InkFlow Panel

InkFlow Panel (Basic Mode)

1. Flyout menu

See InkFlow Panel: Flyout Menu.

2. Panel banner

The InkFlow panel banner has a help button on the right which opens the help documentation in the Astute Manager. If this does not automatically appear, please ensure your Astute Manager is running first. Also, the panel banner can be clicked to activate the InkFlow tool. This is a quick method of locating the tool within the default Advanced toolbar or a custom toolbar.

3. Preset Pens

InkFlow offers four preset pens with different characteristics. Each may be selected by clicking on the corresponding icon in the top row, which will highlight in blue. Each pen may be customized by selecting it, changing its parameters using the panel controls underneath, and then Option/Alt-clicking on the icon. To reset a preset pen back to its default values, Shift-click on it (or all of the preset pens may be reset by using the panel flyout menu item Reset Standard Pens). If one or more InkFlow strokes are selected when a pen is selected, their strokes will be changed to match the selected pen’s.

• a. Ballpoint Pen Preset: The Ballpoint Pen preset is designed to imitate a typical ballpoint pen, with a small round tip, and slight upstroke thinning.

• b. Brush Pen Preset: The Brush Pen preset is designed to imitate a fiber-tipped brush, with a larger round tip and high upstroke thinning.

• c. Calligraphic Pen Preset: The Calligraphic Pen preset is designed to imitate a shaped pen used for calligraphy. It has a highly-elliptical tip and very high upstroke thinning.

• d. Marker Pen Preset: The Brush Pen preset is designed to imitate a wide, chisel-tipped marker. It has a larger, highly-elliptical tip and no upstroke thinning.

4. User-Defined Pens

You can define up to four pens of your own, which can be recalled by simply clicking on one of the boxes. To define a pen, adjust the panel parameters to their desired values and then Option/Alt-click on one of the boxes to store it. While a user-defined pen cannot be named, an image of its stroke will appear.

InkFlow Panel User Defined Brush

To remove a user-defined pen, Shift-click on its box. 

5. Current Stroke Preview

Shows a preview of the stroke that would be produced by the current pen, if it were moved from left to right with increasing pressure. When the pen size is too large to be drawn correctly (more than about 30 pt), it will be shown in a dimmer color around its scaled-down version (drawn in magenta). The preview reflects the Thin Upstrokes parameter, and if enabled, the effective pen size may be smaller than the nominal size.

6. String Controls

The InkFlow cursor is pulled by a virtual “string,” the length of which is specified here, from 1 to 100 pixels. Changing the string length will not change existing selected InkFlow strokes; however, the parameter is saved and recalled with each pen preset. The virtual string acts very similarly to a real string. When it is taut, pulling the string has the effect of dragging the pen in the same direction. However, pushing on the string, or dragging when it is not taut, has no effect on the pen position. A very short string has the effect of stabilizing the pen and filtering out small tremors. This is particularly useful with stylus input devices, which are more susceptible to hand tremor than mice. A longer string changes the characteristics of the pen: it becomes smoother and draws either very shallow curves, or makes tight corners when the string is relaxed and pulled in a different direction.

7. Thin Upstrokes Controls

When Thin Upstrokes is enabled, drawing with the pen in the direction specified as “Up” will cause its size to decrease, reflecting the way some physical pens behave, and useful for calligraphy. The amount of thinning can be specified from 1% to 100%, where 20% means a stroke exactly in the “Up” direction would be only 20% of the width of a stroke in the opposite direction (a stroke only partly in the “Up” direction would get partial thinning). By default, the “Up” direction is actually upwards (90°, as specified in Illustrator), but can be changed to any value.

InkFlow Thin Upstroke Examples

8. Pen Size Controls

These controls specify the size of the pen. The slider and value input allow the size to be directly specified, from 1 pt to 1296 pt. The button at left allows pressure control for tablet input devices; when using a mouse it should be kept off. When it is enabled, the specified size value represents the maximum size; the minimum size may be specified by using the control on the Expanded mode panel (see InkFlow Panel Expanded Mode). 

9. Pen Roundness Controls

These controls specify the roundness of the pen. The slider and value input allow the roundness to be directly specified, from 1% (an extremely narrow ellipse; nearly a straight line) to 100% (circular). The button at left allows tilt control for tablet input devices; when using a mouse it should be kept off. When it is enabled, the specified roundness value represents the maximum value; the minimum value may be specified by using the control on the Expanded mode panel (see InkFlow Panel Expanded Mode).

10. Pen Angle Controls

These controls specify the angle of the pen tip (which is only relevant if the roundness is set to a value other than 100%). The slider and value input allow the angle to be directly specified. The button at left allows bearing control for tablet input devices; when using a mouse it should be kept off. When it is enabled, the specified angle value represents the default value at neutral bearing; the variance may be specified by using the control on the Expanded mode panel (see InkFlow Panel Expanded Mode).

11. Feathering Controls

These controls may be hidden using the panel flyout menu Hide Ink Simulation Controls. Feathering occurs when capillary action causes ink from the pen to be drawn along the fibers of the paper. It creates very fine, thin lines perpendicular or near-perpendicular to the stroke. The InkFlow simulation is designed to be viewed at up to about twice screen resolution, where it creates a fuzziness to the edge and softens it. It doesn’t look realistic at higher zoom levels, due to point count considerations. The feathering value may be set from 0 to 100, with values below about 60 producing fairly subtle results, and values above 85 making the stroke look very spiky.

