Blending lets you blend one shape and color into another. You can produce two types of effects by blending objects transformation effects and highlighting effects.
You can specify the number of transformations, or steps, between the two objects in the Blend dialog box. Each step is a different object slightly changed to look more like the second object. The more steps you use, the closer (and smoother) the transforming objects are. You can use as many as 1000 steps.
Designer blends a point on the first object to a corresponding point on the second object. You can change the origins of the objects before blending.
Objects are drawn either clockwise or counterclockwise from a starting point. For example, closed objects are drawn counterclockwise. When Designer blends objects, it matches corresponding points of the two objects so that the order the points were drawn determines the appearance of the blend. You can reverse the way Designer normally compares points if you don't like the results of the blend.
Objects blend from the back to the front object (the object in front is the one you drew last). (You can change the order of objects.) Designer cannot blend patterns, but it blends the pattern color and places the pattern in all the transformations.
If the objects have different patterns (for example, a hatch and a gradient), Designer places the pattern of the front object in all the transformations. Designer does not place bitmap patterns in transformations.
This blending effect gives the illusion of one object changing into another.
This blending effect lets you give "spot" highlights and shadows to your drawings to help give them depth. Blending to create a highlight gives a gradient-like effect, but it lets you create highlights and shadows with more transitions.
| Blending results are usually better with uncomplicated objects. Large numbers of steps can slow redraw time. You may have to try several different settings to find the ones that give the effect you want. Designer cannot blend grouped, bitmap, or text objects. You can convert text to curves and then blend it. |
