Closed (sort of)
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Thanks for the support throughout all these years :)
Paint Shop Pro 7
Draw Tool - Point to Point
Ever since I started working with vectors in Adobe Illustrator, I started to draw them using a similar method in PSP. The method I found is based on the Draw tool and the Point to Point line type.
In order to set the Draw tool to Point to Point, you need to open the Tool Options palette (which I recommend to always leave open).
Below are the settings that I usually use:
Besides changing the tool type to Point to Point, I check the Antialias box (which will result in a smooth line), Create as vector and Close path (which will be responsible for joining the start and end nodes when I stop using the tool).
To use the tool is relatively simple: click and release to get a corner node (or cusp); click and drag to get a curve.
To end the drawing simply hit the Ctrl + Q keys. This will create a line from the last node to the first one (or just quit the drawing if you are working with an open path).
Ok, so those were the basics, now let’s move to something a little bit more advanced.
When working with curves and corners, although more easily done when using curves, you can also change the handles behavior.
From the Help file: Control points attached to vector nodes that control the shape of line segments on either side of a vector node.
The handles are represented by an arrow and a circle. The arrow indicates the direction of the line.
You can set the handles behavior to the following: tangent, cusp, symmetrical and asymmetrical. You can either do this by hitting the hot keys Ctrl+T, Ctrl+X, Ctrl+S, Ctrl+Shift+S, or by right-clicking on the node and selecting Node Type » (type).
Tangent: handles form a straight line tangent to the curve. Can also be set to symmetrical or asymmetrical.
Cusp: handles move independently.
Symmetrical: the length of the handles remains the same for both.
Asymmetrical: different lengths for each handle.
To move the handles, all you have to do is click on the arrow or the circle and simply drag to the desired position. You should get two rotation arrows when the mouse pointer is over either one of the shapes.
Talking about moves, you can also move the previously added nodes around.
Back to the nodes/handles…
You can change the node type at any moment during your drawing, be it on the start node, the middle or the end node.
Just one note: if you go back to previously added nodes, make sure to click on either the end or start node before continuing, otherwise you’ll get a completely new path. To make sure that you’ll be clicking on the node instead of creating a new one, wait until the word END or START appear close to the mouse pointer.
You can at any moment click on the start node to start drawing in that direction. The next node added will then be the new start node.
Ctrl+Z: at any moment while drawing you can undo your steps without quitting the draw/node edit mode.
Tools, Menus and Palettes · Jul 26, 2005 ·