Polyline Tool Properties
The Polyline tool allows you to draw complex lines or shapes by defining each point and their Bezier handles one by one.
- In the Tools toolbar, select the Polyline tool.
The tool's properties are displayed in the Tool Properties view.
Pencil Properties
Just like other shape tools, this tool creates pencil lines. Hence, its tool properties are similar to the ones of the Pencil tool and it can be used with pencil presets.
Icon | Property | Description |
Preview Area |
The Preview area lets you see a preview of the stroke your drawing tool will make.
|
|
Pencil Properties Dialog |
The arrow button right of the preview area opens the Pencil Properties dialog.
While the Tool Properties view only gives you access to the pencil size, a list of pencil presets and other drawing options, the Pencil Properties dialog gives you access to all the available options for your pencil's shape and texture. For more information on the Pencil Properties dialog, see the Polyline Tool Properties section below. |
|
Size |
Defines the width of the pencil line used to draw the shape. |
Pencil Presets
Icon | Property | Description |
Presets list |
Storyboard Pro provides a variety of presets and also lets you create and save your own. It is a good idea to create and save pencils with precise sizes and parameters when you draw and design for efficiency and consistency. All tools using pencil lines share the same preset list. Therefore, the Polyline, Line, Rectangle, Ellipse, and Pencil tools share the same preset list. |
|
New Preset |
Creates a new preset based on the current tool properties. |
|
Delete Preset |
Deletes the currently selected preset. |
|
Presets Menu | Gives access to more options for managing presets. | |
Rename Brush |
Allows you to rename the currently selected preset. |
|
Import Brushes |
Allows you to import brush presets exported from Storyboard Pro. |
|
Export Brushes |
Allows you to export your brush presets into an .xml file. |
|
Small Thumbnail | Displays presets in a grid of small thumbnails with a preview of their tip. | |
Large Thumbnail | Displays presets in a grid of big thumbnails, with their name and a preview of their tip. | |
Stroke View |
Displays presets in a list, with their name and a preview of a stroke done with each preset. |
Drawing Options
Icon | Property | Description |
Snap to Contour |
When this option is enabled, clicking close to a contour in your drawing will add the point to that contour. The line you are building will be linked to that contour.
If this option is disabled, attempting to click on existing contours will always create a point very close to that contour, but not exactly on it. Therefore, it is necessary to enable this mode if you want to create lines that branch from into existing contours in your drawing. NOTE If you draw a line with the Line tool and make its tip snap to a contour or another control point in your artwork, they will be locked together. You can then manipulate both simultaneously using the Contour Editor tool. You can also separate two drawing strokes that have been snapped together by selecting one of them with the Select tool and moving it away.
|
|
Auto Fill |
When enabled, drawing a closed shape will automatically fill it with the currently selected
|
|
Trim Extra Lines |
When enabled, drawing a closed shape will automatically remove the outstanding lines.
|
|
Align Handles After Trim |
When the Trim Extra Lines option is enabled, enable this option to make the point where the beginning and end of the stroke meet into a smooth curve rather than a hard corner.
|
|
Auto-Flatten Mode |
By default, when drawing
NOTE
Using the Select tool, you can use select and remove a segment of flattened pencil lines. Overlapping pencil lines drawn with the Auto-Flatten mode are essentially cut into segments by the overlap and can be treated as individual lines. |
Pencil Properties Dialog
The Polyline tool draws the same type of line as the Pencil tool. Hence, you can configure the Polyline tool's lines using the Pencil Properties dialog, which you can open by clicking on the arrow button right of the stroke display area in the Tool Properties view.
Property | Description |
---|---|
Maximum Size | Defines the maximum size of the pencil line. If the tool is used with a pressure sensitive pen tablet, the width of the stroke will vary between its maximum size and minimum size depending on the amount of pressure used. If used with a mouse, the width of the stroke will always be its maximum size. |
Minimum Size |
Defines the minimum size of your stroke as a percentage of the maximum size. If you do not have pressure sensitivity from a pen table, the minimum size value will be ignored. |
Smoothing | Defines the number of control points added to the centre line. The fewer the control points the smoother (but less faithful) the line. |
Contour Smoothing | Defines the number of points on the contour share of your stroke. This will smooth out the bumps and waves on tour contour shape of your brush strokes. |
Shape |
You can adjust the start, end, and join style of a pencil line.
|