Tracing with the magnetic lasso tool

I have found that the magnetic lasso is a wonderful tool for tracing. When you use the lasso to trace an object in a photo you are creating a vector shape on a mask layer. Now remember that ctrl +C and Ctrl+V can be used to cut out a piece of your photo? That piece is a duplicate photo clipped inside a vector shape so if you just change the fill of that piece to flat you have a completely vector shape.

There are also two more very handy shortcuts for the lasso tool that are really helpful
1. T toggles the magnetic lasso on and off just like the button on the info bar so you can easily switch to quick freehand tracing of areas that are difficult for the lasso tool.
2.like many other of Xara's drawing tools holding down the Alt key constrains the lasso tool to straight lines.

Attached is a WIP (it still needs shading and textures) I imported a photo of an orchid from pixabay and set up my document so the nudge size matches the width of the photo. The rest of my workflow for tracing is something like this:

trace the shapes with the lasso tool toggling the tool on and off as needed
ctrl+c to copy
ctrl+shift+v to paste in place
right arrow to nudge
change the fill to flat and set the colour

Sorry frances I'm missing you here.

Quote:

---

Now remember that ctrl +C and Ctrl+V can be used to cut out a piece of your photo?

---

Do you mean Copy and Paste? and as you state later Ctrl+Shift+V pastes in place?

I can't then follow:

Quote:

---

right arrow to nudge
change the fill to flat and set the colour

---

For what purpose?

I think I'm missing the overall reason for your post. Sorry if I'm being thick.

Hi Egg I put together a quick video I hope this helps clarify what I'm talking about. I do apologize for my crappy mike, unfortunately a new mike is low on my priorities list right now. It makes it sound like I'm really beating on my keyboard but I wasn't hitting the keys hard at all.

looks to be an interesting tool but my version does not have that tool and I cannot justify going pro just for this one tool. I did download both 365 pro trial versions so will see what else I am missing.

Interesting, thanks Angelize!

Ah! Thanks Frances, now I understand you.

You are quite welcome Richinri and Egg.

@ Larry: what version are you currently using? If you have p&gd 365 you should find the magnetic lasso tool on the flyout with all the masking and region tools.

Easy picture to use with the major colour differences in your example. Well done Frances I learned another part of the programme that you could change the bitmap copy into a vector shape. Hadn't a clue that you could do that, all that I could remember was the sketch mode using the Pencil Tool and that is poor.

p&gd 365 Frances. Cannot seem to find the magnetic lasso tool anywhere and I have looked. Finally managed to post a ticket about the 365Pro issue, guess I'll have to do one about this issue as well.

First I may uninstall and reinstall frm the disk

I agree, it's a good tool.
Thanks Frances :-)

Grenou

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by wizard509

p&gd 365 Frances. Cannot seem to find the magnetic lasso tool anywhere and I have looked. Finally managed to post a ticket about the 365Pro issue, guess I'll have to do one about this issue as well.

---

Hooray I found jt. Definitely a good tool. Thanks Frances.

Glad you found it Larry :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by angelize

I have found that the magnetic lasso is a wonderful tool for tracing.

---

+1

yes it is very cool, for me this tool alone worth the upgrade to Xara Designer Pro 12

in my experiments with it I think it cut down on tracing time, and for me thats a good bonus as these days my free time is limited.

I finished the orchid drawing it can be seen here

Oooh, that's a nice trick! Thanks Frances.

Maybe a convert selection to shape button could be useful.

Marc

When you trace with the magnetic lasso you already have a bitmap filled shape it's just the fill you are changing :) I looked to see if one could set a keyboard shortcut to fill with a default flat fill in DP but that doesn't seem to be the case. You can however set a single keystroke to bring up the fill tool. Mine is set to G :)