Change the shape of a path automatically, Drawing with the pencil tool, Draw with the pencil tool – Adobe InDesign CS3 User Manual
Page 309
INDESIGN CS3
User Guide
302
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For Star Inset, type a percentage value to specify the length of a star’s spikes. The tips of the spikes touch the outer
edge of the polygon’s bounding box, and the percentage determines the depth of the depression between each
spike. Higher percentages create longer, thinner spikes.
Note: Polygon settings apply only to the next polygon you draw; you cannot apply them to a polygon you’ve already
created.
Change the shape of a path automatically
You can convert any path into a predefined shape. For example, you can convert a rectangle to a triangle. The stroke
settings for the original path remain the same for the new path. If the new path is a polygon, its shape is based on the
options in the Polygon Settings dialog box. If the new path has a corner effect, its radius size is based on the size
setting in the Corner Options dialog box.
1
Select the path.
2
Do any of the following:
•
Choose Object > Convert Shape > [new shape].
•
In the Pathfinder panel (Window > Object & Layout > Pathfinder), click a shape button in the Convert Shape area.
Drawing with the Pencil tool
Draw with the Pencil tool
The Pencil tool works primarily the same way in Adobe Illustrator and InDesign. It lets you draw open and closed
paths as if you were drawing with a pencil on paper. It is most useful for fast sketching or creating a hand-drawn look.
Once you draw a path, you can immediately change it if needed.
Anchor points are set down as you draw with the Pencil tool; you do not determine where they are positioned.
However, you can adjust them once the path is complete. The number of anchor points set down is determined by
the length and complexity of the path and by tolerance settings in the Pencil Tool Preferences dialog box. These
settings control how sensitive the Pencil tool is to the movement of your mouse or graphics-tablet stylus.
For a video on drawing with the Pencil tool in Illustrator, see
Draw freeform paths with the Pencil tool
1
Select the Pencil tool
.
2
Position the tool where you want the path to begin, and drag to draw a path. The Pencil tool
displays a small
x to indicate drawing a freeform path.
As you drag, a dotted line follows the pointer. Anchor points appear at both ends of the path and at various points
along it. The path takes on the current stroke and fill attributes, and remains selected by default.
Draw closed paths with the Pencil tool
1
Select the Pencil tool.
2
Position the tool where you want the path to begin, and start dragging to draw a path.
3
After you’ve begun dragging, hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS). The Pencil tool displays a small
circle (and, in InDesign, a solid eraser) to indicate that you’re creating a closed path.