You might be asking a simple question: How does one change a selected shape to have no fill and a black outline? The answers are simple.

• Left-click [X] in the color palette. Right-click black in the color palette.
• Access Object > Fill and Stroke... from the top menu.

You might be asking a harder question: How does one create shapes with any given style without having to make them first? The answer to that is convoluted, sadly.

You can make it so that shapes created take on the "last set color(s)"

1. Access Inkscape's preferences via File > Inkscape Preferences...
2. Open Tools > Shapes > Rectangle (I recommend you change all of them for consistency's sake)
3. Set this preference: Create new objects with: Last used style

Now comes the annoying part. You must first create/select a shape and set its color. You can't just select it. After this, the full style is stored in Inkscape's buffer so the next thing you make (in your case, a rectangle) will take on that style.

You might be asking a simple question: How does one change a selected shape to have no fill and a black outline? The answers are simple.

• Left-click [X] in the color palette. Right-click black in the color palette.
• Access Object > Fill and Stroke... from the top menu.

You might be asking a harder question: How does one create shapes with any given style without having to make them first? The answer to that is convoluted, sadly.

You can make it so that shapes created take on the "last set color(s)"

1. Access Inkscape's preferences via Edit > Preferences
2. Open Tools > Shapes > Rectangle (I recommend you change all of them for consistency's sake)
3. Set this preference: Create new objects with: Last used style

Now comes the annoying part. You must first create/select a shape and set its color. You can't just select it. After this, the full style is stored in Inkscape's buffer so the next thing you make (in your case, a rectangle) will take on that style.