Zyekad
03-06-2009, 06:34 PM
Hi All,
I come from a graphics design background having used both Illustrator and Photoshop. Here is my dilema with the carvewright software below, and hopefully someone can help let me know what I am doing wrong...
The Project :
I am trying to draw a simple paddle shape, like a fraternity paddle that I can engrave with greek symbols.
Step #1 : I can get a basic squared shape done without a problem (see image 1)
Step #2 : Next I add vertex's and remove the corners (see image 2)
Step #3 : Next I change the measurements to be exact. I would think they should have been already since I had on snap to guide, but ended up with things like 9.02 on one line and 8.99 on the other so I had to manually adjust them. I don't get how or why when I have it set to snap to guides.
Step #4 : Next I convert the corners to arcs by changing the form between those vertex's (see image 3)
Step #5 : Here is where the problems start coming in. I decided I wanted the part of the handle closest to the main paddle to be more narrow than the end. I go to drag the red point up one grid square and it changes the entire area of the image moving a lot more than just that one dot, which is not what I want it to do. Both the red dots, and the green dot move. Notice it changed the entire arc from something smooth, to something that cuts into the paddle area. (see image 4)
Step #6 : Now I assume this is just an arc issue, so I go to modify the arc and it just starts compounding the problem. If I move the green dot, the red dots both move and it doesn't just adjust the arc angle. If I move either of the red dots things go totally haywire as well. As an example, I go to move the one green dot (again, see image 4) down and to the left just one grid space to adjust the arc and the whole thing becomes completely corrupted and unusable. (see image 5) Trying to put things back unless using the step back (Ctrl-Z) is pointless because even if you drag exactly where you were, it had already corrupted too many other points to be usable. Notice how many of the red dots in this image moved just from trying to move the green dot a few pixels.
I just don't understand what I'm doing wrong that is causing things to not go where I put them. Moving one thing changes entire images around when I don't tell any other points to move. Is there some way to "lock" points so they can't move, and the only one that will move at all is the one you are clicking on and dragging? Can you change angles (the green dot?) without it moving the red ones all over the place with even the slightest motion of the mouse?
The manual and tutorials seem to be very dumbed down "insert clip art and be done" kind of things, but that doesn't help someone like myself that is trying to design something from scratch. If there is a tutorial that shows how to draw the lines, move around the vertex's, change arcs, etc without it completely modifying the image, please point me in the right direction. If not, can someone post a short instruction here on how to do these things?
I'm pulling my hair out here, and at my age I don't have much left to pull out!
Thanks in advance for your help,
David
I come from a graphics design background having used both Illustrator and Photoshop. Here is my dilema with the carvewright software below, and hopefully someone can help let me know what I am doing wrong...
The Project :
I am trying to draw a simple paddle shape, like a fraternity paddle that I can engrave with greek symbols.
Step #1 : I can get a basic squared shape done without a problem (see image 1)
Step #2 : Next I add vertex's and remove the corners (see image 2)
Step #3 : Next I change the measurements to be exact. I would think they should have been already since I had on snap to guide, but ended up with things like 9.02 on one line and 8.99 on the other so I had to manually adjust them. I don't get how or why when I have it set to snap to guides.
Step #4 : Next I convert the corners to arcs by changing the form between those vertex's (see image 3)
Step #5 : Here is where the problems start coming in. I decided I wanted the part of the handle closest to the main paddle to be more narrow than the end. I go to drag the red point up one grid square and it changes the entire area of the image moving a lot more than just that one dot, which is not what I want it to do. Both the red dots, and the green dot move. Notice it changed the entire arc from something smooth, to something that cuts into the paddle area. (see image 4)
Step #6 : Now I assume this is just an arc issue, so I go to modify the arc and it just starts compounding the problem. If I move the green dot, the red dots both move and it doesn't just adjust the arc angle. If I move either of the red dots things go totally haywire as well. As an example, I go to move the one green dot (again, see image 4) down and to the left just one grid space to adjust the arc and the whole thing becomes completely corrupted and unusable. (see image 5) Trying to put things back unless using the step back (Ctrl-Z) is pointless because even if you drag exactly where you were, it had already corrupted too many other points to be usable. Notice how many of the red dots in this image moved just from trying to move the green dot a few pixels.
I just don't understand what I'm doing wrong that is causing things to not go where I put them. Moving one thing changes entire images around when I don't tell any other points to move. Is there some way to "lock" points so they can't move, and the only one that will move at all is the one you are clicking on and dragging? Can you change angles (the green dot?) without it moving the red ones all over the place with even the slightest motion of the mouse?
The manual and tutorials seem to be very dumbed down "insert clip art and be done" kind of things, but that doesn't help someone like myself that is trying to design something from scratch. If there is a tutorial that shows how to draw the lines, move around the vertex's, change arcs, etc without it completely modifying the image, please point me in the right direction. If not, can someone post a short instruction here on how to do these things?
I'm pulling my hair out here, and at my age I don't have much left to pull out!
Thanks in advance for your help,
David