Create image brush strokes

Image brush strokes act the same as vector brush strokes (they are stretched and fit along any destination path), but they are created from bitmapped images. However, the method for making an image stroke differs from vector brush strokes.

Creating brush strokes from images

To create a brush stroke from an image, you need a bitmapped image. For information about how to import an image, see Import bitmapped images.

To create a brush stroke from an image

1. Open the image that you want to use for your brush stroke in your document.

2. In the Toolbox, select the Selection  tool (or press V).

3. Select the image, and then, on the Object menu, point to Stroke and then click Define Image Stroke. This opens the Define ImageStroke dialog box.

   

4. In the Define Image Stroke dialog box, type or select the following information:

   • Name   Type a name for the stroke.

   • Folder   Select a folder location for the stroke.

   • Default width   This value is used when you select a path that is currently set to no stroke, and then click this stroke in the Stroke/Brush List panel. Slide the pointer up or to the right to increase the width and down or to the left to reduce the width. You can also click the slider to enter a numeric value.

   • Body section   Select how you want the image to be repeated in the stroke. If you select Do not repeat, the image will stretch to fit the path. Simple repeat means that the image is repeated as many times as will fit. 2-part repeat means the middle section of the path is split evenly in two. The two parts randomly alternate along the path. If you specify a repeat of three or more parts, the parts appear in random order along the path, and a different combination will occur for each new path to which you apply this stroke.

   • Anchor head section length and Anchor tail section length   The two ends of an image stroke can be anchored so that it is not stretched to fit the destination path. Slide the pointer up or to the right to increase the size of the anchor and down or to the left to reduce the size. You can also click the slider to enter a numeric value.

Examples of bitmapped images (left column) and image strokes based on them (right column)

Anchored and repeating body sections

The two ends of an image stroke can be anchored, and the middle section can be made into one or more repeatable parts.

By anchoring each end of an image stroke, you can ensure that it is not stretched to fit the destination path. For information about how to anchor strokes, see Set and release anchor points.

If you do not specify a repeating section, then the two ends (up to the number of pixels you specified) will remain unstretched and the middle section will stretch to fit the path (assuming the final path is longer than the image stroke is wide). However, image strokes can be defined to contain one or more repeatable body sections of equal length. For information about setting repeatable parts, see Repeat elements in a brush stroke.

Here, a bitmapped image (1) has been converted into three image strokes. The first stroke (2) has a 50-point anchored head and tail, but no repeating middle. The second stroke (3) has a one-part repeating middle. The third stroke (4) has a two-part randomly repeating middle, so it looks less regular.