Vector Pen - ideas and suggestions

[Lucky Clan]

Hi

Let me ask you what exactly you expect from Vector Pen tool that we are going to implement soon. I don't want to give you my ideas here because i'm not artists and me ideas may be wrong...

[Leonid Deburger]

I’d love to have a Photoshop-like custom shape tool. With the ability to have gradient fills on and blur as a vector parameter for shape.
For a pen tool, we have to think about how to change node type (sharp/smooth) and move on the fly (touch with 1-2 fingers, as modifiers). Similar to pressing alt and control while drawing and for post edit of a vector shape/stroke. Affinity Designer has decent pen tools. Vectornator too (For references)
Also, there has to be some "edit-mode" for post-corrections. Clip Studio Paint can be used for UX references if we are talking about raster stroke on vector path (hybrid) situation.
Vector shape layers should have the ability to be used as clipping masks and to have a layer style on them.
There should be an option for node/handle size for pencil/finger users

[Andreas Raninger]

Custom shape tool that can render vector objects in pixels too. Crazy fast to work with when creating concept art. Take a look at the concepts using this technique.
Nicolas Bouvier aka Sparth. Concept artist worked on Halo among many many other projects.
https://www.artstation.com/sparth

[Leonid Deburger]

Custom shape tool that can render vector objects in pixels too. Crazy fast to work with when creating concept art. Take a look at the concepts using this technique.
Nicolas Bouvier aka Sparth. Concept artist worked on Halo among many many other projects.
https://www.artstation.com/sparth

Seems like it has nothing to do with vector. He just uses custom brushes with clean shapes.
https://youtu.be/nuJOQ41xzpA

Anyways, any vector tool in raster editors will be rendered as a raster.

[Andreas Raninger]

Can you please dig a little deeper before coming to conclusions?
http://sparthconstruct.blogspot.com/2010/11/custom-shapes-tool.html
Adobes custom shape file format is only a bunch of vector shapes. You render them as raster or keep them as vectors/path in PS. There are a lot of bundles to be downloaded for free and very handy when working with design or basic composition.

[icezimy]

I don’t know enough about vectors to suggest anything here, but I think it’s great that you ask the community for ideas!

[Leonid Deburger]

Can you please dig a little deeper before coming to conclusions?
http://sparthconstruct.blogspot.com/2010/11/custom-shapes-tool.html
Adobes custom shape file format is only a bunch of vector shapes. You render them as raster or keep them as vectors/path in PS. There are a lot of bundles to be downloaded for free and very handy when working with design or basic composition.

That post is from 2010… well I don't know I assumed Sparth doesn't use those in his work jugging by his latest public videos and works and looks like I was right in a way. But he used to use some, so by bad  Though, the fact he didn’t use vector shapes in his latest stuff says a lot.

I’m aware of custom shapes. I use them every day. That is why I wrote about those in my first post. Also, I’m aware of techniques related to vector shapes. That is why I wrote about clipping masks, blur, and layer styles. (I have to admit, vector for concept art is not so great as it can seem at first. For me at least. But this is not a place to discuss this.) Anyway, custom vector shapes are great as a tool, very good to have.

From what you wrote above, basically, all you want in addition to what I wrote in my first post here is the vector shapes library. A good suggestion I guess. I personally think this is not mandatory, but it's not for me to decide

[Leonid Deburger]

Also would be great to have full compatibility for vector layers via PSD format

[Andreas Raninger]

To be stubborn as hell. He is still using the technique. He started in 2010 and a lot, recent and history, of his art shows that he's still using it. But this is not important.

The question is, what basic functionality would be best to implement first as a base to build future more complex tools on?
Personally I like to use custom shapes. General vectors? Not very excited. I just read the word custom shapes and got euphoric. 

(Vectors gives me flashbacks to when I was studying "Black magic of 3D game programming in C++". A very traumatic part of my life.)

[SamNArt]

Using Pen Tool for creating refined selection would be cool and very useful.

[Andreas Raninger]

Classic adjustment/creation of lines, curves and objects with an option to rasterize layer on demand. Option to fill closed objects with gradients and textures that warps or fill area with built in algorithms. To be able to store the objects for reuse in other projects or as a standard library. Convert layers of transparency lock and selection to vector object.

[retrograde]

At the very least, the ability to create a nice vector shape using a pen tool then the ability to turn that shape into a selection so we can use it to fill with colour and then lock the transparency to be able to paint just inside of the initial shape to create "flats" to then paint inside of.

Ultimately, I would say the ability to create shapes using the pen tool and then the ability to edit those shapes so it's non destructive and also the ability to paint inside those shapes using the usual painting brushes. So the vector shape can either be used as filled in colour shapes or be used as a container or mask. It's a super powerful workflow currently being used in Affinity Designer.

[SamNArt]

The ability to convert the vector path to a selection quickly.

[Lucky Clan]

Thanks for your suggestions. It is enough to make a separate vector app. We will probably need a year to implement that all in Artstudio...

[Andreas Raninger]

This picture says it all.