Leonardo Help

In the beginning there is "New" and "Images" and "Textures"...

The very first things you see when you fire up Leonardo are;

• a list of existing images or textures
• the "new" button
• Two push buttons

The two push buttons are a toggle, between "Images" and "Textures". This is what it looks like if you have no existing files.

If you tap on the "Images" push button you get a list of existing images. If you then tap the "new" button you will create a new empty image, which will open.

Likewise, if you tap on the "Textures" push button you will see a list of existing textures and if you then tap the "new" button you will create a new texture, which will open.

What are Textures?

Textures are a type of fill. You can create a texture in the texture editor and then you can use it as a fill (which tiles) when creating an image.

Say you have just hit the "new" button with Textures selected... You will find yourself at the texture editing screen. This is an 8 X 8 grid in which you will create your texture. There is also a small unfilled square on the top right of the screen which is the preview pane.

There are two squares labeled "fg" (foreground) and "bg" (background). These two squares display the colours you will create your texture using. The default colours are black for the foreground and white for the background.

To select a background colour

• Tap the "bg" square
• You will see a palette displayed
• Tap the colour you wish to select
• Tap "ok".
• The "bg" square will now display the colour you have selected

You will now find all the squares in the 8 X 8 grid filled in the background colour you selected. Repeat the same procedure to select the foreground colour.

On the grid when you tap on a square it will be filled with the foreground colour. This action is a toggle, i.e. if you tap the same square again it will revert to the background colour. If you drag the stylus across the screen it will toggle the colour of all the squares it moves over. As you draw you will be able to see a tiled preview of your texture in the preview pane.

If you don't want to keep the texture you have created, tap the menu and you will see delete as an option on the menu. Tap this to delete your texture. If you are satisfied with your amazing creation, tap the "Done" button, or tap the menu and tap close. You will now be able to see a thumbnail of your texture tiled several times. It is now ready to be used as a fill in any image you create.

How to use your texture is covered in the exciting Episodic Tools entry "The Fill Tool Menu".