Just a quick post here. This is not a howto or anything. I have several projects going on around the house, and I have started using inkscape to put down ideas. So far, I have designed and build a small piece of furniture with it (a Japanese doll table set that stacks for easy storage) and several landscape designs for my front and back yards. I have not found any program for Linux specifically aimed at landscape design, but I am really pleased with the ease and power of inkscape to handle the job.
Its 3-D block functions are especially useful for these tasks, when you want to show a side or perspective view of a feature or wall. I also relied on this function heavily for my furniture project. By the way, I nailed the furniture set first time – no mistakes. My first piece of furniture, ever. I pulled out each piece of the completed drawing to make a parts list, went to Home Depot, and matched up part numbers, quantities, and prices. I also took detailed dimensional measurements while I was there to ensure proper fittings, and adjusted all of my planned dimensions accordingly.
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Using inkscape allowed me to methodically and precisely document all aspects of the project, which turned out to be fairly involved for a beginner like me. No mistakes. Next is the backyard patio….
Here are some ideas I was playing around with. We are going for the trees and raised patio, to keep costs down.
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So, in case you were wondering how to get started on a home project, open up inkscape and start playing around. You might be surprised at what you can get away with.
Filed under: Apps, Graphics, Linux, Open-Source | Tagged: design, drawing, inkscape, Kubuntu, landscape, Linux, scalar, vector | 2 Comments »