Let’s Practice Node Editing
(Introduction to Nodes)


BY...doing this tutorial you are agreeing to the Terms of Use
Please make sure you have read them.
Anything you create with this tutorial is yours to do with as you please.  The tutorials itself follows my Terms of Use.

I used PSP8beta.  You can do in PSP7.  Instead of clicking on the Pen Tool to node edit, select the Object Selector  tool .

Open a New transparent image 400 X 400.
Flood fill the bottom Raster Layer with White to help you see easier.
Click on New Vector Layer icon on Layer Palette.

Select any color you would like to use for Background – Foreground Null
Use Preset Shapes – Square (You can experiment with other shapes also.  I just felt this one is simple and a good starting point.)

Let the fun begin!  We will look at different node editing tools.  Click on the Pen Tool

Double Click on any of the nodes (This is the shortcut to Select All).

Click anywhere on background.  This will deselect nodes.

You can also select more than one node at a time to move by holding down the Shift Key and selecting the nodes you would like to move.  Try selecting just the top two and moving up or down a little.

Right Click on one of the Nodes and Select Node Type - Asymmetic.

You will notice you get an arrow.  Click on either end.  Drag out, rotate, and experiment to see what happens.  You will notice you can drag either end of the arrow out to any length you would like.

Now let’s right click on one of the other nodes and select Symmetric as the Node Type.
You will get an arrow again.  Click on either end.  Drag out, rotate, and experiment to see what happens.  Notice this time when you drag either end of the arrow out both sides of the arrow contract or expand.

Now for some real fun!  Hope you play with this a while.
Right click on one of the nodes you haven’t selected yet.
Node Edit – Asymmetric or Symmetric (Either is fine)
Again Node Edit – Cusp
Click on either end of the arrow, drag out, rotate and experiment.
Try the other end of the arrow.
Play a while and see how many interesting images you come up with

Now try:
Right clicking back on same node and selecting one of the other Node Types – Smooth, Line Before, Line After, or Convert to Line

One more thing to try:
Right click on the last node.
This time instead of going to Node Edit, use Edit – Break.  Then drag + to another location.

Play around while, but don’t run off yet!
Before you leave there are two more things I’d like you to try.

Hold down the Ctrl Key on the keyboard and click on any line.  This will add a new node.  Another one to play with!!!

The last thing for now.

Click on any node, again hold down the Ctrl Key on the keyboard, click on the node again and you will notice it merges.

Don’t be afraid to experiment.  You can always (Ctrl Z) to undo.

I hope this tutorial has given you a better understanding of how to work with nodes.

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© 2003 Carla Polston - All Rights Reserved