Use free vectors in your Silverlight development

Inkscape will soon be supporting exports to XAML, which means we'll be able to use the open source multi-platform vector designer for Silverlight-related development.

Right now, there are only two real ways to do any serious design in XAML:

1. Buy Expression Blend and Expression Design ($599)


2. Buy Adobe Illustrator ($599) and use the XAML export plugin

Now that Inkscape is picking up XAML export, there's a third way that doesn't start with any buying.

Well, there also existed a fourth way that didn't require any buying, which was a hack involving manual extractions from an XPS file, created from the target SVG in a roundabout manner via Inkscape and Adobe PDF. But, why bother with this limiting and tedious method, if you've got built-in XAML export (already available in the nightly builds)?

Build-in XAML export in Inkscape means that, for design-challenged programmers (like yours truly), the many free vector resources found online are now finally available for us to use in our Silverlight development. To use these free resources, all we need to do is download and open the EPS or SVG files in Inkscape, and then exporting them to XAML to plug right into our Silverlight webpage elements and/or user controls. For free vector graphics, start with these: Vecteezy, FreeVectors.net, FreeVectors.com, and Vectorlove. Just Google for more.

Other XAML tools mentioned here in this blog:
Kaxaml
Silverlight Spy