Painting along path

[jack]

Hi,i'm new to photoline.

I want to draw with a brush along a path.
I made an image,then i select the line tool and make a line. then i go to Layout-image-path painting and select a brush(this procedure i found in a tutorial in this forum).
And then what ? i don't know how to go further.

Jack.

[Hoogo]

For path painting you have to select a vector layer, and the layer below has to be an image/raster layer.
If you can't select the menu entry, then there's usually one of these 2 layers of the wrong type.

When you use path painting and nothing happens, then check if your vector layer is really a path and not only a single point. Does the layer appear in red in the layer list? Then maybe you have used the "curve creation" tool, but only with one click for the starting point, no second click for the next or the end point.

[jack]

OK, nevermind i found the solution.I had to move the vector layer directly above the image-layer, it was on top of another vector layer.

Jack.

[jack]

Thanks Hoogo,just as i was typing my message yours came on.

jack.

[jack]

Here is something strange.
If the image has a layer style applied the paint along path doesn't work.
Any ideas ?

Jack.

[Herbert123]

It does work, but for some reason it does not update properly at first: adjust the distance slider a bit, and the line is drawn.

Small bug - I'll report in the beta section.

[jack]

Sorry but it doesn't work for me.
I'm on a Mac OS 10.6.8.

Jack.

[Herbert123]

True, I tried some other layer effects, and it's very funky - sometimes it updates, sometimes it does not, depending on ???

Also, applying a texture overlay seems broken, and will not keep the alpha information intact of the brush.

I would love to see this function get an overhaul and integrated in the stroke properties in the tool bar, so it would become non-destructive: change the stroke, and the paint along the path effect is then automatically updated. The current implementation feels old-fashioned, and somewhat incompatible with other functions, such as the aforementioned layer effects.

[kevjon]

I've created a group and have many vector layers under that group which was suggested in another thread.

I select ALT on the top layer of that group to select all the vector layers underneath, Path Painting is grayed out.

When I try something different and select the group, path painting is also grayed out.

Is the only way to have path painting available is merge all your vector layers into one layer ?

[Martin Huber]

Is the only way to have path painting available is merge all your vector layers into one layer ?

Yes, because Path Painting only works with vector layers whose direct predecessor is an image layer.

Martin

[Paul]

Hi,
One nice trick is to create a transparent RGB layer between the vector-layer and the image-layer. It's a kind of non-destructive path painting (on any type of frame). If I apply a style to this transparent layer (like a glow), this style is applied only to the painted path. Before or after the path-painting.
Otherwise you paint directly in the image.

- Paul

[kevjon]

Is the only way to have path painting available is merge all your vector layers into one layer ?

Yes, because Path Painting only works with vector layers whose direct predecessor is an image layer.

Martin

Ok, thanks Martin

@Paul
Thanks for the tip, it will come in quite useful for some of the effects I need to achieve.