Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
Using the Freehand and Brush Tool
There are absolutely no constraints when you use the Freehand and Brush Tool—the
approach is to simply drag with the tool to produce a fairly unstructured series of path
segments and control points. The importance of this tool to your design work is that you
can achieve a very natural look with paths that can later take custom outlines from the Line
Gallery collection.
You have the option at any time to refit a Freehand and Brush Tool stroke, both as you
draw (okay, as you
brush
) and afterward. Try this:
1.
Choose the Freehand and Brush Tool, and then in a new document window, jitter
the tool as you drag from left to right; pretend you're swatting a fly with the cursor.
Release the mouse button, but don't deselect the path.
Drag the Freehand smoothing slider all the way to the right. Notice that some control
2.
points you created disappear. Xara evaluates redundant and superfluous control
points and adjusts the path to follow curve handle properties it feels are the most
significant, that create the greatest change in the path's segments.
Drag the slider all the way to the left. If the slider was at its default of 50 when you
3.
began, you'll see more control points created; the new path will tightly conform to
just about every nuance of your mouse's movement across the page.
