Exploring the Draw and Fill tools_Learning Anime Studio-QQ阅读男频历史网

书名：Learning Anime Studio
作者名：Chad Troftgruben
本章字数：9852字
更新时间：2025-02-23 02:15:11

Exploring the Draw and Fill tools

As we start working with the drawing tools in this chapter, it would be best for you to have a new document loaded up so that we have room to play around. In order to do that, navigate to File | New. We will also use the example files provided with the book's code bundle.

Your document's dimensions and settings should be set from the previous chapter. New documents always open with a vector layer on the right-hand side Layers Panel, labeled Layer 1. This is perfect for us as all of the drawing tools require a vector layer to be used. We will be discussing the difference in layer types in Chapter 3, Exploring Layers and Timelines.

Some drawing tools have features that can be adjusted at the top of the Anime Studio window. We will refer to this area as the top bar.

The drawing tools are located on the left-hand side of your screen by default. The tools we will be looking at are divided into two panels: Draw and Fill. If you go in order while learning these tools, it may make sense, but we're simply too free-spirited for that. We will be going back and forth between these tools as some of them directly benefit the usage of others.

Drawing shapes and lines with the Add Point tool

The Add Point tool allows us to create lines and shapes using a series of points. All of Anime Studio's tools work with a point system, but this tool arguably gives you the most control in this regard. Points can then be moved or deleted depending on your needs. The following screenshot shows the location of the Add Point tool on the toolbar. As you can see, it looks like a curved line with a point at the end. You can also press the A key on your keyboard to select the tool.

To get started, perform the following steps:

Go to the top of your toolbar and click on the Add Point tool. Next, you will find a few options just below your File menu at the top of the Anime Studio program window. This is your top bar area. Please make sure Auto-Weld and Auto-Fill are both selected (this will be indicated by a check mark next to the corresponding option).

Note

Autowelding ensures that the two points we are joining will snap or weld together. Autofilling ensures that once two points are joined together to complete an enclosed object, the drawing will fill in with the colors from your Style palette. Try deselecting these options and redoing this exercise later on, to see what happens!
On the right-hand side of your screen is the Style palette. Right below the title, you will see two colors, each labeled with Fill and Stroke. Click on the Fill color swatch and select a color of your choice from the options given. With the Color Picker window, you have the ability to click on a color, adjust the color range, modify transparency, as well as adjust your colors numerically for precise control.
Once you have selected your color, click on the OK button.
Now, select the Stroke color swatch and repeat the preceding steps. Try to pick a different color than that of the fill. The following screenshot shows the Style palette and Color Picker:
Move your cursor somewhere on the blank canvas. Click and hold down the left button of your mouse, drag in any direction, and release. You should now see two points connected with a link. Now, we are simply seeing an outline, or reference for this object. No physical line has been created yet.
Place your cursor on one of the two points. When correctly placed, your Add Point drawing tool will be highlighted in green.
Now, click and hold down the left button of the mouse and drag anywhere to add to your line. If you keep the left button of the mouse pressed and move the point around, you should notice that the placement of this point affects the line curvature from the other two points. If you don't like this effect, you can always select the Sharp Corners option on the top of your window to create perfectly straight lines from point to point. Release the left button of the mouse once you've found a spot for your point.
By repeating the preceding steps, you can continue to add interconnecting points to create an object; complex or simple, the choice is yours. If you desire, you can add points in between other established points by simply clicking on the line that interconnects them.
To complete your object, you must overlap one point over another. Click the left button of your mouse, hold it, and drag the mouse to your first point.
Once the area is highlighted in green, release the mouse button and notice how the object fills in with the colors you have selected from the Style palette. Have a look at the image in the following screenshot for an example:

The Add Point tool offers a lot of control and is popular with mouse users. It may take some time to get used to, but if you prefer precision, practice will definitely pay off. This tool will be used quite a bit when we start drawing our assets. However, there are other tools that can get the job done, which we will be exploring momentarily.

Freestyle drawing with the Freehand tool

The Freehand tool allows us to draw in Anime Studio as if we were using a pen or pencil. This tool is a favorite amongst tablet users as it allows for absolute freedom of movement. It offers benefits for mouse users as well, especially if they plan to create a sense of stroke width variation. Just keep in mind, even though you can draw freely with this tool, you will still be creating points to make up your lines and objects, just like the Add Point tool. Just note that since Version 10, points will be hidden when using freehand drawing tools, to make the workspace less cluttered. In order to view and edit the points, you will need to select the Transform Points tool. The Freehand tool is the first tool in the second row (it looks like a pencil). You can also use the F key on your keyboard to select this tool. For your reference, you can see the location of this tool in the following screenshot:

For this exercise, you can keep the document you created for the Add Point tool open. If you need more room to draw, feel free to create a new document. If you would like to save the current document to work on later, go to File and click on Save before creating a new document. Now, let's start drawing!

