Color Swap in Inkscape

Swapping Colors in Inkscape is Easy-Peasy!

How to swap a specific color in the image with another color? Here is a real-life example:

I wanted to make a Valentine's countdown calendar with roses in different colors. I started with a free vector available through Pixabay. It would be easy to clone the image thirteen more times, add numbers from 1 to 14, and call it the day.

Instead, I opted for an additional value - every rose should be of a different color. Each color of the rose is associated with different symbolism. This instantly makes Valentine's Advent calendar way more interesting than a simple countdown. It not only looks more attractive than 14 roses of the same look, but it also makes a great conversation starter.

But this is not the point of this post. The question was: how to swap the existing color with a new one? In the original, there were actually three different shades of the color red. Different shades make the illusion of three dimensions, and the image is way more attractive than a simple monochromatic solution. I decided to find 14 colors, each with its own meaning, and use two or three shades of each of the chosen colors.

For instance, I took #b2a4d4, #b57edc, and #d3d3ff for lavender. How did I imply them in the image?

It's fairly easy.

The image has to be vector (SVG format) and it has to be made of objects that could be ungrouped (ctrl-shift-G) in Inkscape.

Then, just select a specific area (object). When you click an object, it will be marked.

Next, find Select Same in the Edit menu.

Select Same has a submenu! Choose Fill Color. Every area of the same color will be marked just like the object you initially picked.

There's only one last step. Choose a new color by ctrl-shift-F and enter the code in the area with the existing color code.

Voila!

This is the result of changes for one color (lavender) in three shades. The complete Valentine's countdown with roses looks like this:

Here you can find more free printable Valentine's Advent calendars.

Share your new knowledge and have fun!

Free Images of Lapis Lazuli

Pick a Lapis Lazuli Image for Your Project

Lapis lazuli is a mineral of intense blue color, a semi-precious stone of metamorphic origin with almost ten thousand years of intriguing history. It's a composite mineral which means it's a mixture of different substances of varying percentages. The most important components are lazurite, pyrite, and calcite with the addition of augite, diopside, enstatite, hauynite, hornblende, mica, nosean, and other substances.

Major attributors to its splendid blue color are sulfur anions which, again, are present in different oxidative states that have a significant impact on the color. While lapis lazuli traditionally served as the raw material for ultramarine pigment, you'll notice in the photos below there is a relatively wide spectrum of colors that are radiating from the minerals.

All presented photos are Public Domain, so you can use them for your projects virtually without any restrictions. If you find them useful, a link to this webpage would be greatly appreciated.

The largest known deposits of lapis are in Afghanistan, Siberia, and the Andes. Today it's also synthesized or substituted by other less expensive minerals which are sometimes dyed or otherwise 'tweaked'. Scientists have been able to synthesize chemically identical compounds since the 19th century.

Lapis was for many centuries indispensable for mosaics and had one of the peaks of its usage during the Renaissance when it was a primary resource of ultramarine pigment used for oil painting and frescoes. While lapis lazuli is undoubtedly still among the most spectacular blue colors in the world, there are many more astonishing blue shades to explore.