Pen Tool Tutorial -- a work in progress

[RTK]

I use the FreeHand tool and clean it up with the shape editor or I use the shape editor directly; and clean as I go.

I prefer to dice and slice rectangles and circles and put them together in to what I need. This is easier on the mind as you don't have to worry about any goofy artifact at a high magnification.

If the created object looks to stiff - I "mangle" it with the Mould Tool a little bit.

Risto

risto@ristoklint.com

Visit my web site!

[mgeduld]

It's interesting to find out how everyone creates shapes.

Klaus, I agree that you click and drag. The question, for must newbies, is WHICH DIRECTION TO DRAG? and WHY?

I guess that's two questions.

Marcus Geduld
{ email me } { visit me }

[pinkbat]

Hi Marcus,

that's a nice pen tool tutorial.
The Help File makes it pretty clear that the Pen is in Xara mainly because users coming from other apps (i.e. CD or AI) are familiar with its workings. As far as I can see, the pen tool in Xara is limited in that it doesn't offer the choice of *either* smooth or cusp join (as does Illustrator's Pen, and of course the Xara Shape Editor) - I only manage to do curvy lines with it.
I'm still new enough to Xara not to have any particular preference between these tools. I can see how with practice the Pen tool may prove faster for drawing smooth curvy lines ... but that's all.

Regards,
Britta
"I'm mad as a bat"

[RAMWolff44]

but I, like many others, don't use that tool to much or that often. Maybe for newbies that are coming over from using that tool in other vector programs would like that familiarity (spell that one right??)

I am with Risto. I use allot of basic shapes and cut, dice and slice them. I've gotten really pretty good with the feathering tool and I love the eliptical transparency.

I actually use the freehand/brush tool allot now. Great for drawing shapes, with ALLOT of control over smoothing, then I can slice out another shape with the created shape or use it for something else. Like creating a human head shape [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

Keep up the good work, all is appreciated, for sure!!!

RAMWolff [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

[mgeduld]

It's interesting to hear that so many people like the freehand too. Perhaps Xara should beef it up. Have any of you tried Expression2? Xara is a better app for most vector work, but Expression's freehand tool rocks!

I'd like to see Xara's brushes get a bit easier to use. It would be great to be able to easily save a brush w/o having to save a whole file.

Marcus Geduld
{ email me } { visit me }

[Klaus Nordby]

Yes, Marcus - I've long been an Expression fan. And yes, XX's brushes are a pain to use in some ways.

K
www.xaraxone.com/FeaturedArt/kn/
www.klausnordby.com/xara

[Trekart]

I'd admit to using Xara similarly to how Gary describes.

Almost all of my drawing is done using the Shape Editor tool, and where I need to I use the Freehand tool.

I never ever use the Pen tool - in fact, I don't even have the Pen tool on my icon bar; when I install Xara I always customise the icons to my way of working, which includes removing the Pen Tool!


Stu.

[Clements]

I agree with most of the above. The "bezier" tool is the hardest for me to use and, therefore, least used.

When drawing straight line segments I use the FREEHAND tool in combination with Alt and Ctrl+Alt (constrained straIght line) BECAUSE I can SEE the line as its BEING DRAWN and BEFORE I anchor (left-mouse click) the other end point of the line. This, to me, is a very important feature.

[RAMWolff44]

you say you customize the icons on the toolbar. How do you do that?? I can add other toolbars, I can determine if the icons are smaller or large and the bars can float or snap to any of the 4 sides of the work area, but customize, can't figure it out.

HELP!!

RAMWolff [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

[jclements]

Regards, John