Conversation

I'm experimenting with hand-drawn traces. I'm trying to find that classic pre-CAD PCB look with digital tools. The process isn't too onerous. I exported some layers from KiCad in SVG format and loaded them in Inkscape. From there, you can just draw another layer of hand-drawn copper, save that, then reimport it into KiCad as a graphic on the copper layer. You can even DRC check it!

I just freehanded some lines and simplified them, then adjusted manually. But stylistically, it still looks a lot like I drew some lines in Inkscape. You can see down on the connection between R6 and D5 I drew the teardrops. Even with janky teardrops that small variation in trace width looks a lot more legit. Would be nice to find some way of automating that, but I'm probably way outside the normal use case on both KiCad and Inkscape.