Animation - 3D for Graphic Designers - page 480

Choosing Curve Types
The basic two types of curves available are direct curves (which flow smoothly between points) and
Bezier curves (which have handles to control the interpolation). For the most general-purpose use, the
straight curves are more versatile and can be used directly in many applications. However, Bezier curves
are easier to edit and create complex shapes with fewer points. In the case of path animation, either type
works well, so Bezier is usually a good choice for animation paths.
Select the Bezier tool from the Curves palette and place three points in a semicircle around the subject,
as shown in Figure 13-20 . It is important to note that Bezier curves change slightly after the tool is dropped.
If a point has been placed, it will retain the handles for control of the curve, but they will appear as simple
vertices. If the very first point plotted was not adjusted (in other words, the tangent handle was not moved
from the default position), the first point on the curve will not have an editable Bezier handle after the tool
is dropped. Additionally, it is important to realize that the tangents are broken once the tool is dropped. This
means that editing handles individually can result in a break in the curve, as shown in Figure 13-21 .
Figure 13-20: An arc created around the subject using a Bezier curve