15 replies to this topic

[ce-line]

Can anyone explain to me exactly what vectors are?
Can't I create my own vector patterns and if yes, how?    

Please help me out!  

[wolfepaw]

Here are descriptions of bitmap images and vector images.  There are several sites on the web which have some examples and explanations of each type.

Bitmap-based images are comprised of pixels in a grid. Each pixel or  "bit" in the image contains information about the color to be  displayed. Bitmap images have a fixed resolution and cannot be resized without losing image quality. Common bitmap-based  formats are JPEG, GIF, TIFF, PNG, PICT, and BMP. Most bitmap images can  be converted to other bitmap-based formats very easily. Bitmap images  tend to have much large file sizes than vector graphics and they are  often compressed to reduce their size. Although many graphics formats  are bitmap-based, bitmap (BMP) is also a graphic format.

Vector images are made up of many individual, scalable objects. These objects  are defined by mathematical equations rather than pixels, so they  always render at the highest quality. Objects may consist of lines,  curves, and shapes with editable attributes such as color, fill, and  outline. Changing the attributes of a vector object does not effect the  object itself. You can freely change any number of object attributes  without destroying the basic object. An object can be modified not only  by changing its attributes, but also by shaping and transforming it  using nodes and  control handles.  Vector graphics are resolution independent because they can be output to the highest quality at any scale.  

You can create your own vector patterns but you would graphic editing software to do it.  Photoshop does have some vector graphics in it.  Again, there are tutorials on the web which tell how to do this.  Here is just one tutorial about how to do a vector drawing in Photoshop:
Vector Tutorial

I hope this helped explain the difference between the two.

[ce-line]

Thank you so much! It helped a lot...
But the problem is I don't have photoshop. I have another software called photoimpact...
Is it also possible to use vector tutorials with that program?

[wolfepaw]

I am not familiar at all with PhotoImpact.  I found a website with PhotoImpact Tutorials, but I don't know which version you have, so I'm not sure if these will help you, but the link for that website is:
Stephanie's PhotoImpact Tutorial Page
Look on the panel on the left side and you should see the different versions of PhotoImpact that she has tutorials for.

It does appear that PhotoImpact does vector based drawing.  I did a Google search on "PhotoImpact" and "vectors" and turned up a number of things.  Here it is what was said on one website with a review of PhotoImpact XL:
Vector Drawing Tools - Although it's still a bitmap-based  program, PhotoImpact has several vector-based drawing tools for  creating shapes, paths, and curves. In addition to preset shapes, you  can draw your own shapes with the spline and bezier tools, or modify  existing shapes by manipulating nodes and handles. Custom shapes can be  added to the EasyPalette for reuse later. Both text and path objects  can be warped into various shapes and applied to a path so the text or  object flows along the path.

And here is a link about the Vector Drawing Tools in PhotoImpact 6:
Vector Drawing Tools in PhotoImpact 6

I hope this helps you a bit.  If you have any other questions, just post them and I will see what I can do to answer them.

Good Luck and I'm looking forward to see what vector drawings you create.  I LOVE graphics!

[ce-line]

Thanks for your help!  

Both links helped me!  

I have PhotoImpact 10, so I searched google myself, but I have to admit that I didn't really find anything that would help me?!    

I still have a problem with making a specific shape move along a path?!  

[wolfepaw]

Since I do not do a lot of vector drawing (though I expect to try some while I'm on vacation because I have DrawPlus XL), I'm not sure I understand what you mean when you say make a specific shape move along a path.  Are you just trying to relocate a figure or a shape somewhere else in your drawing?  Can you describe just exactly what you're trying do?  

Also, can you create layers in PhotoImpact?  Sometimes, if you take a shape and select it with a marquee tool, such as a rectangle or ellipse, and then make a new layer of the selected shape using New Layer by Copy (or something similar to that) and the object will now be in a new layer and you should be able to move it anywhere you want on the canvas or image or change it's color or blending effects or any number of things that you can do to layers.

But I'm really curious as to what you are doing or trying to do.  Please give some more detail and I'll see if I can help.  I've got PhotosShop and PhotoPlus XL so I should be able to figure out what you're trying to do by attempting it myself in either one of those.

[kathyc25]

You should try going to deviantart.com there`s plenty of tutorials there, and you can see some good examples of vector art as well

Also you can download a free program called GIMP, and you can create raster images with is pretty much the same as vector art...it just looses quality if you zoom in.

Edited by kathyc25, 08 July 2008 - 07:15 PM.

[ce-line]

I'm not sure that it's possible to make my own vector patterns, 'cause I only see squares and circles?!
I found out how to change the shapes... But I still don't get it? How can I make beautiful flower patterns and things like that?

... And Kathyc25: Did you make those pretty patterns in your signature yourself?

[kathyc25]

Nope those are brushed that I downloaded

[ce-line]

They're so pretty! But can you only download such brushes for photoshop?  

[wolfepaw]

Ce-line, there don't appear to be many downloadable brushes for PhotoImpact.  From what I have found on the web, you can use the Stamp Tool instead and use images of Photoshop brushes.  I have found a forum that talks about just such a thing.  The link for that is:
PhotoImpact topic brushes

One person also did a tutorial for converting images of Photoshop brushes into PhotoImpact stamps PhotoShop brushes to PhotoImpact Stamps tutorial.  

Just go to the link I provided for the PhotoImpact User forum and read the posts. They also link to Stephanie Shimerdla's Photoshop brushes site (she does some really wonderful brushes) and in addition to the brushes, she usually has a zip file of the images that the brushes are based on.  It is the images that you will use to convert those to Stamps in PhotoImpact.  

I hope this helps you a bit.

[ce-line]

Oh, Thank you so much! There are so many beautiful brushes!    
I read the tutorial of how to use them in Photoimpact and I think it's working for me!  
I downloaded some light-swirls and it looks great so far!  

Thanks!  

(For some reason I'm never able to find those great links on google?!)    

[wolfepaw]

Ce-line, that's great!!  Yes, Stephanie has some really great brushes and she does good tutorials as well.  I'm not sure all of her brushes have images, but most do, I think.  She's very nice, too.  I sent her an email to tell her how much I liked her brushes and she responded.  I sent her my Celine Photoshop brushes to get her opinion and she said she liked them a lot.  If you go to my post of More Celine Photoshop brushes and look towards the end, I have posted a jpg of all the latest brushes in one image.  Here is the link to that post.
More Celine Photoshop Brushes

If you wanted to create Celine stamps using that, it might work too.  If you're interested in the Celine brushes to use in PhotoImpact, but that image doesn't work for you, let me know and I can send them to you in a better format (better spacing between images so you can select them individually with a marquee) for conversion into PhotoImpact stamps.

[Hilda]

if your looking to create vector graphics u want adobe 'illustrator' but you'll have to download it from lime wire or something coz u wont wanna be shelling out 500 quid for the actual package. You can draw anything u want with the pen tool and ancor points. Im a graphic designer and its the industry standard. Tricky to use at first thought - It takes a while to get familiar with.

[zoea2812]

It all sounds really good, if a little confusing.Im not very technical you see. But there are some gorgeous artists on this forum.

[ce-line]

Thanks Wolfepaw!  

I will be trying it tomorrow!