The following steps will guide you on freestyle drawing with the Freehand tool:

Click on the Freehand tool. At the top, where you have your tool options, be sure that Auto-Weld, Auto-Fill, and Auto-Stroke are checked. Before trying this tool out, let's check out some of the other options we can adjust with the Freehand tool.
At the top, to the left-hand side of the Auto-Fill and Auto-Stroke settings, is a button labeled Freehand Options. Click on the button and a new panel will appear, as shown in the following screenshot:
The Variable line width options allow you to change how the Freehand tool acts according to the pressure from your graphic tablet utensil. You can choose None, which will create a line with a consistent width; Use pen pressure, which detects how hard you are pressing on your tablet when drawing and adjusts the width accordingly (hard for thick, soft for light); or Random, which will randomize the line width as you place the points down. These options will work with a mouse, with the exception of the Use pen pressure setting.
In the same panel, you can also adjust the percentage of variation of line width. The higher the percentage, the more dramatic a shift you will have for your line widths. Finally, you can dictate if you want your freehand lines to taper at the start and end. This can be useful, especially if you're using a mouse and want to simulate the freehand pressure-sensitive look.
Once you have picked the appropriate options, let's start drawing! Place your cursor on the canvas, preferably outside of the other object you drew with the Add Point tool, hold down your left mouse button, and drag to create a line. You will notice that whichever settings you picked in the Freehand Options panel will be reflected in your line.
Since we have selected Auto-Weld and Auto-Fill, we can automatically create closed objects. Try drawing an oval with the Freehand tool. Your beginning and end points should snap together, creating an enclosed and filled-in object. You can view an example of a line and shape with the Freehand tool in the following screenshot:

If you are drawing with a tablet or are familiar with traditional drawing methods, the Freehand tool may be a better choice over the Add Point tool. As we start to draw characters and props, the Add Point tool will be referred to a lot. However, don't be afraid to use the Freehand tool in its place if that's what you're more comfortable with. You can always combine these tools too. The more options you have, the better!

Creating perfect shapes with the Draw Shape tool

While we have the ability to draw whatever we want with the Add Point and Freehand tools, sometimes, being able to easily draw a specific shape can help save time. The Draw Shape tool allows us to draw different shapes, including rectangles, ovals, and stars. The tool looks like a rectangle, oval, and triangle overlapping one another, as shown in the following screenshot. You can also use the S key as a shortcut for this tool.

Like before, you can keep the same document open if you have room to draw, or you can create a new document. Let's start drawing shapes!

The following steps will guide you to create perfect shapes using the Draw Shape tool:

Go over to your toolbar and select the Draw Shape tool. At the top, you should have six shapes to choose from. Pick a shape that you would like to draw, select Auto-Stroke and Auto-Fill if you wish to automatically fill in your shape, and place the cursor on a blank part of the document.
Click and hold down the left mouse button, then drag to create the shape. Depending on where you drag, the appearance of the shape will alter. Releasing the button will create the shape, apply your stroke, and fill the settings if you have those corresponding options selected. Now, you will have a shape drawn like the image in the following screenshot:

While we can draw shapes with the Add Point or Freehand tools, the Draw Shape tool can streamline the process. You can always use the Add Point tool to add points to your shapes to create more advanced objects.

Note

Are you looking to create a perfectly proportionate shape? When using the Draw Shape tool, hold down the Shift key on your keyboard. This will lock the shape, so you can draw a perfect square, circle, triangle, or star.

Adjusting your bends with the Curvature tool

There will be times while drawing in Anime Studio when a line or curve isn't shaped quite right. While you can move the points of the line to create the desired shape, the Curvature tool allows us to straighten and bend lines with ease. To have an easier time accessing this tool, refer to the following screenshot. The C key acts as a shortcut to this tool.

We will reuse the shape created with the Draw Shape tool for this exercise. If the shape has been removed, please draw another one so that we have something to reference. The following steps will give you an idea about using the Curvature tool:

Select the Curvature tool from the left-hand side toolbar. Find a point you would like to adjust. Click on the point once so that it is highlighted in red color. Now, hold down your left mouse button on that point. If your shape is rounded, moving to the left will straighten the line(s) that make up the shape. Moving to the right will round the line(s) out. Try moving in both directions to see the different effects.
In the top bar, you have the ability to make a shape completely rounded or pointed by clicking on the corresponding button. This can save time if you are looking to go from one extreme to another. You can see that the star shape in the following screenshot has had the Curvature tool applied to four of its points:

You can create interesting shapes using the Curvature tool. Additionally, it can help perfect a shape's design if you are having issues with moving points around. Be sure to keep it in mind when working on your own projects.

Note

Using the Select Points tool, you can easily alter the curvature of several points at once. All it requires is highlighting the desired points and then repeating the preceding steps.

Altering points with the Transform Points tool

Up to this point, we have applied points to the canvas to create lines and shapes, but what if we want to alter points that have already been applied? The Transform Points tool allows us to select, move, scale, rotate, and delete one or more points. The tool looks like a crosshair and is the second one in your list of the Draw toolbox. The T key acts as the shortcut key for this tool.

Note

If you are a longtime user of Anime Studio, chances are you will recall that moving, scaling, and rotating points consisted of using three different tools. Version 10 has taken these functions and condensed them into one tool: Transform Points. The principles are the same, and you will discover quickly that it can help speed up your workflow, cutting down on time when it comes to selecting different tools.

