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  1. #1
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    Default Is there a way to make my lines slightly 'wobbly' as if drawn by hand in XDPX?

    Hello

    Is there a clever way in Xara Designer Pro X (v19) to create lines that are slightly wobbly?

    I need to create a series of lines that look hand-drawn... I need them to look randomly slightly 'wobbly' or 'wavy'.

    Thanks

    J


    PS To get clear, I do not want any kind of "brush stroke" visible. i.e. I need my lines to keep having parallel sides. But I want the direction to wander very slightly in a seemingly random manner.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Is there a way to make my lines slightly 'wobbly' as if drawn by hand in XDPX?

    so you want asymmetric [random] undualations in the line path, not in the line width...

    you can take the smoothing right down to zero on the freehand tool and loosly draw [a pen would be better than a mouse] - it will not be totally random unless you are blessed/cursed with a genuinely shakey hand, but then nothing 'hand drawn' ever is truely random
    -------------------------------
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  3. #3
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    Default Re: Is there a way to make my lines slightly 'wobbly' as if drawn by hand in XDPX?

    Quote Originally Posted by handrawn View Post
    so you want asymmetric [random] undualations in the line path, not in the line width...

    you can take the smoothing right down to zero on the freehand tool and loosly draw [a pen would be better than a mouse] - it will not be totally random unless you are blessed/cursed with a genuinely shakey hand, but then nothing 'hand drawn' ever is truely random
    Hmmm... It appears that what the Freehand tool really does is stores a very large numbers of points, irrespective of whatever the Smoothing is set to, but it then renders your line in accordance to the Smoothing. But as you imply for this to be useful you need to draw a very good line in the first place!

    What I am looking for is the ability to apply a Wobble to a number of straight lines that I have already drawn.

    The purpose is that when one is illustrating some shapes, sometimes one intends to communicate "roughly this sort of thing".
    Now if one draws it by hand using pen and paper, then the "roughly this" message is obvious. However, if you draw a series of exactly straight lines, the implication is that you mean "exactly this".

    See what I mean?

    J

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Is there a way to make my lines slightly 'wobbly' as if drawn by hand in XDPX?

    You can draw and edit with the Shape Tool. I have always felt this is one of Xara's most powerful tools. Click two points to make a line. Then drag on the line with the Shape Tool.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

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  5. #5
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    Default Re: Is there a way to make my lines slightly 'wobbly' as if drawn by hand in XDPX?

    What I am looking for is the ability to apply a Wobble to a number of straight lines that I have already drawn
    ok.. then the way to go is as gary suggests.. you use the shape tool to displace the line; you add points as you go along to anchor the previous displacement and then do another segment; this will take time if you have a lot of line...

    I don't see a 'quick' way to do this, other than actually re-draw it by hand, scan, and vectorise....
    -------------------------------
    Nothing lasts forever...

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Is there a way to make my lines slightly 'wobbly' as if drawn by hand in XDPX?

    You could try making an art brush from a wobbly line, then apply it to your drawing lines.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Jon (Jono) Xara Photo & Graphic Designer 19.0.0.64329 DL x64 May 19 2022

  7. #7
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    Default Re: Is there a way to make my lines slightly 'wobbly' as if drawn by hand in XDPX?

    Quote Originally Posted by shiphen View Post
    Hmmm... It appears that what the Freehand tool really does is stores a very large numbers of points, irrespective of whatever the Smoothing is set to, but it then renders your line in accordance to the Smoothing. But as you imply for this to be useful you need to draw a very good line in the first place!
    Just a quick reminder that it is possible to drastically reduce the number of nodes using the Smoothing tool (in the context bar) after you have selected the nodes with the Shape tool.
    Jon (Jono) Xara Photo & Graphic Designer 19.0.0.64329 DL x64 May 19 2022

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Is there a way to make my lines slightly 'wobbly' as if drawn by hand in XDPX?

    My approach creates a random line for each one.

    Create an oval 12x6px.Select this and Create a Scatter brush.
    Give it a name.
    Draw a line and Edit Brush.
    Change about eevry parameter there is:
    Spacing (to overlap): ~50%; Randomis ~90-110%.
    Offset: Alternating - Distance:~5% - Random: ~0-3%.
    Scaling Random: ~75-132%.
    Fill: All brush colours - Random Saturation: 0-~8% - Random Hue: 0-~10%.

    Drawn lines, existing shapes with Line widths, straight or angled lines all dynamically change when adjusted for width and control points.
    You can retweak a partcular line with a Re-edit without save.
    You can Break Points with Line (not Shapes) and your can Reverse Paths.

    I believe Scatter Brushes are the only Xara component that handles random.

    Some examples:

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Wobbly Acorn.png 
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Size:	447.2 KB 
ID:	133410

    The top Acorn is there to emphasise the positioning of the lozenges.

    Acorn
    Last edited by Acorn; 01 March 2023 at 01:46 PM.
    Acorn - installed Xara software: Cloud+/Pro+ and most others back through time (to CC's Artworks). Contact for technical remediation/consultancy for your web designs.
    When we provide assistance, your responses are valuable as they benefit the community. TG Nuggets you might like. Report faults: Xara Cloud+/Pro+/Magix Legacy; Xara KB & Chat

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Is there a way to make my lines slightly 'wobbly' as if drawn by hand in XDPX?

    Quote Originally Posted by Acorn View Post
    My approach creates a random line for each one.

    Create an oval 12x6px.Select this and Create a Scatter brush.
    Give it a name.
    Draw a line and Edit Brush.
    Change about eevry parameter there is:
    Spacing (to overlap): ~50%; Randomis ~90-110%.
    Offset: Alternating - Distance:~5% - Random: ~0-3%.
    Scaling Random: ~75-132%.
    Fill: All brush colours - Random Saturation: 0-~8% - Random Hue: 0-~10%.

    Drawn lines, existing shapes with Line widths, straight or angled lines all dynamically change when adjusted for width and control points.
    You can retweak a partcular line with a Re-edit without save.
    You can Break Points with Line (not Shapes) and your can Reverse Paths.

    I believe Scatter Brushes are the only Xara component that handles random.

    Some examples:

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Wobbly Acorn.png 
Views:	68 
Size:	447.2 KB 
ID:	133410

    The top Acorn is there to emphasise the positioning of the lozenges.

    Acorn

    Clever stuff... but to get clear I need the edges of the lines to stay parallel to each other.
    i.e. The line needs to be of constant thickness.

    J

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Is there a way to make my lines slightly 'wobbly' as if drawn by hand in XDPX?

    the only way I know to do that in xara is to do it the way gary suggested

    you might be able to do it in a program that allowed you to define your own stroke shapes but that program is not xara...
    -------------------------------
    Nothing lasts forever...

 

 

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