Custom brush - how to make it flow smooth?

[scriptster]

Hello everyone,

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

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~

[Egg Bramhill]

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.

[Egg Bramhill]

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.

[Availor]

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

[scriptster]

Thank you Egg Bramhill, Aviator!

I think I got it pretty much under wraps now. Your directions (and few hours of messing with it ) 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~

[Egg Bramhill]

Glad to hear you've got it sussed.