Paint control panel
 
 
 

The shelf area

The shelf area contains shelf sets, which are sets of tools you can customize to help with your workflow. You can change the contents and number of shelf sets in this area, and compress them or expand them by clicking the tabs.

This area also lets you have more window real estate by offering a compact alternative to the main shelf window. For example, you can put all the symmetry tools in the shelf set area and then close the main shelf window for a larger view of your model.

Click the Shelf Options tab for a drop-down menu that lets you add, save, clear, and replace shelf sets in the shelf area.

Shelf Options

Click the Shelf Options tab for a drop-down menu that lets you add, save, clear, and replace shelf sets in the shelf area.

New

Deletes all default shelf sets and creates a shelf.

New Tab

Creates a shelf.

Save

Saves the customized shelf set.

Replace

Replaces one customized shelf set with a second customized shelf set.

Pick list

The Pick list isolates a single shape from a collection of shapes. The white text field displays the name of the picked shape.

You can pick more than one shape in Alias. The gray text box tallies all picked (and active) shapes in the modeling space. To view a drop-down list of all selections, and to switch between shapes, click the gray text box.

To rename a picked shape, type the new name into the white text field.

Display

For a better view of your design, the Display options let you display or hide the following items on the picked geometry:

To display or hide all shapes, put a check mark in the All check box, to the right of Shapes.

Transparency

This set of options lets you control the level of transparency of geometry and other items such as locators and canvases.

Transparency is achieved by blending the object color into the background color.

NoteThese sliders are also available from WindowDisplay > Transparency .

A value of 0.0 means the item is completely opaque. A value of 1.0 means the item is completely transparent and invisible.

Shape Options

The Shape options define shape properties. You can also set them through the Shape Editor. The values are kept synchronized between the two.

See Windows > Editors > Shape Editor.

Shape Outline

When this option is turned on (checked), the shape outline is visible and the Shape Outline properties are displayed. When it is off (unchecked), the outline disappears and the Shape Outline properties are hidden. The Shape Outline properties control how the shape outline looks.

Style

Click to choose whether the outline is Solid Brush (highly defined) or Airbrush (a softer, more undefined brush).

RGB Color

Click the color swatch to set the color, or drag the slider to change the brightness of the color.

Opacity

Slide to control the opacity of the outline. Opacity is a way of representing how “see-through” the brush paint is. (Opacity is the opposite of transparency.) You cannot see anything underneath paint that has an opacity of 1. The lower the opacity, the more you can see through the paint. Paint that has an opacity of 0 is invisible.

Width

Defines the width of the brush in pixels from 0.01 to 50.

Aspect and Rotation

Aspect controls how flat or circular the brush stamp is. An aspect ratio of 1 means the brush stamp is circular. The lower the aspect ratio, the flatter the brush stamp. The angle of a flat stamp is based on the brush Rotation.

Rotation is the angle (measured in degrees) of the brush stamp. If Aspect is less than 1, changing Rotation makes the brush stamp more horizontal (0) or more vertical (90). The range is 0 - 360.

Spacing

Brushes apply paint to a canvas plane in strokes. A stroke consists of a series of closely spaced stamps. If you click a brush onto a canvas plane, instead of dragging the stylus, you apply a single stamp of paint. You can control how strokes are generated from stamps.

The Spacing slider controls the space between stamps in a stroke. Low values produce smooth strokes with no spaces between stamps. Higher values produce strokes that appear as a series of dots. The valid range is 0 - 255.

Shape Fill

When this option is turned on (checked), the shape fill is visible and the Shape Fill properties are displayed. When it is off (unchecked), the shape fill disappears and the Shape Fill properties are hidden. The Shape Fill properties control how the interior of the shape looks.

RGB Color

Click the color swatch to set the color, or drag the slider to change the brightness of the color.

Map

Click the Map button to select a texture.

Opacity

Slide to control the opacity of the outline. Opacity is a way of representing how “see-through” the brush paint is. (Opacity is the opposite of transparency.) You cannot see anything underneath paint that has an opacity of 1. The lower the opacity, the more you can see through the paint. Paint that has an opacity of 0 is invisible.

Quality

Select high, medium, or low to define texture quality.

