Discover the step-by-step process of creating and refining an image for paint work with the eraser tool, knife tool, and scissors tool. Learn how to open and close shapes, reflect your image, and prepare your image for live painting.
Key Insights
- The eraser tool, found in a gallery with the scissors tool and knife tool, can be used to erase sections of an image and create individual shapes on each side. This is done by clicking and dragging the tool on the desired area.
- Similar to the eraser tool, the knife tool is used to create lines and shape. By clicking and dragging where the arrow is, a new shape is created, and the shape before it is closed off.
- The scissors tool is utilized to select points on the path of an image. This is done by clicking on both the left-hand side and the bottom right-hand side of the path. After clicking both anchor points, the image is separated from the shape without closing off the shape above.
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In this video, we'll be going over a couple of tools to clean up our image. In the future, we'll be painting our rocket using Live Paint*, and Live Paint allows us to paint any images that are intersected by different lines and segments.
Therefore, any intersections will give us an opportunity to paint them. However, in the case of this jet on the right-hand side, we can see that we have multiple pieces that overlap our original sketch. In this case, we'll want to make sure that these are open lines so that they don’t contain the opportunity to have a filled color.
So, let's zoom in and strategize how we can fix this. To do this, we'll go over a couple of new tools. The first tool we'll be using is the Eraser Tool*, found in a gallery with the Scissors Tool and Knife Tool*.
Utilizing the Eraser Tool*, we can simply click and drag, and we'll see that it erases that section, creating a shape on each side. From here, we can hit V on the keyboard, select the bottom path, and delete it. However, in the case of this image, we still have part of the shape closed off, so we'll need to remove that as well.
Next, we can utilize the Knife Tool within the same gallery. By using the Knife Tool*, we can click and drag across the path, and we’ll create a custom cut. Similar to the Eraser Tool*, if we hit V on the keyboard and double-click the bottom section, we’ll see that it creates a new shape, but it also solidifies and closes off the previous shape.
So, let's delete this section using the Delete key on the keyboard and go over one final tool. From here, we'll be using the Scissors Tool*, also found in the same gallery. With the Scissors Tool*, we can select points on the path—first clicking the left-hand side, then the bottom right-hand side.
As we click both anchor points, we'll see that it separates from the shape. We can then hit V on the keyboard, select only the bottom shape, and if we drag it below, we'll see that it has separated without closing off the shape above. Therefore, we can delete it.
Next, we'll do the same thing—zooming in and removing the left-hand side of this rectangle. We'll again use the Scissors Tool (shortcut C on the keyboard), and select the top part of the path and the bottom part of the path. Then, hitting V on the keyboard, we'll select this entire section on the left-hand side and hit Delete.
We now have open sections here, but it's all one shape to be filled in the future. If we zoom out, we'll see that we also need to do the same on the right-hand side. We'll zoom in again, and using the Scissors Tool*, we'll select two points on the path. Then, hitting V, we'll select the center part that we've identified and hit the Delete key.
For the bottom section, we'll do the same thing—clicking the left side and then the right side, making sure to click just to the left of the bend. We'll then hit V on the keyboard, select this section, and hit Delete. From here, if we zoom out, we’ll see that we’ve created all of the shapes necessary to be filled for our rocket.
None of them are closed off, and they can each be filled individually. Finally, let's now prepare to reflect our image. To do this, we'll first want to add a line going down the center of our rocket.
We’ll use the Pen Tool*, and we’ll simply click above the rocket, and while holding Shift, click below the rocket. We'll then hit Escape on the keyboard, and we’re now ready to reflect. We'll hit V on the keyboard, and we’ll hide our Rocket Sketch layer, leaving only our rocket on the right-hand side.
We'll then hit CTRL+A to select all, and then hit CTRL+C to copy it. Next, we'll want to paste the same image we just copied by hitting CTRL+Shift+V on the keyboard. We now have a duplicate of the image on the right-hand side. With this second copy, we'll right-click and go to Transform > Reflect*, and we'll choose to reflect it vertically.
If we check Preview*, we can see the transformation. We'll click OK*, and all we now need to do is drag the new image to the left-hand side. Hold Shift while dragging to ensure that our lines stay aligned and intersect perfectly at the center. Release, and we now have our full rocket.
If we toggle the visibility of the Rocket Sketch layer and unlock it, we can now delete the center rectangle we created. This will show the full rocket without the guide. Let's now save our work by hitting CTRL+S on the keyboard. In the next video, we'll be building out the circles in the center.
See you there.