¿what does it mean, "expand stroke" in reality? it's function?

[rosa cobos]

Hi friends,

The question is a simple one,

¿what is the exact meaning and function of the tool "expand stroke" and its capabilities?

I have never understood it though Inhave received some bold explanations about it.

It must be a challenge to make menunderstand!!!!

Thanks a lot for your valuable help.

Rosa

[JimGoshorn]

OK, think of a straight path that you drew which is 20 points wide (a single path line with 10 points on each side). That stroke width of 20 points is dynamic so you can change the value to 30 and the width changes to 30. Now, if you expand the path, Designer basically changes it into a shape 20 points wide by however long the path was and in whatever shape it was drawn. The single path line is removed. Now you have anchor points around the exterior of the shape which you can change with the node tool.

 

This is similar to using a shape and then expanding it into a curve.

 

Hope this makes it clearer.

[rosa cobos]

Thanks a lot.

I think I understand it though not absolutely. I belive that the best way to get the real point of it is using is and trying to follow your explanation as it is happening. There are some specifications to make clear, When you are saying about a path of 20 points are you meaning pixels? I get a bit confused by this word or using of word, "point". Otherways I think you have given me a good explanation of everything, I will try it, for I understand the thing of turning a shape into curves pretty well and use it mostly all the time, so I do not see any problem in trying this "expanding function" with the paths. Now made clear that when you draw a path, is almost the same as a shape with a potential for being "Expanded", that is using the nodes for changing its aspect....is that it?

 

Thanks a lot for your so valuable help.

Greetings from Bilbao,Spain.

Rosa

[JimGoshorn]

20 points is what I use as my document units (habit from Illustrator). Fonts are measured in points as well. If you have your units set to pixels then it would be 20 pixels.

 

Try out the command on something simple like a straight path. When you do, you will see that it removes the dynamic nature of the path. You turn a shape like an ellipse into a curve if you need to modify it using the node tool. For example (I know Designer has the shape already but let's keep it simple), in the comic books, when characters speak, you have the balloon with the arrow pointing to the character. So you could draw a rounded rectangle, change it to a curve which has nodes and then add nodes which you could use to create the pointer at the bottom.

 

Same idea with expanding: use it when you need to modify the path in ways it normally doesn't do. An example would be let's say you had a font and you wanted to add a special flourish to a capital T which it doesn't normally have. You can expand the letter so it has nodes so you can modify the letter with the node tool and maybe additional points.

 

A great example for why you shouldn't expand unless necessary is the Lamborghini example on this site. The artist used paths to depict reflections on the car. Drew a path line, enlarged the width of the line, then used the pressure setting to vary it's width along with a blur to soften the edges. He didn't expand it so he could change the properties dynamically as he needed. If he needed to, he could bend the reflection along a curve. If he had expanded the reflection path it would be a shape and imagine how much work it would be to bend a shape.

 

The idea is that the ability is there but it is not something you use without good reason because you will lose the dynamic nature of the object.

 

Sorry if I threw a lot at you but it's a complex subject.

[rosa cobos]

Thank you so much, Jim for your detqiled. and long explanation, In fact, it may work as a full tutorial. Now the thing is simply to go beyond the mentql understanding and start to use it when necessary. I have done some trials and really it has given me much deeper understanding about how vectors are working.

 

Greetings from Bilbao, Spain.

Rosa

[JimGoshorn]

Glad my explanation helped. While vectors are more difficult in many ways, I find them more fascinating than using a painting app.

 

Guess it appeals to my inner Geek  :D