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158 Chapter 7 Changing Object Properties
Drawing and Editing Shapes
You can use the Draw tool to create your own shapes in a document.
Working with the shapes you create is the same as working with predrawn shapes.
Your shapes can contain text. And they can be resized, repositioned, and have the line
style, color, shadow, opacity, and orientation of your choice.
This section tells you how to create your own custom shapes and how to edit the
contour of both predrawn and custom shapes.
Adding a Custom Shape
When you first create a custom shape, it’s inserted as a fixed object, but you can make
it an inline object if you like.
To create a custom shape:
1 Click Objects in the toolbar, choose Shapes, and select the Draw tool icon.
You can also choose Insert > Shape > Draw a Shape.
2 The pointer changes from an arrow to a small pen tip.
Click anywhere in your document to create the first point of the custom shape.
3 To create a second point and connect it with the first point using a straight line, click
in a second location in the document.
To create a curved segment instead of a straight one, click in the second location and
drag the mouse to change the curve angle or extend the curve. Release the mouse
when you’re satisfied with the curve.
The line that connects the two points has the default stroke style for the template
you’re using. You can change the line into another kind of line later using the stroke
settings in the Graphic Inspector.