Why is my colour lighter than expected when filling an area
Sometimes, when you paint, the resulting colour in the design can be lighter than the colour chip of the corresponding layer in the Layers Palette, as demonstrated below. There are several potential causes for this. This article takes you through those.
The Patterns Library
This may be because you have a pattern set in the Patterns Library. To set it to the default solid pattern, go to Window Menu > Patterns and change the pattern to the default.
The Draw Level
It may also be due to the draw level of the layer. If the Draw Level is set to anything other than 100%, the painted colour will appear lighter in the design when compared to the colour block of that layer in the Layers Palette. To change the Draw Level, double click on the value in the Layers Palette. This will make it editable, and you can enter 100%. If you cannot see this option as shown below, make the Layers Palette wider.
The Brushes Library
Transparency
You may have a transparency set on the brush you are using. Check the settings shown below. If you are painting with a transparency other than 0%, the depth of colour will not match the 100% colour in the Layers Palette.
Note: In the image below, the transparency setting at the top of the Brushes Library is a global setting, and effects all brushes in the library. The transparency setting within the brushes setting, is an individual setting for the selected brush.
The selected brush
The brush you are using may be tonal. The preview of the brushes indicates which brushes are tonal.
I’m using a tonal brush, so why is there no tone when I paint?
Make sure you are working on an 8 bit layer. If you have a 1 bit layer active in the Layers Palette, this will be the reason no tone is being created, because 1 bit layers can only be 0% and 100% tone.
DeleteHow can I move the position of an active selection without moving any design content?
To do this, all layers in your design must be inactive.
The easiest way to do this is:
- Click on the pencil icon of one of the layers. This makes all but one layer active.
- Hold down ⇧ (shift key) on your keyboard and click the pencil icon of the remaining active layer. This will deactivate this layer too.
You will now be free to move your selection around without the contents moving too. Simply activate the layers when you are ready to start editing the content.
DeleteHow do I measure the size of a motif?
This can be used in conjunction with the Info Window and rulers to accurately measure distances and angles. The Info Window displays the length (L) and angle (º) of any measurements made with this tool.
This tool is useful for checking angles in your design or the length between two points. This measuring technique can be used to check design parameters such as the screening angle and line frequency used on a screened layer.
Note: The length and angle values will remain in the Info Window until the Pipette Tool or the Measure Tool are used again.
Tip: For a precise measurement use the ‘+’ and ‘-’ keys as you are using the measure tool to zoom into and out of the area to be measured.
Setting a new ruler origin using the Measure Tool
The Measure Tool can also be used to change the origin of the ruler. Normally, the ruler origin is set at 0, 0 (the top left corner of a design). You can move the x and y coordinate points from their normal position to anywhere in the design, or to set a radius and an angle to create a new ruler origin. This makes it easier to set selections and shapes within a design and it is particularly useful when creating Geometric Shapes.
Select the Measure Tool from the Tools Palette and then do one of the following:
- Hold down ⌘ (command key) and click in the design at the required point. The ruler origin will automatically move to the point where you click and the rulers will update immediately, counting from the new origin.
- Double click on the Measure Tool in the Tools Palette. A floating window will open letting you set the rulers origin at a position relative to:
- Current ruler origin - the 0,0 origin of your rulers
- Document - the design edges will be used to set the position of the ruler origins
- Selection - this includes an area selected using any of the selection tools or a selected vector shape
Tip: If you are not satisfied with the result, simply click on the Reset button to start again. This feature is particularly handy when creating shapes relative to others in Cartesian co-ordinates (across and down).
Clearing the ruler origin
With the Measure tool selected hold down ^ (control key) and click on the design to reveal a contextual menu.
- Reset - will set the origin back to the top, left corner
- Set - will set the origin to the point you click on when selecting the contextual menu
Note: The Ruler Origin is not saved within the design and any grids are not affected by changes to the origin.
How can I restore the default Brushes Library?
From the action menu in the Brushes Library, select Install More Brushes. This takes you directly to the downloads page on Assist. Select the Default Brushes set and these will load directly into your Brushes Library.
DeleteWhy does my design disappear when I apply text?
When you use the Text Tool to apply text to your design, it will replace any existing information on the active layer. Therefore you should add a new layer for your text.
You can use the Combine to Layer function to add the text to another layer later, if you wish.
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