Simple spider's web vector

[cimbian]

I am trying to see how to create a very simple monochrome spider's web with alternate 'cells' of the web filled within CorelDRAW 12.

the lines are no problem but I need to close each of the cells that I want to fill and had hoped for a simple step-repeat process.

Any thoughts?

[sallybode]

What you do is to draw a rectangle large enough to cover your spider web drawing. Then move it to the back, give it a color to see it better. Your spider web needs to be just one line, best way is to convert them all to shapes and weld them together, or draw them as one line and then convert to shapes. Once you have one shape, you select the top shape (your spiderweb) and then the back shape and use intersect from the property bar. If your line was black, you will get a big blob of black in the middle of your drawing. Don't worry, just move it to the back.

Go to Wireframe mode, your line which you converted to shapes is still there and may be a nuisance so it will be in the center of your line you converted to shaped, just remove it.

Go back to enhanced view. Now you can click on your individual shapes, and make them whatever color your prefer.

[Sark]

Sally's method produces the same results as the method I describe below, but may sometimes give unexpected results depending on your original design. The method below should work in all situations.

The shape on the left was made up of three octagonal objects and four lines. It’s not possible to fill the inner shapes as shown on the right because they’re not “enclosed” objects. To achieve this effect a simple workaround was used as follows:

1...Marquee select your web shape and Combine it. Ensure it has a Hairline outline thickness.
2...Copy this to the clipboard (Ctrl/C).
3…With the combined web shape selected, convert it to an object (Arrange/ Convert Outline To Object).
4…Make sure “Treat as Filled” is enabled on the Property bar then click inside the web shape, not on a line, and hit delete. (You won’t actually see anything disappear).
5…Select the web shape (you’ll need to click on a line, or marquee select) and break curve apart (Arrange/Break Curve Apart). The areas you want to fill should all turn black.
6…Deselect and then select just the line part of the web shape and delete.
7…Marquee select all the black shape and change its colour to a medium gray.
8…Paste the original combined web shape back onto the image (Ctrl/V). Turn “Treat as Filled” off and you can now select and fill each of the shapes with different colours. You can also change the original shapes outline thickness back to something other than Hairline if required.

Finally, grouping everything afterwards ensures everything scales properly. Also, when an object is grouped you can select each of the components by control clicking them if you need to change the colour later.

You can also use this method on a single path that forms shapes by overlapping itself.

Good luck.

Sark

[Sark]

Congragulations Sally. Just noticed they've made you a moderator. About time. Can't be many people with your experience with CD and there are very few forums of any worth for CD these days.

Keep up the good work, it's appreciated by many around here.

Sark

[sallybode]

Thanks, Sark, and thanks for the detailed post of the technique you championed. I remember doing this again and again as I tried to beat your posted time.

Note to all. "Treat as filled" is one of the most irritating defaults in DRAW and it is one I have changed to my default, which is NEVER on.

You can change this permanently and this is how: Choose: Options/Tools or Customization (doesn't matter -- takes you to the same place) Workplace/Toolbox/Pick Tool, and uncheck "Treat as Filled".

It is very rare I have found that is is advantageous to have it on. The toggle switch for it is found standardly on the Property Bar just to the right of the Buttons for Weld, Trim, Intersect, Simplify, Front Minus Back, Back Minus Front and Surround Selected Items with Path (this command is unique to X3). You may toggle it on and off, but the default is on.

In order to prevent this from coming on you can click under the Tools menu, the fourth option is "Save Settings as Default". Or you can also change whatever you alter in Options/Customization and before you leave this box, click on "Documents", this opens up the options for this and then click back on Documents and you have a list of all the defaults you can save, it is best to not choose saving guideline options as they are unique to each document ordinarily. That way, if you have customized other things you can make sure that DRAW is working like what you want.

Please note also, that if you have say outlined a picture in a newsletter for example, you can still select the outline by clicking on it, and once selected you can drag it from the center as any other object.

[cimbian]

Thanks for the suggestions and apologies for a tardy reply... I thought I had e-mail enabled on replies but obviously not.

Some great ideas suggested but the problem I have is that I do not have an original design to float.

What I am looking for is a way to generate a design as you show but with a means of filling alternate 'cells'.

What I am trying to achieve is a novel dartboard where one has to get an empty cell followed by a filled cell and work inwards to the spider in the centre.... if that makes any sense.

[cimbian]

Okay, So now I have something... it is not pretty but it is functional (it is going to be shot at with arrows so will be fine).

Thanks for your help, both of you.

finished drawing attached.

When you get the time would you please explain what went on in the process?

[Sark]

Will play around tonight and see if I can easily reproduce a spiders web more like that you describe.

Sark

[cimbian]

Sark,

I used the sequence in your post to get this effect and, apart from not being able to find the 'treat as filled' box (it was defaulted anyway so no problem), the sequence worked fine.

My problem is that I do not fully understand the thought process behind the sequence to avoid having to ask the same question again in the future.

[Sark]

Hi cimbian.

I get you. I was thinking you were trying to produce the effect so that the spiders web spiralled inwards to the centre. I actually tried this but the results looked ugly unless you used an impractically tight web spacing.

As for the technique for creating the shapes:

To understand what’s happening I’ve created a simple squiggle which forms shapes by overlapping itself. I’ve then filled these shapes (Fig 1). I’ll reproduce this effect in steps to show what happens during the various stages.

First you need to understand all paths/outlines consist of an invisible control path, the thickness of which stays constant. This control path controls an object that runs along its length. When you choose a path/outline thickness, it’s this objects width you are altering.

In Fig 2a I’ve increased the path/outline thickness to 10pts to more clearly show what happens. After copying the path/outline to the clipboard I apply Arrange/Convert Outline To Object (To show what this does to the path/outline, I’ve marquee selected the entire object and left clicked the No colour swatch followed by a right click of the Black colour swatch). You can now see the control path and the object it controls (Fig 2b).

When I click in one of the spaces that will later be filled, I’m simply selecting the control path, which I can now delete (Fig 3a). You can now see the 6 shapes, which will later be filled. Because these elements are all combined as one object I need to Arrange/Break Curve Apart. I then just select the outer element and delete it (Fig 3b).

My 6 shapes can now be filled and my original path/outline that was copied to the clipboard can be pasted back in place (Fig 4a &4b).

Note: During this excercise, the 6 objects won’t turn black after Arrange/ Break Curve Apart, this is because I applied the No colour swatch to all fillable objects prior to this step. Also, always start with a Hairline thickness path/outline, this will ensure all the fillable objects butt up to one another allowing the pasted path/outline to be as thin as you like.

That’s it. Quite simple really, but very useful for filling any apparently fillable shape/area within an image that is not a true closed object.

Sark