Introductory Manual

for
Version 1
English
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Contents
Installation 3
Mac OS 4
Windows 4
Trial Period and Licensing 5
Activating with a license key 6
De-activating your computer 7
Other online services 7
Introduction 8
Link to demonstration movies 8
Example files 8
Accessing DynamicSketch’s Tool 9
Contact and Copyright 10

This Introductory Manual describes only what’s required to get up-and-running with
DynamicSketch—the basic essentials. To get the most out of this Adobe Illustrator plugin,
a series of movies has been produced to better illustrate what’s possible and how to quickly
and easily achieve it.

Visit
www.astutegraphics.com/software/dynamicsketch/#movies
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Installation
DynamicSketch is supplied as a single standard Illustrator plugin and is installed using standard Mac OS
or Windows installer systems. The license key unlocks the trial version into the full version.

DynamicSketch requires Adobe Illustrator CS5, CS6 or Illustrator Creative Cloud versions 17 and 2014 —
referred to hereon as “CC” — to operate.

Unified installer

DynamicSketch is available for Illustrator CS5 to CC via a single unified

installer. The installer process should automatically locate each version
of Illustrator present on your computer and install the correct plug-in
version. Note that Illustrator CS5, CS6 and CC each require a different
plug-in version.

Upgrading on Windows

If upgrading your plugin on Windows systems, it is first necessary to

manually remove or uninstall any existing version which may be present
on your system. To do so, please use the standard uninstall procedure
for your particular version of Windows, typically via the Control Panel.

Important!

You may require computer administrator rights to install DynamicSketch.

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Mac OS 10.6 and above

1. Quit Illustrator.

2. Open the “DynamicSketch.dmg” disk image

3. Start the “DynamicSketch” installer package and follow the instructions.

Note: the installer will attempt to seek all installations of Illustrator CS5, CS6 and CC and provide
options to install for one or more of these. It is also possible to manually specify the target folder for
each installation by clicking on the [...] button to the right of each entry.

4. Start Illustrator. You can confirm that the software has been successfully installed, running initially
in its Trial period, but following Illustrator » About DynamicSketch... (Cancel closes the window).

Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8

1. Quit Illustrator.

2. Open the .zip archive and extract the “DynamicSketch Setup.exe” program installer file.

3. Start the installer and follow the instructions.

Note: the installer will attempt to seek all installations of Illustrator CS5, CS6 and CC and provide
options to install for one or more of these. The appropriate 32 or 64 bit versi0n will be installed
automatically. It is also possible to manually specify the target folder for each installation by
clicking on the Browse button to the right of each entry.

4. Start Illustrator. You can confirm that the software has been successfully installed, running initially
in its Trial period, but following Help » About DynamicSketch...

Notes

• If you later wish to install DynamicSketch for other versions of Adobe

Illustrator on the same computer (not virtual machines), simply re-
run the installation process.
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Trial period and licensing

When installed for the first time, DynamicSketch operates in a Trial period for a nominal period. When
in this mode, you have access to all tools.

Upon expiry of the Trial period, the tools are no longer active and an information window stating that the
Trial has expired will be displayed in the tool’s panels or when attempting to switch to one of the tools via
the Illustrator toolbar.

To continue using the tools, you will need to purchase a license, which will result in a license key being
sent by email. To purchase a license key, please visit www.astutegraphics.com/purchase/
Keep this information safe for future reference.

The license key allows you to install on all computers for the number of concurrent users determined
by the number of licenses purchased. Confirmation of the number of concurrent users permitted is
displayed when a license key is successfully applied.

Notes

• The Astute Graphics licensing system applies valid license keys

for the whole computer, not just individual installations of Adobe
Illustrator. It’s therefore possible to simultaneously operate licensed
copies of the plug-in on more than one installation of Adobe
Illustrator simultaneously.

• It is very important that you store your license key safely

for both future reference and to ensure that others do not
gain improper access to it. As per the license agreement
displayed during the installation process, Astute Graphics
retains the right to block the use of any licenses which have
found to be misused.
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Activating with a license key

Once you have installed DynamicSketch and received your license key following purchase, follow:
Illustrator » About DynamicSketch... (Mac OS)
Help » About DynamicSketch... (Windows)

To license DynamicSketch, take the following steps:

1. Click on the Activate button

2. Copy the license key from the confirmation

email and paste into the Activate window using
the Paste button and click OK
You may be asked to enter your, or your
administrator, password; please do so

3. If successful, you will be informed that

DynamicSketch is activated and confirmation of
the number of concurrent users permitted

4. Click OK and further confirmation of the plug-

in version/level licensed may be seen in the
About window

5. Click on the Close button to close the About

window and restart Illustrator to ensure you
have access to the plug-in toolset

It is also possible to gain direct access to the

Activate / Deactivate window by following Help »
Astute Graphics » DynamicSketch » Licensing...