The following screenshot shows the Draw tool panel with the Transform Points tool highlighted:

Altering points with the Transform Points tool

You can keep the shape, which we have been using, open for this exercise. If you don't have a shape on your screen, simply create one using the Draw Shape tool from the left-hand side toolbar.

The following steps will guide you to select, move, and delete points using the Transform Points tool:

Select the Transform Points tool from the top-left toolbar.
Try selecting a point from the shape on screen. To do this, simply click on the point. The point you have clicked on should turn red in color, which means it is currently selected.
Holding down the left mouse button on this point, try dragging it around on the canvas. As you alter the point's position, you will also alter the entire line or object that the point is part of. If you want to restrict movement of the point or object to the x or y axis, hold down Shift when moving your points.
If you were to click in the middle of an object (such as an oval) or in between points on a line, you will end up selecting all of the points making up that object. You can tell this by the fact that all the points are highlighted red. This can be useful if you want to edit a bunch of points at once. To deselect your points at any time, simply click off the shape or go to Edit and click on Select None.
When multiple points are selected, you may have noticed new options appear on your top bar. The most used of these are Flip Horizontally and Flip Vertically. If you need to quickly flip an object or points over from one direction to another, definitely give these buttons a try!
Select another point on your shape. Once that point is red, hit the Delete key on your keyboard. The point will disappear. Notice how Anime Studio compensates for this lost point by connecting the two nearest points together. This can alter the look of your shape, so be careful! This method is useful if you want to simplify an object or remove an unwanted point. You can see it really changes the look of our star, as shown in the following screenshot:

What we're using here is a simple shape, but as you start working with your own creations, you will discover all of what we'll be learning here is applicable.

Tip

If at any point, you make a mistake when working on a project, simply go to Edit and click on Undo (Ctrl + Z on Windows and command + Z on Mac). You can undo several previous actions. Be careful though as there is a limit to how many backward steps you can take.

Sometimes, it's necessary to alter the size of a drawn object. When using the Transform Points tool, two red boxes will appear around the selected point or object. The second box contains nine points or handles that look like empty circles. You will use these to resize your shapes horizontally, vertically, and proportionally.

You can leave the current document open and use one of your existing objects as an example for this exercise. Making a new document and drawing a shape will suffice as well.

The following steps will guide you to scale points using the Transform Points tool:

With the Transform Points tool selected, click on your object to select it.
Note the two outlines that appear. You will want to focus on the nine open circle points that border the second outline. By clicking-and-dragging on either the left or right points of the rectangle, you will be altering the horizontal properties of the object. If you are looking for a squash effect, you can try holding on the Alt key when moving these points around.
The top and bottom points will adjust the vertical properties, and any of the four corners will allow you to resize both the horizontal and vertical properties of the object.
If you want precise control over the size values, you can enter numbers for both the horizontal (x axis) and vertical (y axis) properties on your top bar. As you can see in the following screenshot, things appear to be squished or distorted:

There will be times when you are working on a project where an object will be too small or big for what you want to achieve. Scaling points is invaluable in cases like this.

Now, let's talk about rotating points. Why would you want to do this in the first place? Rotating can be useful if you need to tweak a portion of a drawing or completely rotate an object. You can keep the document we have been using open. However, if you feel things are starting to become cluttered, feel free to quickly make a new document and create an object with the Draw Shape tool for us to use in this exercise.

The following steps will guide you to rotate the points using the Transform Points tool:

Select the Transform Points tool on your left-hand side toolbar. Select the center of one of your enclosed objects; this will select all the points in this object. Move your cursor outside of the object in between the two outlines. Hold down the left mouse button and move up and down. Notice how the object rotates depending on your mouse position.
If you wish, you can adjust the rotation numerically by entering a number between 0 and 360 on your top bar.
Holding down Shift and rotating will allow you to rotate in 45-degree increments. The image in the following screenshot is the result of point rotation:

Sometimes, when drawing a character or prop, things may appear crooked or not line up with the other assets on screen. This tool will help you make those small corrections without having to redraw assets.

Note

Try using the Select Points tool and highlighting a small group of points on your object. Then, when rotating with the Transform Points tool, you can get some pretty interesting results. It can also help if you need to fine-tune some aspects of your object(s).

Selecting vector points with the Select Points tool

Sometimes, it's necessary to select more than one point. While you can select all points on an object with the Transform Points tool by clicking in between points, there are times where you may need to select specific points on an object. This is where the Select Points tool comes in handy. As you can see in the following screenshot, it's the first tool on your toolbar. The G key works as a shortcut too.

You can keep the document we have been using open for this. If you make a new document, just create another shape with the Draw Shape tool, so we have something to work with.

The following steps will help you to select vector points using the Select Points tool:

Select the Select Points tool from the left-hand side toolbar.
Find an object or line you have drawn, hold down your mouse button, and drag to encompass a certain group of points. Once you release your mouse button, you should see the selected points turn red.
From here, you can use the Transform Points tool (or another tool that alters points) to affect the selected group. In this case, the Transform Points tool allows us to move the entire object at once (since all points are selected). This can save a lot of time when it comes to altering an object on a larger scale.
Try selecting a small group of points on the object and then using the Transform Points tool. Notice how you can alter the object in a completely unique way.
If you're looking for a more detailed selection area, click on the box next to Lasso Mode on your top toolbar. This will allow you to select points freehand as opposed to using a rectangular area.
If you don't want to continually jump back and forth between the Select and Transform Points tools, you can also hold down the Ctrl key (command on Mac) while using the Transform Points tool to quickly do a selection. Give it a try! The star we started with is practically unrecognizable now as you can see in the image shown in the following screenshot:

Being able to control which points you are altering is a huge benefit when it comes to creating and modifying drawn objects. This tool will also save you time with the ability to highlight several points at once.

