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Intermediate
The
Anatomy of a Vector Illustration
Part One
Illustrations
created in all major vector drawing programs have a definite
anatomy and share a common pattern. Whether you use Deneba
Canvas™, Adobe® Illustrator®, CorelDRAW or Macromedia®
FreeHand® you will find that this pattern exists even though
each program may define the parts differently. The purpose
of this section of the web site is to take apart a vector
drawing so you can see how it is put together and able to
understand it. In the illustration section is a table
of equivalent terminology to better help you translate
the terms from one application to another. This will clarify
the subject and make it less confusing. You will not be bound
to a single application once this becomes clear to you.
The pattern of vector illustrations is best viewed or
represented as a hierarchy or "tree". The illustration itself
would be at the top and its various parts would descend below
it:
An
ILLUSTRATION is composed of vector
OBJECTS
each having one or more
PATHS
which are composed of
LINE
SEGMENTS having
ANCHOR
POINTS at each end
Illustration:
Objects:
Paths:
Line Segments and Anchor Points:
In the diagram
above the OBJECT shown is composed of a single closed PATH composed
of 19 LINE SEGMENTS and 19 ANCHOR POINTS. Notice the curved
line on the bottom. It is composed of 2 separate line segments
even though it appears to be one continuous smooth line.