Rendering Objects and Images

Rendering converts objects into paint objects. For example, you can use the Render command to create a paint object from text, and then use the Airbrush tool to paint highlights on the image of the text.

You can create paint objects by rendering selected vector objects, text objects, and group objects. You can render a paint object to create a new paint object that has different characteristics than the original.

Rendering is also referred to as “rasterizing” because the process produces a raster image — an image composed of pixels arranged in a grid. All paint objects in Canvas X Draw contain raster, or pixel-based, images.

When you use the Render command, you can create a transparency mask or visibility mask for the resulting paint object.

When you render a vector object, it’s a good idea to select a visibility mask if you want to isolate an object against a clear background.

To Render Objects:

Select one or more objects and choose Image | Area | Render. If you select multiple objects, they will be rendered as one paint object.

The Render Image dialog box lets you specify resolution and other settings for the resulting paint object, as described in the Render Image Settings table below.

Click OK to render the selection.

Canvas X Draw creates a paint object containing an image of the original objects. The paint object appears in front. The Render command does not change the original selected objects.

To See the Original Objects:

Drag the paint object away.

Pasting into Images

You can render objects by copying them to the Clipboard and then pasting them into paint objects in Edit mode. When an image is in Edit mode and you paste into it, the Clipboard content is rendered and appears as a selection in the image.

Anti-aliasing blurs edges while rendering to make the edges of text characters and vector objects appear smoother in the resulting image.

If you select the “Anti-aliased Clipboard” option in the Configuration Center, Canvas X Draw anti-aliases vector and text objects that you paste into paint objects.

Rendering Exported Files

If necessary, Canvas X Draw renders selected objects or an entire document when you use the Save As command to export to a raster file format; e.g., if you select vector objects, and then save in GIF format, Canvas X Draw renders the selected objects because GIF files store raster images.

When Canvas X Draw is saving a file, some options might not be available in the Render Image dialog box because the file format doesn’t support them.

Render Image Settings

Specify image mode, resolution, and other settings in the Render Image dialog box.

Dimensions	Displays the width and height of the paint object Canvas X Draw will create. Choose the measurement for the Width and Height values in the Dimension area; inches, centimeters (cm), points, or picas.
Mode	Choose the color mode for the resulting image: Black & White, Grayscale, Indexed Color, RGB Color, CMYK Color, or LAB Color.
Width and Height	Enter the pixel dimensions for the paint object. When you change a value, Canvas X Draw adjusts the others to maintain the size and proportions of the original objects.
Res	Choose pixels per inch or pixels per centimeter in the pop-up menu. The value shown after “Size” is the amount of data in the image, based on the mode, resolution, and dimensions.
Interpolation	Select the interpolation method you would like to use. Bilinear: Displays tiling or "jaggies" when resizing an image. Triangle: Produces good results for image reduction and enlargement, but displays sharp transition lines. Bicubic: Produces good results with photo-realistic images and images that are irregular or complex. This method uses interpolation to minimize the raggedness normally associated with image expansion. Bell: Smoothes the image. BSpline: Produces smooth transitions, but may cause excessive blurring. Lanczos: Produces the sharpest images, but may also introduce some ringing artifacts. Mitchell: Produces smooth transitions when enlarging photo-realistic images. This filter is a good compromise between the ringing effect of Lanczos and the blurring of other filters.
Anti-Alias	Blurs edges while rendering to make the edges of text characters and vector objects appear smoother in the resulting image. Choose Fine, Medium, or Coarse in the pop-up menu. Coarse uses 16 shades for anti-aliasing and is the fastest option. Medium uses 64 shades for anti-aliasing. Fine uses 256 shades for anti-aliasing. Fine produces the softest edges and is the slowest option.
Mask	Select this option if you want the resulting paint object to have a visibility mask or a channel mask. Then choose the type of mask. Transparency creates a channel mask. The channel mask is based on the silhouette of the rendered objects. In other words, if there are spaces between the objects, the channel mask will create transparent spaces. Visibility creates a visibility mask in the paint object. The result is a clear background in areas not covered by objects. If you do not select Mask, areas not filled by rendered objects within the paint object’s bounding rectangle will be white and opaque. If you select Mask and either Transparency or Visibility, areas that are not filled by rendered objects will be transparent.

Rendering with the Camera Tool

You can use the Camera tool to create a paint object from any area in a document. The Camera tool renders the area you select. You can set the resolution, color mode, and other options for the rendered image. Using the Camera tool is like taking a snapshot of the screen. You simply use the Camera tool to select a rectangular area for rendering. You can include all types of objects and parts of objects in the rendering, without selecting the objects first.

The Camera tool is useful whenever you need to convert objects to an image, such as for creating Web graphics. The Camera tool functions like the Image | Area | Render command. The Camera tool lets you control the exact area to be rendered, while the Render command renders a rectangular area that includes all selected objects.

To Render with the Camera Tool:

Select the Camera tool.
Drag to draw a rectangle around the area you want to render. View the dimensions and coordinates of the rectangle in the Status bar. A bounding box with handles appears around the area you selected.
Adjust the box to select exactly the area you want to render by using the controls in the Properties bar or manually changing the shape and size with the handles.
Enter values in the fields to change the position and size of the bounding box. Select a resolution or render at screen resolution. Drag the handles to manually reposition or resize the bounding box.
Click the Accept button or click inside the area.
In the Render Image dialog box, select the options you want to use, and then click OK to render the selected area. After you click OK in the Render Image dialog box, a paint object containing the rendered image appear on top of the area you selected.