A high-quality texture takes more time to display, while a low-quality texture takes less time. The default is medium.

Fill

Click to create shape regions with Fill set to Inside or Outside. Selecting Outside fills the areas outside of the shape. Selecting Inside fills the areas inside the shape.

Copy Parameters

These options let you copy and paste properties (both outline and fill) between shapes.

Option

Choose what parts of the shape are copied and pasted: Outline and Fill, Fill or Outline.

Copy

Click this button to copy the shape parameters from a shape, or Shape tool instance, to the Alias clipboard.

Paste

Click this button to apply the shape parameters previously copied using the Copy button to the currently selected shape, or Shape tool instance.

Global Auto-Shape

You can automatically create a shape, invisibility mask, or mask as you create a curve using the Type drop-down list in the Global Auto-Shape section in the Paint Panel.

Invisibility mask

Creates a mask from curves that hides the paint on that image layer.

Invisibility masks hide portions of the image layer, and paint applied on top of an invisibility mask becomes invisible. However, Invisibility masks do not block paint like a mask. When the Invisibility mask is removed, the revealed image layer is painted. More frequently, you use invisibility masks to hide portions of a layer that you do not want to erase.

As shown above, the invisibility mask hides paint, but does not block brush tools.

Mask

Creates a mask from curves.

A mask is way of protecting areas of an image layer from brushes, erasers, and from certain image layer operations (for example, clearing an image layer, blurring an image layer, and so on).

Like invisibility masks, masks hide a portion of the image layer. Unlike invisibility masks, masks block brush tools.

Image (fill) and Image (outline)

Creates a shape from a curve or set of curves.

You cannot create a shape in the perspective view. If the curves of a shape do not form a closed region, then the end points of the curve ends connect by a straight line segment that does not have any outline properties. Different properties can be assigned to the fill area and the outline curve.

Off

No shape, mask, or invisibility mask is created.

The Interactive check box controls how your shape shows changes when you modify the curve(s).

Interactive off

Modifies only the curve. The shape remains unchanged.

When the mouse button is released, the shape snaps to the new curve. If you do not like the new shape, press +Z (Windows) or +Z (Mac) to undo.

Interactive on

The whole shape updates interactively as you modify the shape’s curves.

Brush Options

The Brush Options are visible on the Paint Panel when you have a tool from the Paint palette selected, or a tool from the Sketch#2 shelf selected.

This section displays frequently modified attributes of a brush.

When a brush tool is active, the cursor becomes a crosshair with the letter P (for paint) or E (for eraser).

When you hold the cursor over the canvas, the cursor also displays a preview image of how the brush will apply paint to the sketch.

In the Paint Panel or Brush Options box, adjust the Min Radius and Max Radius sliders or enter values in the Min Radius and Max Radius fields. These values are measured in pixels (of the sketch image plane). The maximum brush size is 255. Max Radius is displayed in a solid line and Min Radius is displayed in a dotted line.

Snap

Defines whether the brush follows the center or edge of the curve.

The button in the right-hand side of the Alias main menu bar must be clicked (white) for this feature to work.

Center

Snaps the brush directly onto the curve, so it follows the center of the curve.

Edge

Snaps the brush to the nearest side of the curve. Depending on which edge the brush is nearest to, the brush follows the upper or lower edge of CV.

Brush Mode

Click Mode to select a brush function.

These options control whether the brush will:

Profile

Controls the softness or hardness of the brush stamp edges. Select one of Regular, Solid, Hard Solid, or Buzz from the pop-up menu to obtain the following brush profiles.

To use a brush profile you have customized, select the Custom menu item. Double-click any brush icon in the Sketch#2 shelf to open the brush editor for customization.

Color

Click the color swatch to set the color, or drag the slider to change the brightness of the color.

Min and Max Opacity

You can make the brush opacity change based on how hard you press the stylus on your tablet. The Min Opacity is the minimum opacity for the brush (when you press lightly with the stylus) and the Max Opacity is the maximum opacity for the brush (when you press hard with the stylus). If you do not want the opacity to vary with stylus pressure on the tablet, set the Min Opacity and the Max Opacity to the same value.

