Create a shape from curves using the Paint panel

Before you can create a shape, you must create a curve or set of curves, or you must already have a curve or set of curves in your wire file. You must also have a canvas plane in the window where you create the curves. (See Create a canvas plane.)

Curves are the basis to develop shapes; shapes can be used for painting, masking, or invisibility masks.

You can easily create shapes from curves using the Global Auto-Shape section of the Paint control panel. The Global Auto-Shape section is visible when you have a tool from any palette other than the Paint palette selected.

To create a shape from curves using Auto-Shape

Select Image(fill), Image(outline), Mask, or Invisibility mask from the Type pop-up menu in the Global Auto-Shape section of the Paint panel.
Select Curves > New Curves > New CV Curve from the Curves palette.
An image layer is created automatically as you begin to create your curve. The layer’s canvas is visible in the Perspective view.
The curve automatically creates the type of shape you chose. The shape’s color indicates whether it is an invisibility mask (yellow), mask (pink) or image (white). The default colors can be changed through Shape Options (see Edit a shape using the Paint panel).

If a shape’s curves are 3D curves, the shape may not appear as you expect.
To create a new shape layer, first create a new image layer and make it the active layer, then create a new shape.