Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
N
Make Curve
(keyboard shortcut C ) and Make Line
(keyboard shortcut L ) When drawing with the Shape
Editor Tool, you use these buttons
before you drag a path segment.
Click the Make Line button, for
example, if you want the segment
you intend to create a straight line.
However, the Shape Editor is also
an editing tool—you can click or
marquee-select several control
points and then convert their
properties. These two commands
are also available by right-clicking
after you select all of the points
you want to affect.
Cusp and Smooth Join
N
When you've create curve
path segments, they can pass through a control point in
a smooth fashion (one side of the curve handle direction
line is linked to the other side and they move in tandem
like a seesaw), or you can create an abrupt change in
the overall path direction—a cusp join, in which the
direction line between the curve handles is broken at
the control point and both sides operate independently.
To see the visual difference between smooth and cusp
joins, create a path with the Shape Editor Tool, clicking
up and down as you travel from left to right on the page
to create sort of a sine wave. Hold SHIFT
when you click the final control point to
end the path. Marquee-select some of the
control points and then click the Cusp Join
button on the Infobar. Now when you click
a control point to select it and reveal the
curve handles, each handle can be move
independent of the other and you can
create a sharp-crested wave design.
Break At Points
N
Breaking a path into separate
segments can be done at a control point, or you can
click directly anywhere on a path to create a new control
point and then break the path there. This is an invaluable
feature, especially when you've created a QuickShape
and want to use the segments as individual paths. Let's
run through a short tutorial here on how to create a
flower design by breaking a star QuickShape and then
 
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