Min and Max Radius

The size of a brush is based on its Min Radius (when you press lightly with the stylus) and its Max Radius (when you press hard with the stylus). If you do not want the size to vary with stylus pressure on the tablet, set the Min Radius and the Max Radius to the same value. Small brushes are more responsive than large brushes.

Aspect and Rotation

Aspect controls how flat or circular the brush stamp is. An aspect ratio of 1 means the brush stamp is circular. The lower the aspect ratio, the flatter the brush stamp. The angle of a flat stamp is based on the brush Rotation.

Rotation is the angle (measured in degrees) of the brush stamp. If Aspect is less than 1, changing Rotation makes the brush stamp more horizontal (0) or more vertical (90). The range is 0 - 360.

Wetness

This slider is only available when the Marker tool is used. Controls the wetness or dryness of the marker. The range is 0 (very dry like a very old marker) to 1 (very wet like a brand new marker).

Brush Stamp Options

The Brush Options are visible on the Paint Panel when you have a tool from the Paint palette selected, or a tool from the Sketch#2 shelf selected.

Capture Mode

The Brush Stamp Options let you capture a snapshot of an image to use as a brush. You can capture just the shape, or the shape and its texture (color) as well. The capture drop-down takes the snapshot, and immediately reverts to Off. The Stamp drop-down menu then controls the brush. The Stamp menu lets you choose whether to paint with only shape, or both shape and texture.

When the capture tool is active, the cursor becomes a small camera with the letter S if shape is selected, or S,T if shape and texture is selected.

Off

No capture takes place.

Shape

The next click of the mouse on the image captures a snapshot of the shape directly beneath the cursor to use for a brush.

Shape and Texture

The next click of the mouse on the image captures a snapshot of both the paint and the shape directly beneath the cursor to use for a brush. Any transparency on the image layer is captured, as well as the colors and textures.

Stamp

When a brush tool is active, the cursor becomes a crosshair with the letter P (for paint) or E (for eraser)

Off

No stamp is used. The current setting in Brush Options is used.

Shape

Uses the captured shape (alpha channel) for the brush.

Shape and Texture

Uses the captured shape (alpha channel) and texture (color) for the brush.

Flood Fill

These options appear only when the Flood Fill tool is selected. Flood a consistently colored area of an image layer with paint.

Color

Click the color swatch to set the color, or drag the slider to change the brightness of the color.

Opacity

Slide to control the opacity of the outline. Opacity is a way of representing how "see-through" the brush paint is. (Opacity is the opposite of transparency.) You cannot see anything underneath paint that has an opacity of 1. The lower the opacity, the more you can see through the paint. Paint that has an opacity of 0 is invisible.

Tolerance

Controls the range of colors that are filled. A low value fills pixels having a color very similar to the color you click. A high value fills pixels having a broader range of colors. The valid range is 0 - 255.

Text Options

These options appear only when the Text Image tool is selected. Use to add text to your image. When you create text, it is created on its own layer of the canvas, which allows greater leeway for moving and manipulating the text.

Multi-byte languages, like Japanese, Korean, or Chinese, are not supported with the text tool.

Font

Click to choose a font from your installed system fonts.

Style

Click to choose from italic, bold italic or regular.

Color

Click the color swatch to set the color, or drag the slider to change the brightness of the color.

Size

Slide to adjust the text size.

Tracking

Slide to adjust the space between letters.

Underline

Click to underline all text in the text box.

StrikeOut

Click to strikeout all text in the text box.

Magic Wand

These options appear only when the Magic Wand icon is chosen. Selects a consistently colored area of an image layer.

Magic Wand Selection Mode

Allows you to create a selection area (New), add to the selection area (Add), or subtract from the selection area (Subtract).

Tolerance

Controls the range of colors that are selected. A low value selects pixels having a color very similar to the color you click. A high value selects pixels having a broader range of colors. The valid range is 0 - 255.

Marquee

The Marquee options appear only when one of the four marquee icons are selected: Marquee (polyline), Marquee (lasso), Marquee (rectangle), and Marquee (ellipse).

See Paint > Select > Marquee.

Mode

Allows you to create a selection area (New), add to the selection area (Add), or subtract from the selection area (Subtract).