/EPS import [1]
  Changes in Inkscape 0.47 [2]
• PS/EPS Export
  Saving a copy as PostScript-based format (PS, EPS) is done differently and does not require Ghostscript (or other external tools) to be installed.
  Changes in Inskcape 0.47 [3]

[1] Technically, the EPS file is converted to PDF on-the-fly with ps2pdf from Ghostscript, and the PDF then imported using internal routines, based in the bundled poppler library.

[2] Earlier versions (<= 0.46) required the external tools 'pstoedit' and 'skconvert'.

[3] Export to PostScript-based formats is handled internally, based on the bundled cairo library. Earlier versions (Inkscape 0.45 and older) used the internal printing routines to output into files instead to the printer when saving a copy as PS/EPS.

[~suv]

I don't know if Trace Bitmap will trace another vector format.

No. 'Path > Trace Bitmap…' only works with bitmap images (raster graphics), embedded or linked in the current Inkscape document window.

It does not work with vector objects. Note that no matter what source vector format you open in Inkscape (PDF, EPS, PS, DXF, you name it): once the content is rendered in Inkscape's windows, it is either vector (SVG), a bitmap image or a mix of both - possibly clipped and masked within nested groups (depending on the content of the original file). Inkscape always converts supported vector formats to SVG - it cannot 'render' foreign vector-based formats in a frame (like you might know it from other applications).

[~suv]

Well yes I can see how you could think so. (…)

Please explain - which comment are you referring to in this topic?

(…) But still, and while I'm not very familiar with those programs, they could use other file formats besides SVG, that are still vector.

Which programs are you referring to?

[druban]

Well yes I can see how you could think so. (…)

Please explain - which comment are you referring to in this topic?

(…) But still, and while I'm not very familiar with those programs, they could use other file formats besides SVG, that are still vector.

Which programs are you referring to?

??? This is a quote from Brynn's post (#5) above???
I noticed the same poster doing the same thing on another topic... (is it two approved posts before free posting?)

~suv, thanks for the clarification on the PS import/export difference... I knew something had been changed!

[~suv]

??? This is a quote from Brynn's post (#5) above???

Thanks - seems I got fooled by a bot…

[brynn]

Yeah we had a spammer post comments made by others, no doubt planning to return later and edit in the spam (or skip past the 2 moderated messages). And then ~suv replied to them before we could catch him, delete and ban. But all is well now -- bad guy gone
And ~suv's comments are still valid, because it was originally my comments from earlier in the topic. So wherever you see "devinehelles", it's me

And now I'll answer ~suv's questions:

Well yes I can see how you could think so. (…)

Please explain - which comment are you referring to in this topic?

The OP had said "... i assumed since i saw the word "vector" i could manipulate it in inkscape."

(…) But still, and while I'm not very familiar with those programs, they could use other file formats besides SVG, that are still vector.

Which programs are you referring to?

The OP mentioned "...Adobe Illustrator, Freehand, or CorelDRAW...". I'm not familiar with them, but i'm pretty sure SVG is not the only vector format, and I'm pretty sure AI at least uses other vector formats. It was mostly me thinking outloud, and trying to help molly234000 be able to use the stocks that I suspect are in another vector format besides SVG.

Sorry for the confusion. Is everyone clear now?

And now addressing molly234000 -- so now you have figured out that they are EPS? Yes, like druban said, you will probably need to install Ghostscript, to be able to see, open and edit the EPS images as SVG. Unfortunately, I don't use EPS images, so I don't have GS installed, and therefore, don't have any links to offer you, as far as where to download, instructions, etc. Maybe someone else can provide that?