Starting out with vector drawing and Inkscape, I pretty much thought that using the text tool and shapes tool would be the important functions. Stuff like the PCLOS banner in my sig. Boy, was I wrong.
The pen tool is one powerful tool but its curved line function is a little obscure at first blush, since a few examples show the click and drag to make curves, which I could never figure out.
Forget the click and drag for curved lines, try this quick tutorial...
--> Remember any time you click the left mouse button while the pen tool is selected, you'll place a node. <--Start out by selecting the pen tool. Click once to place a node, move down and place another node. Now bring the pointer back up and click once more on the starting box. When you're on top of the box it will turn red and this has the effect of finishing this particular pen section.
This is what you'll see after you've finished.
Select the node tool and put the pointer on the lines you've just drawn, you'll see the pointer has a hand next to it. About a third of the way from the top of the lines you've drawn, click, hold and pull to the right and up slightly.
Repeat with the other line and you'll get something like this.
Now it's a matter of pulling on different parts of the curved lines to get the shape you want. Note the handles (small circles). You could use these to adjust your drawing too. I prefer to just drag the lines themselves.
Once you're satisfied with the shape, use the fill and stroke dialog and use a fill color and remove the stroke color if you prefer.
To enhance, tap F1 and with the heart selected, duplicate by using Ctrl + D. While holding the Shift + Ctrl, drag a corner handle in towards the center.
--> Note that Shift + Ctrl has the effect of keeping the proportion and centered. <--Try giving this layer a opacity of 60 and a blur of 20.
I love Inkscape.
The pen tool is really neat and the things that can be done to manipulate nodes I'm still learning. Comments are welcome.
Happy New Year everyone!
Cheers