Draw Tool

Reference

Mode:

Draw Mode

Tool:

Toolbar ‣ Draw

The Draw tool allows you to draw free-hand strokes.

Brush Settings

Material

Data-block selector for the material.

Radius

The radius of the brush in pixels.

F allows you to change the brush size interactively by dragging the pointer or by typing a number then confirm.

• Use Pressure (pressure sensitivity icon)

  Uses stylus pressure to control how strong the effect is. The gradient of the pressure can be customized using the curve widget.

Strength

Control the stroke transparency (alpha). From fully transparent (0.0) to fully opaque (1.0).

You can change the brush strength interactively by pressing Shift-F in the 3D Viewport and then moving the pointer and then LMB. You can also enter the size numerically.

• Use Pressure (pressure sensitivity icon)

  Uses stylus pressure to control how strong the effect is. The gradient of the pressure can be customized using the curve widget.

Caps Type

The shape of the start and end of the stroke.

• Round:

  Strokes start and stop with a curved shape.

  Flat:

  Strokes start and stop with a straight cutoff.

Advanced

Input Samples

Controls how often the input device is read to generate points on the stroke. Higher values give a higher precision (more points) but produce an irregular stroke, while lower values give a lower precision (fewer points) but produce a soften stroke. (0 disabled extra input device samples.)

You have to set up this value according to your input device to obtain the right balance between accuracy and softness for your strokes. See Input Device for more information.

Active Smooth

The number of smoothing iterations to apply to the stroke while drawing.

Angle

Direction of the input device that gives the maximum thickness to the stroke (0° for horizontal).

Factor

Amount of thickness reduction when the stroke is perpendicular to the Angle value.

Hardness

Amount of transparency (alpha) to apply from the border of the point to the center. Works only when the brush is using stroke materials of Dot or Box style.

Aspect X, Y

Controls the width and height of the alpha gradient.

Stroke

Post-Processing

Post-processing methods that are executed on the strokes when you finished drawing, right after releasing the LMB or Pen tip. You can toggle the use of post-processing using the checkbox in the section panel header.

Smooth

Strength of smoothing process on the points location along the stroke.

Iterations

The number of smoothing iterations to apply to the stroke.

Subdivision Steps

Number of subdivisions to apply to newly created strokes.

Simplify

Reduces final points numbers in the stroke with an adaptive algorithm.

Trim Strokes End

Automatically trim intersection strokes ends.

Outline

Activate the conversion of the newly created stroke to its outline.

• Material

  Material used for outline stroke.

  Thickness

  Thickness used for outline stroke.

Randomize

Adds randomness to the position of the points along the stroke. You can toggle the use of Randomize using the checkbox in the section panel header.

Radius

The amount of randomness to apply using the pressure of the input device.

Strength

The amount of randomness to apply to the stroke strength value (alpha).

UV

The amount of randomness to apply to the UV rotation.

Hue, Saturation, Value

Randomizes the hue, saturation, and value of the stroke’s Color.

Jitter

The amount of jittering to add to the stroke.

Common Options

Stroke Random (stroke icon)

Use randomness only at stroke level.

Use Pressure (pressure sensitivity icon)

Uses the stylus pressure to control how strong the effect is. The gradient of the pressure can be customized using the curve widget.

Stabilize Stroke

Stabilize Stroke helps to reduce jitter of the strokes while drawing by delaying and correcting the location of points. You can toggle the use of Stabilize Stroke using the checkbox in the section panel header.

Radius

Minimum distance from the last point before the stroke continues.

Factor

A smooth factor, where higher values result in smoother strokes but the drawing sensation feels like as if you were pulling the stroke.

Cursor

The cursor can be disabled by toggling the checkbox in the Cursor header.

Show Fill Color while Drawing

Shows the brush linked material color in the viewport.

Usage

Selecting a Brush and Material

In the Tool Settings select the brush, material and color type to use with the tool. The Draw tool uses Draw Brush types. See Brush Settings for more information.

Free-hand Drawing

Click and hold LMB or use the pen tip to make free-hand drawing on the viewport.

Drawing free-hand strokes.

Stabilize Stroke

Shift-LMB toggle the use of Stabilize Stroke on the brush to have more control while drawing and get smoother lines.

Drawing strokes using Stabilize Stroke.

Straight Lines

Alt-LMB Constrains the drawing of the strokes to horizontal or vertical straight lines.

Switching to the Erase Tool

Ctrl-LMB changes temporally to the active Erase tool. See Erase Tool for more information.

You can also use B to delete all the points in the selected drawing area.