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Drawing: The Pencil Tool

201 Drawing
Flash Compatibility: Flash 8   (Also works in Flash MX04/Flash MX)

Written by: Andrei Doubrovski   from:   Meet the Flash

Editor: Phil Schulz

Length: 300 words

Assumed Knowledge: Minimal knowledge of Flash

Difficulty: Easy

Free Flash Tutorial

This tutorial will give you an introduction to the Pencil Tools as used in Flash. You will learn how to select different options and properties for the Pencil Tool. It will introduce you to the Tool Colour and Options section of the Tool box and introduce you to the Property Inspector. This Flash drawing tutorial is the first in a series of nine Flash drawing and painting tutorials that take you through all the necessary drawing tools available in Flash.

Using the Pencil Tool:  

1. Create a new Flash document using either File > New command or the "Start" screen as it is shown in the movie.
   
   
2. The new document opens with the Timeline at the top and Stage under it. At this time we don't need the Timeline, so you may hide it temporarily to get more space for our drawing lesson.
   
   
3. From the Tools Panel, select the Pencil Tool:
   
   
4. In the "Colors" area of the Toolbox, click the upper button to define the "stroke" color:
   
5. In the "Options" area of the Toolbox, choose a drawing mode for the Pencil. In the Movie, I select "Smooth" mode to reduce my hand trembling.
   
   
6. Place your cursor within the Stage area, press your mouse button (stylus) and draw something.
   
   
7. Content of the "Properties Inspector" depends on the tool or object you are currently working with. At this time, it displays the Pencil Tool icon, so we can change the Pencil parameters - the stroke color, width, smoothness and style.
   
   
8. In the Toolbox "Options" area, select "Straighten" drawing mode and try to picture some shape. In this mode, the tool is trying to guess your intention and converts the drawn lines into straight lines, smooth curves and regular figures. In case its guess is wrong, press [Ctrl+Z] keys to undo the last step and try it again.

    

   Cross Ref: Go to the next in this drawing series: Next >>>

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