Curving a "brushed" straight line?

[littleberry]

I am still using CS2, and I am having to break up my desired curved lines by repeatedly using the SHIFT key while clicking the next point along my desired curved line. I would like to know if there is a plug-in that would let me pick the starting point as normal, hold down the shift key while I move the mouse to the ending point, and then,after I click and get the straight line with the brush of my choice, I need a way to BEND that line in the pristine shape of a circular or elliptical arc. I need some way to indicate how much arc angle is needed (from a teeny bit to a semicircle), and also how much to skew it towards either of the end points.

The way I am doing this now is a) create a new layer and draw the straight line, then, delete everything else on this layer but the line, then show the main layer and edit the 2nd layer with warp, and then, finally, use warp to bend and skew the straight line - after all that, I flatten the image back to one layer. The problem with this method is that warp doesn't hold the edges of my formerly straight line (with crisp edges) true, but introduces indentations and juttings which I then have to go and "fix up" by hand. Or, b) copy the image to MSPaint, and use the bezier cure to draw the curved line I want, and then, copy it back into CS2.

If there is a way to bend my straight lines drawn with my selected brush, and it would keep the edges crisp and smooth, then I sure would like to learn how. The problem with using "paths" and stroking the path is that I cannot see how it will look while drawing the path and, even after I stroke it, that ugly path line with its anchor and control points muddles the picture and I wind up having to delete it and go back. I need to be able to see the FINAL result of bending my curved line while I am adjusting it with no artifacts to interfere with my close examination of the result.

I hope this is not too long winded - I needed to be specific.

Thanks, Littleberry

 

[ibclare]

Have you ever used the pen tool? I am not even sure I understand some parts of your post, but you don't need to warp anything using the pen tool or the shape tool for that matter.

 

[littleberry]

Yes I have used the Pen tool to create a path. That works just like I would want except that it isn't "stroked", so I can't see how the curved line fits in with my image (tryng to create a crisp outline of a fuzzy outlined object) until I stoke the path. But then, if I need to change it, when I try to edit the path, the little path lines and anchor points move but the "stroke" remains unchanged. Try it. Stroke a path and then edit the path, you'll see your original stroke stays unchanged. I need to be able to shape a curved brush line in the same way you shape a path, but, where the full width and color of the "stroked" curve is visible as you adjust it (a teeny here, a bit there, etc.).

If you haven't used MSpaint, there is a tool called Bezier, you select the starting point, the ending point, one control point, and then you can adjust the final control point and wathc how the curved fully stroked line changes as you drag the mouse around to set the final control point so as to get your curved line JUST RIGHT. Surely there is something in CS2 that does the same thing, but, after an exhausting search, I can't find it. I was hoping there would be a "plug-in" that would let you modify a straight "brush/pencil line to make it curve and skew a little bit.

 

[ibclare]

Yes, I know about paths. The only thing I know which might help is to make your path, stroke the path, move your line about as you need. Ctl/Cmd click the layer thumbnail and on the paths palette choose "make work path from selection."

If that doesn't help, there are members with more technique than I and maybe one of them can help you. :mrgreen: