Paths, Selection, Subselection, Lasso Tool

Paths are made up of:

• Path points
• Line Segments

A vector graphic is made up of paths

Selection Tool (V)

The black pointer is the Selection Tool for selecting Strokes, Fills, lines (or parts of them) individual objects, or groups of objects.

Options are:

Snap to Objects. Icon magnet

Smooth to smooth the curves of a selected shape/line

Straighten to straighten the outlines of selected shape/line

Open a New Document

Layer 1

• Name ‘Stage’
• Change Background color of Stage to Light Yellow
• Click Fill Color select Red
• Click Oval (O)
• Draw a circle
• Change Fill Color to Blue
• Click Rectangle (R)
• Draw a square
• Click Selection (V)

Snap to Objects

• Move circle Fill out of Stroke
• Click Snap to Objects icon
• Place pointer next to edge of circle Fill
• Move toward a square corner

A small circle on the edge changes to a snapping circle when close to square corner

                                                

                             

• Place pointer in middle of circle Fill
• Move toward a different square corner

Circle Fill snaps to square corner

                                       

                           

Smooth

• Place pointer on circle Stroke
• Hold/drag to change shape of Stroke
• Click Stroke to select
• Click Smooth

The Stroke line is smooth a little

Straighten

• Delete Stroke
• Place pointer on edge of circle
• Hold/drag to change shape of circle
• Select circle
• Click Straighten

The circle line is straightens a little

Subselection Tool (A)

This tool edits the Paths, vector points and vector point Control Handles of an object.

            

Vector Points on a Curved Paths

• Double click the Eraser to clear the Stage
• Click Oval (O)
• Change Stroke height to 3
• Draw a circle

Snapping circle appears indicating circle with Snap to Object selected

• Press/hold Ctrl
• Select and move Fill outside of Stroke
• Click Subselection (A)
• Click the Stroke and Fill of the circle

Vector points appear around the Stroke and Fill.

Control Handles

Curved paths have Control Handles

Control Handles rotate around vector points

Path points move the Control Handles.

• Click a vector point on the Fill

Control Handles appear on that vector point and a single Control Handle for the vector points on either side

• Move Control Handles to change the path of the Fill

• Move Control Handle closer to the vector point for a smaller curve.
• Move Control Handle further away from vector point for larger curve.

The curve follows the direction of the handle (up, down, in, out)

                         

Pencil (Y)

• Double click the Eraser to clear the Stage
• Click Pencil (Y)
• Draw a curving line
• Click Subselection (A)
• Click the line

Curved line has many vector points

                

Delete

The fewer the vector points the better

• Click Zoom
• Zoom in on line
• Click Subselection (A)
• Click the line
• Click on a vector point
• Press Delete

Not needed vector points are deleted.

                                                               

• Click Selection (V)
• Double click line to select
• Click Smooth several times
• Click Subselection (A)
• Click the line

Line has been smooth removing vector points                                      

                              

                                             

Vector Points on a Straight Paths

• Double click the Eraser to clear the Stage
• Change Fill Color to Green
• Click Rectangle (R)
• Draw a square
• Click Selection (V)
• Move Fill outside of Stroke
• Click Subselection (A)
• Click the Stroke

Vector points appear on each corner

• Hold/drag a vector point to change the path
• Click Selection (V)
• Click one side of the square to select
• Move selected line segment
• Click Subselection (A)
• Click on moved line segment

Line has vector points on each end

                                         

• Move one of the vector points to overlap a line
• Click lines

A vector point appears where lines cross                                             

                        

                       

• Click Selection (V)
• Click each line around center vector point
• Move selected line segments

Where the line crosses makes individual line segments that can be moved

                                              

• Double click Eraser to clear the Stage

Eraser (E)

The Eraser reshapes the path on vector graphics.

• Change Fill Color to Orange
• Click Oval (O)
• Change Stroke height to 1
• Draw a circle
• Press/hold Ctrl
• Move Fill outside of Stroke
• Click Eraser (E)
• Erase part of the Fill leaving a some of the middle
• Click Subselection (A)
• Select the edge of the circle

Vector points following the new path

• Select the middle of the circle

Middle is a different vector graphic

    

Lasso (L)

To select objects by drawing either a freehand or straight-edged selection area.

Options are:

Magic Wand

Magic Wand Settings

Polygon Mode

Freehand

• Double click Eraser to clear the Stage
• Click Oval (O)
• Draw a circle
• Click Lasso (L)
• Draw around a section of the circle without closing the Lasso line

Lasso area is selected. Flash automatically closes the loop

                   

Polygon Mode

• Deselect the circle
• Options select Polygon Mode
• Click to set the starting point
• Place pointer at end location of the first line segment
• Click
• Continue placing end points for all line segments.
• Double click to close selected area

Straight lines segments are used to select an area

                         

Freehand and Straight-Edge Selection

• Deselect the Polygon Mode
• Deselect the circle
• Click to set the starting point
• Draw a semi circle without releasing mouse
• Press/hold Alt
• Release mouse
• Click and drag line segment to close freehand selection
• Release Alt

Straight lines segments and curved selection are used to select an area

Magic Wand

Magic Wand selects areas of a bitmap graphic that contain the same or similar colors.

Bitmap graphics must be Break Apart Ctrl+B to use the Magic Wand

• Double click Eraser to clear the Stage
• Click File>Import>Import to Stage
• Import a bitmap file
• Click Modify>Break Apart Ctrl+B
• Click Lasso (L)
• Select Magic Wand
• Click bitmap graphic

Pointer changes to Magic Wand icon

                                 

 

                                 

• Click areas of bitmap graphic to select
• Press Delete

Selected area is deleted.                 

                 

Magic Wand Settings changes how wand selects

“Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow.”

Plato