Starburst Plugin 22

Starburst Plugin

file:///C|/...7G141P17T23027951D7ADC88/Andrew.Plugins.Volume.22.v22.1.for.Adobe.Illustrator/Documentation/GX22 Documentation.htm[6/5/2011 5:28:06 PM]

Starburst Plugin (Andrew's Vector Plugins Vol 22)

The plugin creates star / flower designs in 100s of different ways. Great for logos and symbols and more

Installation of Plugin

Please place the GX22_Starburst.aip file in the c:\program files\adobe\illustrator CS\plug-ins folder [pc Illustrator ® CS] orc:\program files\adobe\illustrator 10\plug-ins [pc illustrator 10] or CS2

For the mac, please place the GX22_Starburst file in HD:Applications:Adobe Illustrator CS:plug-ins [mac Illustrator ®CS] orHD:Applications:Adobe Illustrator 10:plug-ins [mac Illustrator 10] or CS2

Initial Use of plugin

Please access via the filters menu of Illustrator ® via the <AVP Create> menu. The plugin is split into multiple screens suchas starburst, star, xtras..

As a start point, I would suggest using the presets. The presets are modified(in most cases) by the current color in thepalette. So if the current fill is white, the end result might be white-ish, if yellow, yellowish and so on. Some of the presetsuse random colors and ignore the fill setting. You might like to set the stroke color to none (as required).

Shuffle button only works where there is an element of randomization such as jitter. The presets dropdown is available on allscreens. Select the first preset to reset the plugin.

The plugin can be used as is, but in many cases, you might like to set the swatch palette to say a set of browns or greensetc; or if you are using the styles settings, then you will need to set up the styles beforehand (say to a set of sketch stylesonly)

If you select the styles box and use the default set of styles, the response time might be slow as some of the styles areprocessor intensive.

Symbols included in the set were created using the plugin. The symbols are royalty-free symbols. The plugin does notautomatically created symbols. You will have to create the set of paths and then drag to the symbol palette manually (andsave the symbols). Use the symbols in paint effects or as backgrounds or use with the native tools

Starburst dialog

'Bursts': Number of burst / arms generated for a single star (though this can be varied using the random apply or skip /create options)

Starburst Plugin


'Length': Length from the start point to the end of the current burst design (this varies from burst type to burst type'. Thesmaller the length, generally smaller the design.

'Angle': Angle of the burst design relative to the origin point.

'Burst': Subtle variation of the same shape, varying the proportions etc. Use to create design with thin paths or overlappingpaths and more

Starburst Plugin


'Initial gap': The initial distance from the 'start' point (the start point being the center of the document unless the center [R] isON. The start point shape is created to the right of start point. If you set the initial gap to 200 300 then the initial shape iscreated 200 points (horizontal) and 300 points up from the center point and all subsequent shapes are rotated from that pointabout the start center point (generally the center of the document)

Starburst Plugin


Stars dialog

'Stars': Number of stars to create. If this is set to 1 then the factor settings are not enabled and some of the settings fieldsare blanked out (the factors etc are based around repeated stars and have no impact on the single default star of 1)

'Shape options': Creates a variety of different designs such as a diamond shape

Starburst Plugin


'Reverse options': Reverses the direction of the triangle or shape (not all shapes are reversible as they are symmetric). Thereverse options also allow 3D like effects to be created by combining multiple stars (with alternate reversed stars)

Xtra dialog

'Burst apply': Instead of creating a path in each slot of the starburst, gaps can be created using different combinations of skip(first column) and create (second column). The create option is always set to 1 (or more). By setting the skip and create tosay 1 2 then two paths are created then a skip then two paths then another skip and so on up to the maximum number ofpaths for the star design

Starburst Plugin


'Path interpolate': Use this if you wish to 'blend' the colors of the generated star and the original 'current' path style. Bysetting this to say 80 or so, and using the random fill or fill factor, the colors are subtle variants of the original pre-plugin fillcolor.

'Spread': Not all the paths use the spread or curve feature but by setting the spread, more rounded shapes can be generated.The first column is the direction point modification in the horizontal, the second column for the vertical. In most cases, thevertical is more useful for flower designs. The first column is more useful for sharper path designs.

Starburst Plugin


'Pulse': Reset the factors to default setting after a certain number of star creations (useful for trying out a number of variantfactor settings), also useful combined with a number of stars / random settings and factors

Starburst Plugin


Factors dialog

All are set to disabled unless stars > 1

'Fan': Modifies the 'burst angle' for repeat stars.

'Length': Modifies the length setting for repeat stars. If the length setting is 300 and the factor is set to 50 then the next starcreated with have a length of 150, the next will have a length of 75 and so on.