The activation process may be repeated on all

computers to be used by the concurrent user(s).

Note

If the Activate window does not display the Paste and Clear buttons to
assist in the pasting and clearing of license keys, please download and
install the latest version of the plugin from:
www.astutegraphics.com/free-trial/
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De-activating your computer

If you intend to change computer, discarding your existing licensed computer, it is essential that you first
de-activate your license. Failure to do so may result in abuse of your license key which will result in the
key being blocked for future use!

When ready to de-activate your computer, open the About window following:
Illustrator » About DynamicSketch... (Mac OS)
Help » About DynamicSketch... (Windows)

1. Click on the Deactivate button

2. Confirm that you intend to de-activate your

computer

3. Following confirmation, close the confirmation and About window

4. Restart Illustrator

It is possible to re-activate the computer at a later date by following the previous activation instructions.

Other online services

The Help » Astute Graphics » DynamicSketch » menu also contains entries for the following services:

• Check for Updates: opens a website page detailing the latest public versions of DynamicSketch ready
for download.

• Buy/Upgrade: if you are still operating in the Trial period, this will take you to the online purchase
web page. If you are already operating a licensed version of DynamicSketch, you will be taken directly
to the upgrade page. If your license number is available, you can proceed immediately with the
upgrade process without need of the original invoice number.

• Licensing Help: for additional information of the licensing system, including automated assistance
tools, this will open the www.astutegraphics.com/licensing/ web page.
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Introduction
At its most basic, DynamicSketch is a tool that replaces the Pencil Tool found in Adobe Illustrator.
However, it offers the creative so much more, especially in its dynamic nature allowing designers to fine-
tune their considered or spontaneous sketch traces into desirable vectors.

When used with Illustrator CS5 and above, Adobe’s variable stroke width power can have fully advantage
taken of with input speed and/or optional Wacom tablet pen pressure being converted into realistic
stroke thicknesses.

If you like DynamicSketch—as we are sure you will—then we advise you also take its related Astute
Graphics tools for a test drive; InkScribe and WidthScribe.

Get more from DynamicSketch - Movies

This Introductory Manual describes only what’s required to get up-and-

running with DynamicSketch—the basic essentials. To get the most out
of this Adobe Illustrator plugin, a series of movies has been produced to
better illustrate what’s possible and how to quickly and easily achieve it.

Visit www.astutegraphics.com/software/dynamicsketch/#movies

Get more from DynamicSketch - Example files

A selection of great examples files are supplied with DynamicSketch:

Viking
Created using the Dynamic Sketch tool in Illustrator CS5, making use of
the variable stroke widths on offer in CS5 and above.
Dinant
A beautifully styled scene from the city of Dinant using the Dynamic
Sketch tool.
Birds of Britain
A composition, created primarily using the Dynamic Sketch tool.
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Accessing DynamicSketch’s Tool

Once the DynamicSketch plugin is
installed, the tool’s panel may be
opened via Window » DynamicSketch
» DynamicSketch Panel (shown right).

Alternatively, the panel plus all other

Astute Graphics plugin panels may
be opened in a single operation by
opting for Window » Show All Astute
Graphics Panels

Once opened, the panel may be docked

and arranged with standard Adobe
Illustrator panels as normal.

Toolbox tool button

DynamicSketch adds a single new tool in the Illustrator toolbox. Depending on whether your Illustrator
toolbox is set to a single or double column state and if you also have the separate InkScribe plugin
installed, it can be identified as below:

InkScribe Tool
(optional separate plugin)

Dynamic Sketch Tool

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For the latest information, please visit the Astute Graphics website: www.astutegraphics.com

With thanks to...

We wish to thank all those who helped in the development and success of this product with special
mentions to:

John, Dmitry, Sebastian, Chloë, Susan & Adam Herman van Boeijen
Jean-Claude Tremblay Monika Gause
Iaroslav Lazunov Sean Ferguson
Ben Kinnaird Lukas Engqvist
Chana Messer Sharon Steuer
Sebastian Bleak All other wonderful pre-release testers!

Trademarks, association and endorsement
“Adobe Illustrator” is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated.
“Apple”, “Mac” and “OS X” are registered trademarks of Apple, Inc.
“Windows Vista”, “Windows 7” and “Windows 8” are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

Neither Astute Graphics Limited or its products are associated with or endorsed by Adobe, Apple or
Microsoft.

Copyright
This document is copyright Astute Graphics Limited, 2014. All rights reserved.

Contact Astute Graphics Limited

Astute Graphics Limited, The Warehouse, Gwynne Street, Hereford, HR4 9DL ENGLAND

To contact Astute Graphics Limited, please tel. +44 (0) 1432 341073 or use the on-line web form:
www.astutegraphics.com/#contact

England and Wales Registered Company No. 6465495

Manual issue 1.6.2, 16 June 2014