Note

If you are looking to select all the points on a layer, try using the shortcut key, Ctrl + A (command + A if you're on a Mac). This can be easier than selecting all the points manually. Alternatively, you can go to Edit and click on Select All.

Filling in objects with the Paint Bucket tool

There will be times where you'll want to add fill or stroke properties to an object after you have drawn it. Alternatively, you may realize after setting an object's color on the Style palette, you need to make a change after drawing the object out. The Paint Bucket tool is used for these purposes. The only requirement for filling in an object is to make sure there are lines present to enclose the area. In the previous versions of Anime Studio, lines actually needed to be welded shut in order to use the Paint Bucket tool. This is no longer the case with Version 10. The icon for this tool looks like, you guessed it, a paint bucket! This is also the first tool we will be looking at that is located under the Fill section, as shown in the following screenshot. You can also use the P key as a shortcut to select the tool.

For a change of pace, let's open up an example file included within the code bundle of this book. You can save the current document if you wish to work on it further. To do that, go to File, click on Save, pick a location on your computer, name the file, and click on Save. The following steps will show you how to use the Paint Bucket tool:

Navigate to File | Open. Browse for the project file you downloaded with this book named PaintBucketExample in the Chapter 02 folder. You should now see two un-filled shapes on screen.
Select the Paint Bucket tool from your left-hand side toolbar.
On the top bar, you should see three options: Fill, Stroke, and Both. With these options, you can choose to fill in the color, stroke, or both properties that are selected on your Style palette. If you like, you can choose your fill, stroke, and width properties from the Style palette before beginning this exercise.
To try this out, select the Fill option on the top bar and then take your cursor over to the first enclosed drawing on your canvas. Click inside the object and notice how the object fills in. However, we have no stroke surrounding the object as we are only using the Fill property.
Select the Stroke option from the top bar, go over to the second object in line, and click inside. Notice how your stroke properties from the Style palette have been transferred over. The inside of the object remains blank.
Select the Both option from the top bar and click on the first object again. As expected, both properties should transfer over to the shape.
The second shape in the lineup is broken or not complete. Select the Paint Bucket tool, then select the Both option from the top bar and try to fill in the object. The action cannot be carried out since the object is not enclosed. The same will apply when you try to use the Fill option to color in the object. However, if you select Stroke from the top bar and click on the outline of the object, the stroke properties will transfer over.
To complete the object, select the Add Point tool from your toolbar. Move your cursor on one of the points that is near the opening. Click-and-drag to snap your new point onto the next closest point to close off the object.
Select the Paint Bucket tool and try filling the object in again (make sure you select Fill or Both). The object should now fill in with no issues. The following screenshot should be similar to what you are seeing in the exercise file:

The Paint Bucket tool's uses are numerous, and it is the most used of the Fill tools. You'll be using it quite a bit as we progress through this book.

Altering shape properties with the Select Shape tool

The Select Shape tool is useful because it allows us to easily adjust the style properties of selected shapes. This can be useful if you want to quickly change a color, add a stroke, or remove a property. The tool is the first one located under the Fill section, as shown in the following screenshot. You can also use Q on your keyboard as the shortcut for this tool.

Keep the PaintBucketExample.anme file open. We can use the two example shapes for this exercise.

The following steps will guide you through altering shape properties using the Select Shape tool:

Select the Select Shape tool from the left-hand side toolbar. Click on the first shape that only has a fill applied to it. The shape's fill will become checkered, indicating it is selected.
On your Style palette, select the fill color and choose a different color from the color chooser. Once you click on OK, the color of the object will change to your newly selected color.
With the shape still selected, check the box next to Stroke on the Style palette. Now, notice how you can reapply the stroke line without having to use the Paint Bucket tool. You can do the same for the fill property as well. The following screenshot shows a selected object being changed with the Style palette:

The Select Shape tool is great for those instances when you quickly want to change the properties of an object. You can use the Paint Bucket tool for similar situations, but using the Select Shape tool is arguably quicker in some cases.

Note

By default, when you select a shape with the Select Shape tool, a checkered pattern will indicate your selection. If you'd like a simpler indicator, check off the Checker selection at the bottom of the Style palette. Now, a red outline will appear whenever a shape is selected as opposed to the checkered pattern.

Editing with the Magnet tool's influence area

Sometimes, it may be useful to select a group of points within the boundaries of a certain influence or magnet area. The Magnet tool allows us to do just that. We can even adjust the size of the magnet area to dictate what points will be affected. Think of it as another way to select multiple points at once. Finally, the closer a point is to the center of the magnet area, the more it will be affected. When looking at your toolbar, just look for the magnet icon. The X key will act as a shortcut. The following screenshot shows the Magnet tool in the Draw tool panel:

Feel free to keep the same PaintBucketExample.anme file open for this exercise. If you have altered the file heavily, feel free to reload it by going to File | Open and selecting the file again.