Starburst Plugin


'Fill': Modifies the fill color (if set) for repeat stars. If the first star is colored red (200,20,20) and the fill factor is 50 then thenext start will be 100, 10, 10 (RGB setting) and so on. For subtle color changes, keep the fill factor approx. to 100. The fillfactor can increase as well as decrease the color setting. Does depend on the current color mode

'Height': Applies a factor to the height setting for repeat stars (the height is not accessible directly, it is a combo of length andburst options)

Starburst Plugin


'Angle': Applies a factor to the angle setting (path rotation) for repeat stars. If the angle is set to 0 then this is ignored. If setto angle 10, and the factor is 50, then the angle for the path second star is set to 5, third star 2.5 degrees and so on

'Spread': Applies a factor the spread setting for repeat stars. Either sharpens or curves the path design from star to star. Ifspread is 0, ignored.

Starburst Plugin


'Initial gap': Applies a factor to the initial gap setting for repeat stars. If gap is 0, then the factor is ignored. The factor isapplied to both the horizontal and vertical gap. Use to create zoomed effects and more

'Opacity': Applies a factor to the opacity (based on original opacity setting for path) for repeat stars. If the opacity of the pathwas 80 and the factor is 50 then the second star will have an opacity of 40 and so on. This can be used fro sharpening orblurring of the design or emboss.

Starburst Plugin


Settings dialog

'Fill [R]': Randomizes the fill color (if set), dependent on color mode as well. The fill is ignored if set to no fill. The fill swatchsupersedes the fill. Modified by the fill factor setting

'Fill swatch [R]': Randomizes the fill color based on the current swatches. To create a design based around only yourswatches, say blues and greens, remove all the unnecessary swatches and leave only the required swatches and then apply

Starburst Plugin


'Stroke [R]': Randomizes the stroke color (requires a stroke to be applied)

'Stroke Swatch [R]': Randomizes the stroke color based on swatches (though not gradients). Supersedes the stroke setting

Starburst Plugin


'Opacity [R]': Randomizes the opacity of the paths

'Width [R]': Randomizes the line width (if set). Based on original line width to 0.

Starburst Plugin


'Apply [R]': Randomizes the creation of bursts within a star. Great for creating unique star designs with gaps

'Place below': Places the created leaves / bursts beneath the earlier paths

'Initial gap [R]': Randomizes the gap setting between 0 and current

Starburst Plugin


'Spread [R]': Randomizes the spread setting between 0 and current

'Height [R]': Randomizes the height setting between 0 and current (this is an internal calculated setting, a combo of lengthand burst options and shape)

Starburst Plugin


'Center [R]': Randomizes the location of the created star between the bounds of the document.

'Length [R]': Randomizes the length of the burst / leaf between 0 and setting

Starburst Plugin


'Angle [R]': Randomizes the angle / path rotation of the leaf / burst between 0 and setting

'Burst [R]': Randomizes the number of bursts (leaves) created between 0 and current burst setting. If set to 20 bursts, thenthe star might end up being made up of 5 leaves or 15 leaves

Starburst Plugin


'Style [R]': Randomizes the style applied to the star. This can be slow. It is best to apply with a little setup beforehand(perhaps setting up different styles to the default ones)

'Scale [R]': Randomizes the scaling applied to the star burst (leaves). More a jitter between 80 to 120% of the original size

Starburst Plugin


'Alternate flip': Requires the stars to be greater than 1, and flips the star burst by 180 degrees (this depends on the starshape / burst to its effectiveness)

'Burst type [R]': Randomizes the type of burst / leaf to generate for each star. More effective when used with multiple stars

Starburst Plugin


'Shape [R]': Randomizes the shape applied for each star. More effective with multiple stars. Great for creating a wide range ofdifferent shape designs. (I have found it fairly useful to save the star / burst designs in the symbol palette, creating a hugecollection of unique designs for possible use as logos / designs and more)

Applications support

macOSX .2 .3 98 ME NT XP Ilustrator ®10 CS1 CS2

Questions

Please contact me on [email protected]

Other plugins are available on the site http://www.graphicxtras.com Upgrades are generally available, either as free updates

http://www.graphicxtras.com/

Starburst Plugin


or inexpensive updates/upgrades. Please store the reference serial number or details of order

Copyright

The plugin is copyright of 2005, Abneil Software Ltd (Andrew Buckle). This product was released by Abneil Software ltd (UKbased company)

Trademarks

Illustrator and Adobe and Photoshop are registered trademarks of Adobe. We have no connection whatsoever with Adobe.Adobe product screen shot(s) reprinted with permission from Adobe Systems Incorporated.

Starburst Plugin 22

Documents

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