 6:
Fun with B-Splines (i): Using B-Splines is fun, once you get
used to it! Here is a path drawn out with the B-Spline tool. You mouse-click
for each point to point (dotted line) until you have the shape you want,
then press enter to finish. The little squares are handles (nodes) that
you can move to change the nature of your curve. |
 7:
Fun with B-Splines (ii):I have applied a "scraperboard stroke" to the B-Spline ~ this stroke designed by Eric Jones is available for download at Annie Ford's site Studio E3 Grabbing the nodes (little boxes on the path) with your cursor allows you to use it as a handle with which you can use to redefine your curve. The resultant (yet still smooth) deformation of the original shape can be seen in the next image. |
8: Fun with B-Splines (iii): Some of you may have noticed
the funny little handle at the end of our path, sort of like a tiny
gear-stick. This doover (that's a technical term folks) is a handle that
you can use to change stroke width and stroke
shear. We can see how exactly this works in the next image... |
 9:
Fun with B-Splines (iv): Here we can see how dragging the stroke
width/shear handle can effect the look of the path. By lengthening the
handle, you increase the width of the path. Changing the angle of the
handle (in relationship to the path) has the effect of shearing
the stroke . This final effect achieved will depend on the type of stroke
you have applied to the path, but is very well illustrated with the scraperboard
stroke. |
All images copyright © Cameron J. Stephen
and may not be reproduced
or used without the permission of Cameron J. Stephen. All Rights Reserved, 2003.