The following steps will guide you on how to use the Magnet tool:

Select the Magnet tool from the left-hand side toolbar.
When you move your cursor on the screen, you will notice there is a big red circle that appears. This is the influence area of your magnet.
To increase or decrease the size of the magnet area, you can enter a new value for the Magnet Radius field on the top bar. The default value is .5. Changing the value to .25 will cut the size of the magnet area in half.
With the default radius size (.5), place your cursor between the two objects on screen. The radius area should contain points from both objects.
Click-and-drag your mouse around and notice how the points move between these two objects.
Place your cursor so that at least one point is near the center of the magnet area and at least one point is near the outside of the area. When you move your cursor, notice how the point(s) near the center move faster than the one(s) on the outside. Like a magnet, the pull is the strongest at the focal point. The red, oval selection area in the following screenshot is displaying the image after using the Magnet tool:

If you want to move a large number of points, the unique gravitational pull ability of this tool may suit you well. Give it a try and don't be afraid to mix and match different tools to fit various situations.

Filling in outlines with the Create Shape tool

The Create Shape tool is useful for creating or filling in shapes that have holes or gaps. It's also used for selecting outlined shapes and quickly filling them in. This is the second tool in the Fill section, as shown in the following screenshot, and looks like a blob of sorts. The U key acts as the default shortcut for this tool.

Let's open a new document for this demonstration by navigating to File | New. You can save the current file if you wish to come back to it later. The following steps will help you understand the use of the Create Shape tool:

Once you have a new document open, click on the Draw Shape tool, select an oval shape, and turn off Auto-Fill and Auto-Stroke on the top bar. Go to your canvas and draw out an oval.
Draw out another, smaller oval within the first.
Select the Select Points tool and highlight all the points that currently make up the shape. Alternatively, you can also use the Create Shape tool to select an object by clicking-and-dragging.
With the points still selected, click on the Create Shape tool on your left-hand side toolbar, which is next to your Select Shape tool. You should notice the shape turns a checkered red pattern, with the exception of the small oval inside the main shape.
Press the spacebar on your keyboard. The object, with the exception of the small oval, should fill in with the colors specified on your Style palette.
What if you want to fill in the small oval as well (or instead of) the large oval? That's easy! Select the points that make up the small oval.
The small oval should turn red and checkered.
Press the spacebar to apply the fill properties from your Style palette. The following screenshot show roughly what your workspace should look like before the fill is applied:

The Create Shape tool is one way to create shapes with holes in them. Most first-time users try to use the Paint Bucket tool to achieve this effect. It can be easily forgotten. You could highlight this section for future reference or make a note for yourself.

Hiding lines and shapes with the Hide Edge tool

The Hide Edge tool is useful because it allows us to hide a particular line or edge without breaking the overall construction of the object. This means that fills will not deactivate, which gives you more freedom when working with strokes. As shown in the following screenshot, the icon looks like a bent line with three points. The H key will activate this tool as well:

You can keep the same document open that you made for the Filling in outlines with the Create Shape tool section. We will use the Hide Edge tool on this object. You can make a new document and create a new shape too if you wish.

The following steps will help you understand the use of the Hide Edge tool:

Select the Hide Edge tool.
Go to the outside of the big oval and click in between one of the four points of the object. The stroke is now hidden.
Click again to bring the stroke back into view. You can toggle the visibility of all your lines using this tool. In the following screenshot, you can see we have hidden the line on the bottom-right of the oval:

The Hide Edge tool can provide a lot of support when you are trying to stylize or hide lines from the audience. This will definitely come in handy later when drawing and connecting limbs together.

Revealing lines with the Stroke Exposure tool

Sometimes you may want to hide only part of a line between two points as opposed to the entire line. The Stroke Exposure tool gives you this control. You will find this next to the Hide Edge tool on your toolbar as shown in the following screenshot:

Keep the doughnut-looking object on screen. You can alternatively create a new document and object if you wish. Perform the following steps:

Click on the Stroke Exposure tool. Click and hold the top point of the oval.
Move your cursor to the left. Notice how the line disappears as you move further left.
You can stop at any time to create the exact stroke exposure you are looking for when working on any project. You should see something like the following screenshot:

Stroke exposure is similar to the Hide Edge tool. However, if you're looking for more control, selecting this tool may be the way to go.

Removing lines and shapes with the Delete Edge tool

The Delete Edge tool allows us to quickly and effectively delete points from an object. Unlike the Hide Edge or Stroke Exposure tools, this will permanently do away with whatever line the point is attached to, creating a gap in the object. This will break the object's fill, but may be necessary when editing a drawing or undoing a misplaced point. This tool looks like a curved line with an X-like symbol on it. You can use the D key as a shortcut if you wish. The following screenshot shows the Delete Edge tool:

You can keep the doughnut-looking object on screen or create a new shape for the following exercise.

Click on the Delete Edge tool. Move your cursor to a point on one of the objects and click. The line for that point will be removed, breaking the fill of the object, as shown in the following screenshot:

You will probably be doing just as much deleting as drawing when working in Anime Studio. It's all a part of the process of perfecting and creating assets. Be sure to keep the Delete Edge tool handy in cases like this.

