Pen tool tracing

**gracehjs** · 20 November 2009, 10:24 PM

I am trying to follow the directions on page 62 to make a cusp join and I cannot follow the steps. Could someone break it down into more pictures.
Thanks

**Gare** · 20 November 2009, 10:51 PM

Hi grace—

I'm attaching a four panel illustration; read it like a comic strip—click the thumbnail below to bring it up to full size.

Clicking with the Pen tool is done by pressing the mouse button and then releasing it. Control points and the trailing path segments can be created at the same time by click+dragging, holding the mouse button, and then releasing when your cursor position is where you want the leading control point to be set.

If you just click (then release) a cusp control point is set.
Click+dragging produces a smooth control point at the beginning of the segment you just created.

Here's a (hastily done) video of the technique and and alternative method for tracing with the Pen tool.
Right click to save this WMV if it doesn't play in your browser

My Best,

Gary

**gracehjs** · 21 November 2009, 02:33 AM

Thanks, I am still not really sure how to do it, but I will keep working on it.

**masque** · 22 November 2009, 10:29 AM

Hi
I haven't seen 'the book' yet and I realise that you are following a tutorial from it, but at the risk of possibly contradicting the advice given there in, I have to say that if I were you I wouldn't get to bogged down with the pen tool as its the least used, and in my opinion anyway, the least useful of Xtremes drawing tools. You can do everything the Pen Tool can do and more with the Shape Editor.
For all I know at this stage the advice given in the book goes on to say the same but I, as a very long time user, have never needed the pen tool.
Sorry to throw my spanner into the works and I really don’t want to disrupt your learning flow so ignore me by all means.
derek

**Gare** · 22 November 2009, 10:47 AM

Thanks, Masque.

I do go on in the book to laud the merits of the Shape Editor, but chose to document the Pen tool for a couple good reasons:

1. For new users, the name of the tool begs that one is supposed to draw with it. Not the best reason for documenting the tool, but a reason nevertheless for folks who like to work before thoroughly exploring things.

2. Anyone coming to Xara Xtreme from CorelDraw (and to a certain extent Illustrator) might find the Pen tool more familiar to use than the Shape Editor.

You truly have to get your head around how the Shape Editor is used to appreciate it. Some users have complained that it's frustrating to use and resort to the Pen tool.

Me, I believe it's the only way to set perfectly smooth path segments, but I do cover both tools in the Guide.

Each to their own, at least we have a choice

My Best,

Gary