Bezier Curves and Freehand Lines

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Bezier Curves and Freehand Lines are two more kinds of Lines in Scribus.

Contents

Bezier Curves

A Bezier Curve in Scribus is created as a combination of several straight lines, where the end point of the actual line is the starting point for the next one. Use Insert > Bezier Curve, the button "Insert Bezier Curve" from the Toolbar or press B for creating a new Bezier curve:

Image:BezierCurves1.png

The cursor changes to a cross now and starts to create a straight line. With a second click, the line is finished. With a third click, another line is drawn between the end point of the first line and the actual position of the cursor. Every next click adds one more line to the Bezier Curve. Pressing the ESC button or the right mouse button ends adding new Lines and finishes the Bezier Curve. The Bezier Curve shown below consists of three points:


Image:BezierCurves2.png

In contrast to Straight Lines, a Bezier Curve can have a Fill Color:

Image:BezierCurves3.png

You can see the flexibility of this tool by click-dragging to cause the line from the last point in a particular direction, rather than simply clicking individual points. Expect this to require some practice (aka, trial and error) before you can use this feature proficiently.

What you see as you go
What you see as you go
Result after clicking right mouse button
Result after clicking right mouse button

A Bezier Curve, like all Scribus Shapes, can be edited via Shape > Edit Shape in the Properties Palette or a double-click. If Move Control Points is activated, the straight lines of the Bezier Curve can be transformed into curves:


Image:BezierCurves4.png

See the chapter on Shapes and Polygons for more details about editing shapes, including Bezier Curves. It's also good to be aware that there is a way to transform an open curve into a closed shape, pointed out in that chapter.

Convert To...

Bezier Curves can be converted to Text or Image Frames (eg, Item > Convert to...), but you will likely find them hard to work with except when the Curve has been converted to a Shape which has been closed.

Freehand Lines

Freehand Lines in Scribus are similar to drawing with a pen on a piece of paper. Use Insert > Feehand Line, the button "Insert Freehand Line" in the Toolbar or press F on the keyboard to create a new Freehand Line:

Image:Freehand1.png

Click on the document and hold down the mousebutton to draw the Freehand Line. Releasing the mouse button stops drawing. You have to press F again to continue adding more Lines to your drawing. Here you can see a complex example of a freehand drawing:

Image:Freehand2.png Drawing something like this requires much skill. Unfortunately, Freehand Lines cannot be converted to Bezier Curves for editing.


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Bezier Curves and Freehand Lines

Bezier Curves

A bezier curve in Scribus is created as a combination of several straight lines, where the end point of the actual line is the starting point for the next one. Use Insert > Bezier Curve, the button “Insert Bezier Curve” from the toolbar or press B for creating a new bezier curve:

The cursor changes to a cross now and starts to create a straight line. With a second click, the line is finished. With a third click, another line is drawn between the end point of the first line and the actual position of the cursor. Every next click adds one more line to the bezier curve. Pressing the ESC button or the right mouse button ends adding new lines and finishes the bezier curve. The bezier curve shown below consists of three points:

In contrast to straight lines, a bezier curve can have a fill color:

You can see the flexibility of this tool by click-dragging to cause the line from the last point in a particular direction, rather than simply clicking individual points. Expect this to require some practice (aka, trial and error) before you can use this feature proficiently.

A bezier curve, like all Scribus shapes, can be edited via Shape > Edit Shape in the Properties Palette or a double-click. If “Move Control Points” is activated, the straight lines of the bezier curve can be transformed into curves:

See the chapter on shapes and polygons for more details about editing shapes, including bezier curves. It's also good to be aware that there is a way to transform an open curve into a closed shape, pointed out in that chapter.

Converting Bezier Curves

Bezier curves can be converted to text or image frames (context menu or Item > Convert to...), but you will likely find them hard to work with except when the curve has been converted to a shape which has been closed.

Freehand Lines

Freehand lines in Scribus are similar to drawing with a pen on a piece of paper. Use Insert > Feehand Line, the button "Insert Freehand Line" in the toolbar or press F on the keyboard to create a new freehand line:

Click on the document and hold down the mousebutton to draw the freehand line. Releasing the mouse button stops drawing. You have to press F again to continue adding more lines to your drawing. Here you can see a complex example of a freehand drawing:

Drawing something like this requires much skill. Unfortunately, freehand lines cannot be converted to bezier curves for editing.

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