Favorite Tips/Techniques

[Acumowchek webforumsuser@macromedia.com]

I know there are various sites that list tips and tricks, but it might be nice to list some of our favorites here in the forum.

My contribution:

Scaling Custom & Texture Fills:
The Custom & Texture fills are seldom used, but I have been getting some great effects by scaling them.
Create a closed shape, fill it with a texture, group it, and in the object inspector pallet click on Transform as Unit. The texture will now scale proportionately or disproportionately.
I use Sand, Mezzotint, Coquille, Tiger Teeth, Noise and Top Noise all the time, but always scale them by about 300-500% for use with screenprinting.

Anyone else?

-Curtis
New FHMXa User - Old FreeHand Abuser
G4 450, OSX 10.2.6 256mb Ram

[Bill]

On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 17:37:15 +0000 (UTC), Acumowchek
<webforumsuser@macromedia.com> wrote:

> I know there are various sites that list tips and tricks, but it might
> be nice to list some of our favorites here in the forum.

Great idea, Curtis. Here's one of my favorite tips.

I've found the control points on the default rectangle envelope to be
somewhat unwieldy for most uses, so I have taken to using a simpler,
custom envelope defined by a basic rectangle object. Having no curve
handles or center-line points makes the envelope easier to manipulate, and
causes far less distortion to the contents.

You can add envelope control points or curve handles as you need them. I
often use the Bend-O-Matic method of pulling a selected straight line
segment into a curve with the simple rectangle envelope. It is much easier
to get a smooth, consistant envelope curve this way than to coordinate the
existing points and handles on the default rectangle.

To try it for yourself, create a simple rectangle (size and attributes
don't matter) and copy it to your clipboard. Create an object on which to
test the envelope, select it and choose 'Modify menu > Envelope > Paste as
Envelope' (or use the 'Paste as Envelope' button on the Envelope toolbar).
Then use 'Modify menu > Envelope > Save as Preset' (or use the 'Save as
Preset' button on the Envelope toolbar). Name your custom envelope 'Simple
Rectangle'. It will now be available in the envelope shape list if you
scroll up. You may now experiment with the simpler control handles of the
envelope and see if they help you control your envelope shape more
accurately like they do for me.


--
Bill
FHMX/Win98/Athlon2100+/512M

[David Plank]

Here's one that is really simple but I use it often. To make any
line an exact length, group it and set the dimension in the
object panel. Then ungroup it to have it revert back to a line.

dp