Custom brush - how to make it flow smooth?

Hello everyone,

Love Xara X but some of the features I cannot wrap my mind around :D

I'm trying to create a (very simple?) custom brush: just a colored line with a narrow white strip across it every 25-30 widths (2 pix wide white strip every 50 pixels of the line's length).

This is how I'm trying to do it:

• create a 50px by 2px rectangle for the colored line
• group a 2px by 2px rectangle for white strip
• create a custom brush from the group

Attached is a sample of what I'm getting. The lines are all straight, and the ends are all separated. However, I want to be able to draw smooth lines with considerable curvature. I also need the line to be scalable if possible.

On the other hand, in the custom brushes shipped with Xara X there is the phone cord looking like line that does exactly what I need - it curves well and it is scalable.

Can someone please give any hints about making a custom brush like that?

Thanks a lot!

D~

Welcome Scriptster,

You'll need to create say 30 squares 2 x 2 pixels (use the blend tool to do this, then Arrange/Convert to editable shapes, Ungroup ) Then one white square 2 x 2 pixels. Select them all and create your brush. This should now be far smoother.

See attached xar file.

You'll find it better if instead of using a white square use a square with no fill and no line colour. This makes it easier to change the line colour should you wish.

Hello, welcome in!

You can try to look at the tutorials at Xara Xone made by Ivan. He describes terrific techniques on making different kinds of brushes and shapes.
http://home.tiscali.be/ivan.louette/resource.htm

One you follow the tutorials you'll be the Brush Master :)

Thank you Egg Bramhill, Aviator!

I think I got it pretty much under wraps now. Your directions (and few hours of messing with it :D ) did really help.

Here are couple points I wanted to post here so someone else struggling with custom brushes can save couple hours ;) I guess, we can call it a mini "how to" about creating well-curvable custom brushes with regular internal patterns:

• Set units for the page to points
• draw a square with the side the size of the most frequently used line width (if not sure, go little higher than average - the smoothness of the line is better if you downsize than if you blow up)
• set page's X-axle duplication distance to about twice the size of the square's side
• by hitting Ctrl-D as many times as needed create the required number of squares of the main color
• Change the last square's color to the alternative color
• Hit Ctrl-D few more times to create the requred width of the alternative color strip
• Select ALL squares. It is important not to group them - that was my main mistake that made the ends separate from each other
• Select the "Freehand" tool
• Hit "Create Brush" on the toolbar
• Once created, hit "Edit Brush" on the toolbar
• Edit "Spacing" property of the new brush to approx. 50%. This will make the line much smoother than the default 110% spacing
• Hit "Save"
• Enjoy your new smooth color striped brush!

Thank you for your help again!

Cheers,
D~

Glad to hear you've got it sussed.