In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to draw a camera lens using Inkscape’s Radial Gradient function. I had found this subject a bit confusing until I watched a You Tube tutorial at the Little Web Hut. The author of this informative site does such a great job with his tutorials that I was able to take what I learned about gradients and put it to use with no problem at all.

Getting Started

Create a circle and change it to a path. Object>Object to Path

Creating the Gradient

Click on Gradient Tool     on the Tool Box Bar.  Make sure Radial Gradient and Gradient in Fill are selected.

Placing Nodes

With Gradient Tool selected, double-click on the circle.

Double-click anywhere on the line to place a gradient stop . You will see a little diamond shaped node appear. Keep placing additional stops in the same way. If you want to move a stop, just drag it where you want it.

Setting Gradient Colors

Double-click on the diamond to open the Gradient Editor Box. Select color.

Continue adding stops and selecting colors until satisfied with the results.

Add Lighting and Frame

To add reflection and shading, duplicate circle and fill with black.  Delete top node of the duplicate and adjust the shape to create shadow as in illustration below. Reduce opacity to about 25%.  Add white oval and reduce it’s opacity to about 10%.  If desired, you can place a circle behind the lens which is a little larger to illustrate the frame of the lens.  I have done this and then used a linear gradient on the larger circle.  Object>Group.

I hope you have found this tutorial helpful.  Now get your creative juices going and start drawing!  Using Inkscape’s gradient features, the possibilities are endless!