How to sketch and automatically have the strokes mirrored, either bilaterally or radially.

Use bilateral symmetry

1. Choose Paint > Paint Symmetry > Modify Canvas Brush Symmetry

2. In the option box, set Symmetry Type to Bilateral

   The axis of symmetry appears as a dotted line.

3. Modify the axis in the following ways:

   • Drag the central red dot to move the axis.
   • Drag a red double-arrow to change the orientation of the axis. The axis rotates around the other double-arrow.
   • Move the double-arrows along the axis to change the rotation pivots.
     • Click the Reset button at the bottom of the window to reset the axis to its original position.

4. Select any brush and start sketching.

   Everything you sketch on one side of the axis automatically gets drawn on the other side, as a mirror image.

   

Use radial symmetry

1. Choose Paint > PaintSymmetry > Modify Canvas Brush Symmetry

2. In the option box, set Symmetry type to Radial, and Num Radial Sections to the number of sections.

   A number of axes of symmetry (equal to the value of Num Radial Sections) appear as dotted lines radially emanating from a center point.

3. Modify the axes in the following ways:

   • Drag the central red dot to move the center point.
   • Drag the red double-arrow to change the orientation of the axes (by rotating them around the center point).
   • Click the Reset button at the bottom of the window to reset the axes to their original position.

4. Select any brush and start sketching.

   Everything you sketch within one of the sections automatically gets drawn in all the other sections, creating a sort of kaleidoscopic effect.

   

Stop sketching symmetrically

Do one of the following to toggle off symmetry:

• In the option box, turn off Symmetry Active.
• Choose Paint > PaintSymmetry > Toggle Canvas Brush Symmetry .

Related Concepts

• About working with brushes