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Inkscape: Stacking

Author: Sharlie     Last modified: March 13 2019

I want to start by reminding you that when you create an image in Inkscape, you are drawing on a transparent canvas.  By default, the canvas appears white. This is because it is much more natural to draw on a white canvas and, at the current time, there is no way to present you with a truly transparent canvas. If you print your image on white paper, everywhere you have not added color will be white. If you print your image on blue paper, everywhere you have not added color will be blue.

If you check the Checkerboard Background box on the Page tab of the Document Properties dialog box, Inkscape will change the canvas to a checkerboard. This makes it easier to distinguish between where you have added the color white and the transparent background.  I want you to be aware of that, but that is not what this section is about.

This section is about stacking order. In Inkscape, you can place objects on layers and objects on higher layers are on top of objects on lower layers. But, even within a layer, objects are stacked. The first object you draw is at the bottom of the stack. Every subsequent object is one level up from the last one you drew. In other words, if you draw three object that overlap, the first object will appear to be on the bottom, the second in the middle, and the last on the top. You can change the stacking order.

To move an object to the top of the stack:

  1. Select the object.
  2. Click Object > Raise to Top, press the Home key, or click the Raise Selection to Top icon  on the Selector tool's control bar.

To move an object to the bottom of the stack:

  1. Select the object.
  2. Click Object > Lower to Bottom, press the End key, or click the Lower Selection to Bottom icon  on the Selector tool's control bar.

To move an object up one level:

  1. Select the object.
  2. Click Object > Raise, press the Page Up key, or click the Raise Selection One Step icon   on the Selector tool's control bar.

To move an object down one level:

  1. Select the object.
  2. Click Object > Lower, press the Page Down key, or click the Lower Selection One Step icon   on the Selector tool's control bar.

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