Can't install inkscape on Yosemite with homebrew

Update 2017:

The preferred method to install Inkscape with homebrew in 2017 is:

brew update
brew cask install xquartz
brew cask install inkscape

Previous Answer:

Inkscape is a cask that you need to tap first before installing.

I tried a few of the suggestions given on this page, and the only thing that worked for me is a minor variation to jherran's answer:

$ brew search inkscape
$ brew tap homebrew/gui
$ brew install inkscape

At that point, I got the response Installing inkscape from homebrew/homebrew-x11 and the installation completed successfully. The result from the brew search command has changed a few times so be on the guard for it to change again and just tap the correct reply from the search command if it's not homebrew/gui next time you search.

Had the pleasure of attempting this on a fresh install of El Capitan this morning. I wanted both the GUI and command line interface. Unfortunately, it seems that the sanest solution was to install two versions, one from brew (for CLI) and the other from brew-cask (for GUI).

$ brew search inkscape
homebrew/gui/inkscape
Caskroom/cask/inkscape

$ brew cask install xquartz # required for GUI

$ brew cask install inkscape # for GUI

$ brew install homebrew/gui/inkscape # for CLI (yep)
==> Installing inkscape from homebrew/gui
==> Downloading https://homebrew.bintray.com/bottles-gui/
==> Pouring inkscape-0.91_3.el_capitan.bottle.tar.gz
Error: The `brew link` step did not complete successfully
The formula built, but is not symlinked into /usr/local
Could not symlink bin/inkscape
Target /usr/local/bin/inkscape
already exists. You may want to remove it:
  rm '/usr/local/bin/inkscape'
To force the link and overwrite all conflicting files:
  brew link --overwrite inkscape

$ brew link --overwrite inkscape # to get the CLI inkscape on your path rather than the brew-cask GUI

The problem with using the Cask version of Inkscape is that it doesn't handle relative paths very nicely, and apparently using it as a CLI isn't recommended. But I was unable to get the vanilla Homebrew version of Inkscape working as a GUI.

Try this way:

$ brew search inkscape
homebrew/x11/inkscape
$ brew tap homebrew/x11/inkscape
$ brew install inkscape

This worked for me on Sierra (10.12.1) in December 2016.

brew update
brew cask install xquartz
brew cask install inkscape

Reboot machine.

Launch Inkscape from Applications directory. Wait a minute for the font cache to be built.

This worked for me on 10.10.4 with brew:

brew update
brew install homebrew/x11/inkscape

I actually didn't need to run brew tap homebrew/x11.