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Drawing smoothly curved lines?
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| Retroed Bob 2005-02-21, 11:18 pm |
| I need to draw some curved lines with varying curves (think of a
French curve but not necessarily as standard). I need the curves
to be smooth. I tried doing it with the pen but it comes out way
too rough when using a mouse. I tried to adjust it using the node
handles and I can get it better, but I am still relying on visual
mouse use to get the curve smooth and the results are marginal.
Are there better ways and/or tools to draw something like this?
Thanks,
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| fugitive 2005-02-22, 4:21 am |
| On Tue, 22 Feb 2005 03:26:26 GMT, Retroed Bob
<uctraingNOSPAMO@ultranet.com> wrote:
>I need to draw some curved lines with varying curves (think of a
>French curve but not necessarily as standard). I need the curves
>to be smooth. I tried doing it with the pen but it comes out way
>too rough when using a mouse. I tried to adjust it using the node
>handles and I can get it better, but I am still relying on visual
>mouse use to get the curve smooth and the results are marginal.
>
>Are there better ways and/or tools to draw something like this?
>
>Thanks,
It can be done with vector lines, it just takes a bit of practice. I
have to relearn them every time I use them.
Greg
http://gregsplace.50megs.com
http://www.picturetrail.com/fugitive1
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| Fred Hiltz 2005-02-22, 6:46 pm |
| Retroed Bob wrote:
> I need to draw some curved lines with varying curves (think of a
> French curve but not necessarily as standard). I need the curves
> to be smooth. I tried doing it with the pen but it comes out way
> too rough when using a mouse. I tried to adjust it using the node
> handles and I can get it better, but I am still relying on visual
> mouse use to get the curve smooth and the results are marginal.
>
> Are there better ways and/or tools to draw something like this?
It is not nearly as hard for most of us as for Mr. Farr. You are on
the right track with node editing. For long smooth curves use as few
nodes as possible, probably the smooth asymmetric type. For regular
shapes, turning on the grid often helps. For shapes with symmetry
try the operations at Objects > Transform Selected Nodes.
Ron Lacey, our vectormeister, has some good information, written
with style and wit, on the Tutorial link at http://ronstoons.com/.
With what I learned from him, I often trace curved roads, trails,
and topo line on maps with one-pixel precision.
Try placing a node at each point where the curvature changes sign
(from curving right to curving left). You should need few, if any,
additional nodes for most curves.
--
Fred Hiltz, fhiltz at yahoo dot com
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| Don Stauffer in Minneapolis 2005-02-22, 6:46 pm |
| Since I had forgotten the right way to do this, and got help from the
group, I guess it is my turn to answer this one.
Yes, there IS a seperate curve tool, known as a spline curve. To use it
properly, after selecting the spline curve tool, you click first on
the starting point for the curve. Do not release button, but drag to
the ending point. Now go back and click on a spot near the beginning,
in the direction you want the curve to start out going. Do not release
until you move that point around and get the curve starting in the right
direction. Now, click somewhere near the ending of the curve to set the
direction you want the curve to complete from. Move until you get it
right, then release. Now the final curve automatically draws.
It takes a fair amount of practice to use this tool. Here are a couple
of examples. First, assume you want to draw a curve arching upward, a
single curve. Click left starting point, drag to ending point
(rightmost) and release.
Now go back and click above and to right of starting point. You will
see a line from the starting point to the point you click. Move that
point till the line goes in the right direction that you wish the curve
to go to. Now go back and click another point to left and above ending
point. Move the point till you get the direction the last part of the
curve comes from.
For an S curve, the third and fourth points would be on OPPOSITE sides
of the curve.
Retroed Bob wrote:
> I need to draw some curved lines with varying curves (think of a
> French curve but not necessarily as standard). I need the curves
> to be smooth. I tried doing it with the pen but it comes out way
> too rough when using a mouse. I tried to adjust it using the node
> handles and I can get it better, but I am still relying on visual
> mouse use to get the curve smooth and the results are marginal.
>
> Are there better ways and/or tools to draw something like this?
>
> Thanks,
| |
| Kris Zaklika 2005-02-22, 6:46 pm |
| Retroed Bob wrote:
>
> I need to draw some curved lines with varying curves (think of a
> French curve but not necessarily as standard). I need the curves
> to be smooth. I tried doing it with the pen but it comes out way
> too rough when using a mouse.
What exactly did you try? You can draw a series of connected
point to point bezier curves by choosing the correct icon in
the Pen tool and checking Connect Segments. This is guaranteed
to produce smooth curves. Alternatively you can draw a freehand
curve. Even though you are keeping secret the details of what
you are doing, I'm guessing you have chosen the freehand option.
> I tried to adjust it using the node
> handles and I can get it better, but I am still relying on visual
> mouse use to get the curve smooth and the results are marginal.
Adjust the Tracking control to a higher value. The curve will
become smoother when you release the mouse on completion of
drawing the curve.
> Are there better ways and/or tools to draw something like this?
The Pen tool works fine when its controls are used to advantage.
> Thanks,
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| fugitive 2005-02-22, 11:22 pm |
| On Tue, 22 Feb 2005 07:56:47 -0500, "Fred Hiltz" <not@home.ca> wrote:
>Retroed Bob wrote:
>
>It is not nearly as hard for most of us as for Mr. Farr. You are on
>the right track with node editing. For long smooth curves use as few
>nodes as possible, probably the smooth asymmetric type. For regular
>shapes, turning on the grid often helps. For shapes with symmetry
>try the operations at Objects > Transform Selected Nodes.
>
>Ron Lacey, our vectormeister, has some good information, written
>with style and wit, on the Tutorial link at http://ronstoons.com/.
>With what I learned from him, I often trace curved roads, trails,
>and topo line on maps with one-pixel precision.
>
>Try placing a node at each point where the curvature changes sign
>(from curving right to curving left). You should need few, if any,
>additional nodes for most curves.
..
Greg
http://gregsplace.50megs.com
http://www.picturetrail.com/fugitive1
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| Retroed Bob 2005-02-24, 6:41 pm |
| On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 01:32:22 GMT, fugitive <gregfarr@earthlink..net>
wrote:
Thanks everyone for all the ideas. I'll spend the evening with these
new techniques and see what I can do.
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