Note

Unlike the Hide Edge tool, you cannot click on a point twice to bring it back into view. If you make a mistake in deleting a point, the only way to correct it is to add the point back with the Add Point tool or undo the action by going to Edit | Undo. Also, clicking on a point with the Translate Points or Select Points tools and pressing the Delete key does not have the same effect as the Delete Edge tool. The Delete key method will remove the point, yet bridge the gap by morphing the object to the next closest point. Give it a try and see how each method changes your workflow!

Removing style properties with the Delete Shape tool

While you can remove stroke and fill properties through the Style palette, sometimes it's easier to use the Delete Shape tool. With one click, you can remove any draw or fill properties and work with the outline. The following screenshot shows the Delete Shape tool, an X-like symbol:

For this exercise, you can use the doughnut-looking shape. Just make sure it's unbroken and filled in, especially if you just followed the Delete Edge exercise. Creating a new shape works too.

The following steps will guide you to remove style properties using the Delete Shape tool:

With your oval still in place, click on the Delete Shape tool from the Fill section of your toolbar.
Click on the oval with this tool. Notice how the drawing properties (the stroke and fill) are removed yet the outline remains in place.

The Delete Shape tool can work great if you don't want to deal with breaking a shape to remove its fill properties. The best part is you can retain the shape's outline to fill or alter later on.

Note

Once you delete a shape, you cannot retrieve the drawing properties unless you go to Edit | Undo or use the Paint Bucket tool to color the outline back in. So be sure you want the shape gone before you use this tool!

Adjusting line thickness with the Line Width tool

The Line Width tool allows us to adjust the line's thickness at specified points. If you don't own a tablet, this is a good feature to have as you can simulate the pressure-sensitive look, along with other effects. The tool looks like an incline. The W key is the shortcut for the Line Width tool. View the following screenshot to confirm its location:

You may continue to use the doughnut shape for this exercise. Creating a new shape is also an option.

The following steps will teach you to adjust line thickness using the Line Width tool:

Select the Line Width tool from the left-hand side toolbar. Click and hold a point that contains a visible line and drag the mouse from left to right. Notice how the line's thickness changes depending on where you move the mouse.
If you select multiple points with the Select Points tool, you can adjust more than one line at once.
With a point selected, you can adjust the width numerically with the field on the top toolbar.

The Line Width tool is great for creating different stroke types without the use of a mouse. It also works in a pinch for when you don't want to adjust the stroke width through the Style palette. Play with this tool and see what type of effects you can come up with!

Creating pseudo 3D effects with the Perspective Points tool

Anime Studio allows you to work within 3D space when altering layers and camera angles. While the Perspective Points tool doesn't work within true space, it does simulate the effect, which can be useful if you don't want to work within the 3D environment, yet create an effect of perspective. The tool looks like a white rectangle that has one edge that is larger than the other, as shown in the following screenshot. This tool will also give us an idea of what effects it will have on selected vectors.

Create a new document for this exercise by going to File | New.

The following steps will guide you to create pseudo 3D effects with the Perspective Points tool:

With your blank document, select the Draw Shape tool and select the rectangle preset from the top bar.
Pick a fill and stroke color of your choosing from the Style palette and then draw a rectangle on your canvas.
Using the Select Points tool, draw a selection area around the rectangle to highlight all of the points.
Select the Perspective Points tool and place your cursor on the rectangle you just drew.
Click and drag the mouse to adjust the rectangle. As you go from left to right, you will notice how it looks like part of the rectangle is moving closer to the screen. If you move the cursor from top to bottom, the same effect will occur, but this time vertically. To visualize what this means, look at the image in the following screenshot. Notice how the right-hand side of the rectangle appears to be coming closer to us, creating the illusion of perspective.

Like most of Anime Studio's tools, you could manually adjust the points of the object to achieve the same effect. However, the Perspective Points tool can make certain tasks easier, especially when it comes to creating the illusion of perspective.

Note

The Rotate XY Layer tool allows us to achieve a similar effect, but has the benefits of working within the true 3D space. We will learn more about this tool as we start to explore layers in Chapter 3, Exploring Layers and Timelines.

Shearing with the Shear Points tool

Shearing points creates similar effects to the Perspective Points tool. In essence, it allows you to alter and move the selected points diagonally. The effect may look simple with a rectangular shape but it can create more interesting results with advanced shapes. As you can see in the following screenshot, the tool looks like a parallelogram with an arrow pointing to the right:

Let's use the same rectangle we created for the Creating pseudo 3D effects with the Perspective Points tool section. To restore the rectangle back to its original state, go to Edit| Undo (or Ctrl + Z on Windows, command + Z on Mac). You may have to do this a few times if you made a lot of alterations. If you're having a difficult time restoring the rectangle, you can create a new one if you wish.

The following steps will help you understand the use of the Shear Points tool:

Select all four points of the rectangle using the Select Points tool and highlighting the rectangle with your selection area.
Select the Shear Points tool.
Move your cursor to the center of the rectangle.
Holding down your mouse button, move from left to right. Notice how the top portion of the rectangle moves away from the bottom portion. It's almost as if the rectangle is trying to tear itself apart. Notice the shearing effect in the following screenshot:
Moving your mouse up or down creates a similar effect, except with the vertical properties.

