Vector Graphics Tips for Macromedia Freehand 9 - Page 2

Drawing

Improved toolset

Macromedia finally bowed to user demand and equipped Flash 5. released earlier this year, with an improved onboard drawing toolset and a fully featured Bezier pen set. Previous incarnations offered only Quadratic curves, which you can bend using the normal Selection tool. While they're fresh and intuitive to use, they just don't offer the control and range of the Bezier standard. If you're still on Flash 4, you may find you need to do most of your drawing in FreeHand or Illustrator, and import it into Flash.

Bezier tool

If you're using Flash 5, you may want to import drawings anyway, simply because you're better used to the illustration app. Flash 5s Bezier tools are still a little different. although the results are just the same. Use the simple Bezier to plot your points as usual; then use the same tool to add points, turn them from curves to corners, delete points, and so on.

Onboard Subselector

The onboard Subselector (an outlined arrow), enables you to select and drag individual points, and draw around the curve handles. Hold down Alt and you can drag the handles independently to create a point. It seems different, but works as well as FreeHand or Illustrator.