Path Sketch consistency in adding or subtracting



  • I really love the path sketch tool! The only thing that I struggle with is knowing whether my next action will be certain to add to the existing selection or not. So as far as I understand the tool, after you make a first shape, you can carve into it to remove part, or add to it...all base don where the next part begins.
    So if I start the new path from inside the existing fill, should it not always be giving me an addition? and if I start outside the shape and go into it and back out, should that not always be a cut/removal from that first shape?
    Here is a video of me attempting to add and remove sections by starting both inside and outside the main shape.... sometimes when i start inside, it still cuts away when I expected it to add to it... am I doing something wrong? thanks for the help!


  • administrators

    @Boldline If the new paint is self intersecting then a closed shape is created that is extracted from the other shape.

    The difference is in using open (not self intersecting) or closed (self intersecting at the end) shapes when painting.

    • when a closed shape is painted, it is excluded.
    • when an open shape is painted, and it has at least two intersection points with the existing shape, then between the outermost two intersection points, the part of the existing shape is replaced with the part of the new shape. This can mean removal or addition, depending on how the new shape is positioned.

    there are some other cases also, but it gets complicated 🙂



  • @vectoradmin ok that makes more sense - I was doing all closed paths just out of habit I guess... and that was giving me inconsistency. But if I do open paths that almost close, I have a lot more reliability in getting what i want.
    Throwing this out there - instead of doing the fill option with no stroke on the pencil tool as you graciously considered.... could we add checkbox in the path sketch contextual menu for "always add" or "always cut"? I don't want to take away at all from what the path sketch offers, and half of what is cool about it is the ability to add and subtract on a dime. Adding that option to make it all one or the other if wanted, that would solve what i was wanting from the pencil tool
    Let me know what you think...


  • administrators

    @Boldline The "always add / cut" option would only work when closed shapes are painted.
    In case of open shapes, there is not adding or cutting, just the replacement of a shape part.



  • @vectoradmin ok I think that makes sense!
    I found a video of what I'm ultimately trying to accomplish and really, it's not in any of the vector apps. Even in this vector inking video by Hydro74 he uses the pen tool set the fill/no stroke (keep volume low or off until after it starts - there's just background music)
    The pen tool can accomplish this but it's lacking the free-form of the pencil and the creative process is slowed by the need to lay down nodes. Sometimes i just want to be able to keep the forms totally freehand and natural and see the result fill as I go...
    I think it would add a real hand drawn dimension