Shearing an object can have similar benefits to adjusting the rotation. An object may not be sitting right; shearing can give an object that extra push it needs. Plus, it can be used to create more experimental effects.

Making flexible-looking lines with the Bend Points tool

Bending points allow you to distort objects in interesting ways. It's almost as if you are creating the effect of snapping the selected object in half. The Bend Points tool isn't hard to miss as it looks like a rectangle that is bending downwards, as shown in the following screenshot:

For this exercise, let's use an oval shape. You can remove the rectangle you have on your document or simply set it aside (by using the Translate Points tool). Once you've drawn an oval using the Draw Shape tool, everything should be set.

The following steps will help you understand the use of the Bend Points tool:

Click on the Select Points tool and select all the points that make up the oval. This should seem familiar as the previous two tools required the same step.
Select the Bend Points tool. Place your cursor in the middle of the oval.
Click and hold your mouse button. Move the mouse downward. You will notice a similar effect as to what the icon of the tool is expressing. Try moving the mouse up and to the left and right. It will appear as you are bending an eraser or a piece of rubber. The following screenshot will give you an idea of the effect:

More often than not, bending points will be used more in an experimental setting. The best way to see this tool in action is to use it during your own projects and see what kind of benefits it can bring.

Creating random line movements with the Noise tool

The Noise tool allows you to alter the points by moving them in random directions. This could be useful if you're looking to create a unique or distorted look for an object. The tool itself looks like a line graph sharply dipping up and down, as shown in the following screenshot. It's the last item in the Draw section on the toolbar. You can also use the N key to select the Noise tool.

Be sure to have an object such as a rectangle or an oval on your screen for this exercise. We will be using this shape to try out the distortion effects the Noise tool has to offer.

The following steps will guide you through creating random line movements using the Noise tool:

Select the object with the Select Points tool.
Select the Noise tool and place your cursor in the middle of the object. Hold down your mouse button and move to the right. You should notice some movement with the points.
Release the mouse button and then click and hold it again. Now drag to the right. The points should move again but this time in different directions. You will see the image similar to the one shown in the following screenshot:

The Noise tool may not have an obvious practical use, but it can be helpful if you are looking to create a unique shape.

Note

The Noise tool will move your points in random directions each time you release and click the mouse button.

Transferring line formations with the Curve Profile tool

There may be times when you want to create a wavy or jagged line for one of the objects on your canvas. This could be done by creating a series of points and altering them accordingly. Or you could take advantage of the Curve Profile tool, which allows you to reference outlines and apply them to any shape. The tool icon has a point, followed by a rounded line, as shown in the following screenshot:

We will be using another example file for this exercise. Don't worry, you will find it in the code files that came with this book.

The following steps will help you understand the use of the Curve Profile tool:

Open up the example file CurveProfile.anme in the Chapter 02 folder. You can save any changes to your current document if you wish to come back and play around with it later.
You will see a red-colored oval, plus three outlines to its left. Click on the Select Points tool and highlight the oval so that all of its points are highlighted in red.
Click on the Curve Profile tool. Click on the first outline on the left-hand side (the wobbly looking one). You should observe that the outline has been applied to the stroke of the oval.
With the oval still selected, click on the second outline on the left-hand side (the jagged one). Your oval should appear to have a series of spikes.
With the jagged line effect still in place, direct your attention to the top of the screen. You should see a field entitled Repeat count. Delete the value 16 and enter 2 into the field. Upon pressing Enter, you should see a dramatically different shape on your screen. Perhaps this could be used as a flower or some other prop?
Feel free to click on the third outline to see what that looks like applied to your shape. If you decide you no longer want a curve profile applied to the selected shape, simply click on the canvas to revert back to a normal line. The results will be similar to the ones shown in the following screenshot:

While they may not be immediately obvious, the Curve Profile tool has many uses. You could apply a wave outline to a bush, a cloud, the surface of water, and so on. It can save a lot of time compared to entering points manually.

Creating varied copies with the Scatter Brush tool

If at some point when working in Anime Studio, you have a need to create a bunch of objects that share similar traits, the Scatter Brush tool may be your best bet. It is possible to copy and paste an object multiple times and then slightly alter each of the copies. However, the Scatter Brush tool is much more user friendly and can save you a lot of time. The tool looks like four triangles, so it shouldn't be hard to miss. The following screenshot shows the Scatter Brush tool:

For this exercise, please open the example file ScatterBrushExample.anme from the Chapter 02 folder, which has been included in the code bundle of this book. We will first start with using some of the built-in brush types for this tool.

