Thank you all for the clear suggestions. They have advanced my understanding of several fundamental aspects of using Inkscape.

Hi: I'd like to create a shape in Inkscape, then change the colour of the shape. The shape takes the form of a sideways "S". I can make it by combining two arcs. It then appears in grey. I would like the shape to be another color, say blue, so I use the stroke and fill dialog. When I selec...