- Creating Basic Fills
- Creating a Web Dither Fill
- Creating Gradient Fills
- Working with Patterns
- Using Textures
- Modifying Fill Edges
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Working with Patterns
Another way to fill objects is to apply a pattern. Patterns are images that
have been specially created so that they can repeat within an object without
showing an obvious repeat tile. Fireworks ships with 45 preset patterns that
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.
Examples of four
patterns inside objects.
To apply a pattern fill:
-
Choose one of the vector drawing tools or select a vector object. The Property Inspector displays the Fill options.
-
Choose Pattern from the Fill category menu
.
Choose Pattern
from the Fill menu in the Property Inspector. -
Click the Fill Color Well. This opens the Pattern options
.
Click the
Fill Color Well to open the Pattern controls. -
Choose one of the patterns in the Pattern menu.
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A preview box appears as you move through the list
.
Choose one of
the patterns from the Pattern menu. A preview of each pattern is displayed.The Vector controls can also be used to modify the appearance of patterns as well as gradients (see previous page).
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In addition to the patterns that ship with Fireworks, you can use your own images to use as patterns.
To add individual patterns:
-
Choose Other from the pattern list.
Navigate and select the file you want to use as a pattern.
-
The name of the file appears at the end of the pattern list and can be applied to any object
.
An individual
pattern imported from a file is displayed inside an object.TIP
Individual patterns are contained in that document only.
You can transfer an individual pattern from one document to another by copying an object containing the pattern to another file.
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Fireworks ships with default patterns that appear in the Fill panel. You can add to the patterns that ship with Fireworks or create your own pattern folder.
To add to the pattern folder:
Scan or create artwork that can be tiled as a pattern.
Give the file a name and save it as any file format Fireworks can read. (See the "Adding Patterns and Textures" sidebar on this page for a list of those file formats.)
Put the file in the Patterns folder (Fireworks: Configurations: Patterns). The name of the file appears as the name of the pattern in the pop-up list.
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Use the same technique to add files to the Textures folder (Fireworks: Configurations: Textures). (See the next page for information on working with textures.)
To add a second pattern folder:
-
Place the files that you want to be patterns in a folder (directory).
-
Choose File>Preferences. or (Mac OS X) Choose Fireworks> Preferences.
-
Click the folders tab (Win) or choose Folders from the menu (Mac). The Folders preferences appear
.
Use the Folders
Preferences to specify a second folder to hold patterns. -
Choose Patterns and then use the Browse button to navigate to the folder that holds the files.
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The patterns are not available until the next time you launch Fireworks.
Use the same technique to add a second folder for textures. (See the next page for information on working with textures.)
Adding Patterns and Textures
Fireworks supports any file format that it can export as the file format for patterns and textures. So, if you use Fireworks to create your patterns or textures, you can save the file as a PNG or any of the other bitmap formats Fireworks uses for exporting.
If you use another program, such as Adobe Photoshop, you can save the file as a PNG, TIFF, or other bitmap formats that Fireworks can export.
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