The following steps will help you understand the use of the Scatter Brush tool:

Select the Scatter Brush tool from the left-hand side toolbar. In the top bar is a list labeled Scatter Brush Options. Click on it to reveal settings for this tool.
The Angle jitter feature will place each brush stroke at a slightly different angle in accordance to the value you put in. The angle will not exceed the specified number. The Spacing feature dictates how much space will be put between the brush strokes as you use the tool. The Fill color jitter and Stroke color jitter features allow for some color variance. Like the other values, the higher the value, the bigger the difference will be with your strokes.
Flip X and Flip Y, the last two options on the bottom of the options panel, will allow your brushes to randomly flip horizontally or vertically when using the brush. If you are looking for greater variation, you may want to select these options.
On the top bar, you also have the ability to adjust the minimum and maximum width of the brush strokes (Min width and Max width). This can allow you to control the size and variation (if any). For this example, we will set the maximum width to 60 and the minimum width to 40. The Scatter Brush Options list in the top bar is shown in the following screenshot:
With your objects set, place your cursor on the screen. Hold down the left mouse button and move your cursor around the canvas. Bubbles should appear on the screen. This is because Bubbles is the default brush for the Scatter Brush tool. Here is where your previously specified scatter options will matter. You will see color, spacing, and angle differences with each brush stroke, based on the values you inputted earlier.
Click on the list labeled Bubbles in the top bar. You will find a list of built-in brushes. Select Leaves and try using the brush again. You should now see a series of leaves being drawn as you drag your mouse.
While using built-in brushes is great, the real power of the Scatter Brush tool lies in the ability to use custom-made objects as brushes. Use the Select Points tool and highlight the tree image that is in the document.
Go to Edit | Copy. You can also use Ctrl + C on Windows or command + C on Mac as a shortcut.
Go back to the brush selection button and choose Clipboard from the drop-down menu. This will now allow you to paint whatever you have copied (in this case, the tree image). The Bubbles list in the top bar is shown in the following screenshot:
Hold down your left mouse button and start moving the cursor. You should see variation in the tree image just like you did with the built-in brushes. The following screenshot shows the variations in the tree image:

The Scatter Brush tool is terrific if you need to create a group of assets that share similar traits. With the options panel, you can choose just how different each of these assets look from one another. A great time saver!

Creating freehand shapes with the Blob Brush tool

Version 10 has introduced three brand-new drawing tools to Anime Studio's ever expanding toolset. The first tool we will be looking at is Blob Brush. This tool is neat because you can now create freehand shapes that automatically fill once you are finished drawing. It could definitely have its uses when working on more complicated projects. The following screenshot shows the of Blob Brush tool:

To get started, let's create a new document. The following steps will help you understand the use of the Blob Brush tool:

Select the Blob Brush tool. It is the squiggly-looking tool located below the Freehand tool. You can also use the J key as a shortcut.
With the Blob Brush tool, you can adjust the thickness of your drawn shape. You will find this setting on the top bar. The lower the value, the smaller your drawing area will be.
Place your cursor on the canvas, hold down your mouse button, and do a quick scribble. When you release your mouse button, notice how what you have drawn has had the fill and stroke properties you have on your Style palette applied to it.
If you continue to draw, and intersect with the original shape you made, the Blob Brush tool will live up to its name and push everything together, creating one shape.
If you want to remove portions of your new freehand drawing, hold down the Ctrl key (command on Mac) and start drawing. Anything you click will get erased. The cool thing here is that the shape will continue to blob together and maintain a cohesive form. This method is also useful when you want to punch holes into different objects and don't want to go through the method we outlined earlier when using the Create Shape tool. The following screenshot shows the Blob Brush tool in action:

The Blob Brush tool opens up many possibilities for streamlining the process of shape creation. Be sure to consider it when working on your future projects!

Creating gaps with the Eraser tool

Eraser is one tool that has been requested for quite some time by Anime Studio users. So rejoice, the Eraser tool is here! It's to the right-had side of the Blob Brush tool and can be quickly selected by pressing E on the keyboard. The following screenshot shows the Eraser tool:

In this case, it's a bit redundant to do another exercise because we essentially used the eraser tool a moment ago by holding down Ctrl when using the Blob Brush tool. So, when it comes to erasing, it's up to you! You can either select this tool or use the method with the Blob Brush tool we just practiced earlier (step 5 in the previous section). The basic principles remain the same. The following screenshot shows some of the effects you can do with the Eraser tool:

Polishing with the PointReduction tool

Sometimes when creating an object, especially with the new Blob Brush tool, a large number of points can make up an object. This can make things difficult to work with and sometimes you only need a small number of points to get a job done. This is where the new PointReduction tool comes in. The following screenshot shows the PointReduction tool:

If you still have a shape that we used in the previous exercise on your canvas, we can use that for this example. If not, make a new document and apply a shape using the Blob Brush tool. Don't be afraid to make it a complex shape.

Select the PointReduction tool. It is to the right-hand side of the Eraser tool. R is the shortcut key.
On the top bar, you will find the brush radius option. The bigger this is, the bigger your influence area will be when applying this tool. We can leave the default value .25 for now.
The Tolerance Angle feature dictates how many points will be removed during this process. While the tool tries to maintain the original shape, if this number is set really high, it will remove so many points that it can alter the shape of the object. The best way to figure out what works best for you is to play around with different tolerance settings until you find the sweet spot. Different shapes will require different tolerances.
To apply this tool, simply hold down your mouse button and paint over the points you want to reduce. When you release, you will see the results as shown in the following screenshot. Pretty nifty, right?

In the past, when one had too many points, the only solution was to go in, delete points, and manually reshape the object. The new PointReduction tool makes this process much more bearable.