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Vectoring in on bitmaps with Fireworks

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Dave Bricker

Dave Bricker

www.davebricker.com

 

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. The Fireworks Tool panel
  3. Bitmap fills: Filling vector shapes with bitmapped patterns
  4. Paste As Mask: Quick techniques for distressing type
  5. The Combine Paths function and the secret Path panel
  6. Conclusion
Created:
16 April 2007
User Level:
Advanced
Products:
Fireworks CS3 or later

Pixel-based images and path-based images have traditionally been thought of as belonging to different worlds of style and technique. No longer! Adobe® Fireworks CS3® offers a unique design model that combines bitmapped and vector graphics in a single environment.

Now, you can use Fireworks to leverage the best that each type of graphic has to offer without having to switch from one program to another, or from one mode to another. Not only does this make your workflow more efficient, it opens up a world of creative possibilities. In particular, you can use Fireworks vectors as “clipping paths on steroids” for bitmaps, other vectors, and even groups of both.

This article introduces some simple and timesaving ways to use Fireworks bitmaps and vectors together to quickly create useful masking effects.

Requirements

To follow along with this article, you will need the following software:

Fireworks CS3

Prerequisite knowledge:

You should have a working knowledge of the basic concepts behind vector and bitmap graphics.

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About the author

Dave Bricker is a graphic designer, Flash developer, and marketing consultant in Miami, Florida. He is a full-time faculty member at AI-Miami International Institute of Art and Design and is rich in beta-carotene.