InkFlow Feathering Examples

12. Bleed Controls

These controls may be hidden using the panel flyout menu Hide Ink Simulation Controls. Bleeding occurs when the pen is brought into contact with and taken off the paper. When a pen is brought into contact with the paper, there is usually a pause, during which time the ink seeps into a circle around the contact point. When it is removed from the paper, it is generally not removed cleanly, and there is an uneven trail during the short period when pen is only partially in contact with the paper. Enabling Bleed in InkFlow simulates both of these effects. For the end of the stroke, the brush trails are randomly generated, and toggling the effect will generate a different look each time.

InkFlow Bleed Examples

13. Splatter Controls

These controls may be hidden using the panel flyout menu Hide Ink Simulation Controls. Although splatter generally isn’t seen with modern pens, it does occur in some historical manuscripts. It’s also an artistic way of suggesting real ink. When Splatter is enabled, tiny paths representing droplets surround the stroke, some of them forming teardrop-shaped splashes. The splatter dots are randomly generated, and toggling the effect will generate a different look each time.

InkFlow Splatter Examples

For additional control over splatter characteristics, such as their size and throw distance, the AG Splatter live effect (part of the Astute Graphics Stylism plugin) may be used instead of InkFlow’s built-in Splatter control. 

InkFlow Panel (Expanded Mode)

14. Size/Maximum Size

If pressure control is off, this value specifies the size of the pen. Otherwise, it specifies the maximum size that the pen can reach, at a pressure which is dependent on the size-pressure curve.

15. Minimum Size

The minimum size that the pen can reach, at a pressure which is dependent on the size control graph.

16. Size-Pressure Button

When toggled into the enabled state (the button will be dark), the pen size is variable, and based on the amount of pressure created by a stylus or similar input device. 

17. Size Control Graph

Specifies the relationship between the maximum and minimum size values and the input pressure. The horizontal axis represents the pressure, from 0% to 100%, while the vertical axis represents the brush size, specified by the maximum and minimum value inputs. With the default diagonal line, the relationship is a linear one, with minimum pressure yielding minimum size and maximum pressure yielding maximum size. Nodes on the curve may be moved simply by clicking and dragging them. A new node may be added by clicking at a spot along the curve which does not already have a node. Nodes (except the ones at the beginning and the end of the curve) may be deleted by dragging them off the graph area.

InkFlow Size Control Graph Examples

18. Roundness/Maximum Roundness

If tilt control is off, this value specifies the roundness of the pen. Otherwise, it specifies the maximum roundness that the pen can reach, at a tilt which is dependent on the roundness-tilt curve.

19. Minimum Roundness

The minimum roundness that the pen can reach, at a tilt which is dependent on the roundness-tilt curve.

20. Roundness-Tilt Button

When toggled into the enabled state (the button will be dark), the pen roundness is variable, and based on the amount of tilt reported by a stylus or similar input device.

21. Roundness Control Graph

Specifies the relationship between the maximum and minimum roundness values and the input tilt. The horizontal axis represents the tilt, from almost flat to completely upright, while the vertical axis represents the brush roundness, specified by the maximum and minimum value inputs. With the default diagonal line, the relationship is a linear one. Nodes on the curve may be moved simply by clicking and dragging them. A new node may be added by clicking at a spot along the curve which does not already have a node. Nodes (except the ones at the beginning and the end of the curve) may be deleted by dragging them off the graph area. 

22. Angle/Base Angle

If bearing control is off, this value specifies the angle of the pen tip. Otherwise, it specifies the base angle to which an additional amount is added or subtracted, depending on the bearing and the angle-bearing curve.

23. Angle Variability

The maximum variability in angle (from 0° to 90°) that can be created by different bearing values.

24. Angle-Bearing Button

When toggled into the enabled state (the button will be dark), the pen angle is variable, and based on the bearing value reported by a stylus or similar input device.

25. Angle Widget

Visualizes the angle and angle variability settings, and allows them to be edited graphically by dragging the angle arrowhead or the variability dots. An overly-wide spread will tend to create undesirable results because of the speed at which stylus bearing can change, and interpolation issues.

InkFlow Panel Flyout Menu

1. Recall Last Used Between Sessions

When enabled (preceded by a checkmark), all of the parameters shown on the InkFlow panel will be retained between launches of Illustrator. Otherwise, they are reset to their default values on each launch. 

2. Show Expanded Panel

When enabled (preceded by a checkmark), additional controls for the pen size, roundness, and angle are displayed. These are only useful when using a tablet that supports pressure, tilt, and/or bearing as the input device.

3. Hide Ink Simulation Controls

The feathering, bleed, and splatter controls can be shown or hidden on the panel using this menu item. When the controls are hidden, the menu item will change to Show Ink Simulation Controls.

4. Set User Pen 1
5. Set User Pen 2
6. Set User Pen 3
7. Set User Pen 4

Each menu item sets the corresponding user-defined pen, using the current panel parameters. This is equivalent to Option/Alt-clicking on the corresponding box (see InkFlow Panel Basic Mode: User-Defined Pens).

8. Reset Standard Pens

Resets all four of the standard (top-row) pens to the parameters that they shipped with (losing any customization that may have been done to them). To reset just one standard pen, Shift-click on its icon.

9. Reset User-Defined Pens

Resets all four of the user-defined (second-row) pens to empty slots. To reset just one user-defined pen, Shift-click on its icon.

10. InkFlow Preferences...

Brings up the Preferences dialog (see InkFlow: Preferences).