SymmeToy:

• Use for inspirational tessellation designs for quilts and art.
• Creates paint patterns, symmetry roses, tessellated art and symmetrically decorated 3D polyhedron models.
• Easy to learn, fun to use, includes extensive online help, and the low price tag makes it very attractive.
• Endless hours of inspiration to any artist or quiltmaker interested in tessellation and repetitive designs.
• Check out the FREE shareware program at .

SymmeToy Review
Symmetory Tutorial

More DVDs, CDs, Videos & Software

SymmeToy, Math Mouse, & Spiro Math FREEware by Hank Hufnagel

SymmeToy Review

by Sharla Hicks © 2000

• Four types of symmetry and many grid variations of the 4 symmetry modes create the structure underneath the power found in SymmeToy.
• Color Palette options found in SymmeToy.
• Drawing Tools found in SymmeToy.
• 9 of the 25 Grids found in SymmeToy.
• Tutorial for SymmeToy written to help you get the most out of the Demo's 8 free trial sessions.
  • To begin, preview the examples.
  • To move back and forth between the Preview or Work Screen and the Main Selection Screen.
  • To use the the RePaint, ReDraw or Edit Modes.
  • The Polyline Tool is the most complex and powerful of the drawing tools.
  • Paint and Color Management.
• Mouse Math, a free bonus program
• Spiro Math, a free bonus program
• Computer Requirements

Some of the Patterns shown above look similar to quilt designs. Needle is good for cross stitch type designs, trips around the world ideas and other designs based on small squares. The other 5 grids are designs based on the hexagon, repeating patterns and circles.

Click on graphic for larger view

Roses (above) and Drawings (below) are my favorite grids. Use the Rose and Drawing grids to create Escher like tessellations. The Rose Grids create the most kaleidoscope looking designs.

Click on graphic for larger view

The 3D Models below are fascinating and have some of the most interesting drawings you will see in the preview designs.

Click on graphic for larger view

Color Palette options found in SymmeToy

SymmeToy has built-in palettes, the normal palette has the standard solid colors you often see at the beginning of any palette. The magical palettes are the specialty palettes that use the color wheel's triads, complimentary and analogous solutions. The best part of these palettes is that you do not have to know any color theory, they come up automatically when you select them from the Color Menu. (See examples below.) Each of these specialty palettes has a light to dark color scheme that will make color study designs for quilts and other designs very easy to explore. Use the right side arrows to move to other variations using the same color theme.

SymmeToy also has the option to create custom colors and set the background color for quick background changes when you wish to color only part of the objects/shapes/patches that have been created. SymmeToy also has the ability to swap colors. The swap techniques are well described on the CD video tour and in the on-line help.

Tutorial Step-byStep for SymmeToy written to help you get the most out of the program.

Note: In the tutorial, use the left mouse button whenever click is indicated unless the instructions clearly state to use the RIGHT mouse button.

Hint: Hover the mouse over a tool or area and a identifier tip will appear.

To begin, preview the examples:

	1. Click the Show icon .
	2. Click an Art Type Icon.
	3. To see enlarged preview of a single design: Click on the design of choice.

1. Use in the top menu bar .
2. OR use the X found in the buttons at the top right corner.

To use the the RePaint, ReDraw or Edit Modes:

1. Click icon choice from the Mode Select.
   Hint: Try all three Modes to see how each works! RePaint: Use to change a preexisting design's coloring. ReDraw: Use to create new design from scratch. Edit: Use to add additional lines to a preexisting design.
2. Click a design choice from Art Type Select.
3. Then select grid style to work with.
   The preview screen will open.

• To select a symmetry choice for drawing and painting: Hint: Try drawing and painting with symmetry on and off to see the difference.
  1. Click on , a single line, circle or arc is drawn.
  2. Click on , a single line is repeated automatically multiple times across the grid according to the symmetry setup .

• To Undo while painting or drawing: While in the Paint or Draw mode, click the RIGHT mouse button. Repeat again and again for multiple undo's. Very powerful!
  
  
• To draw a simple Line:
1. Select the Line Tool.
2. Click, drag to size, and release.
   
   
• To draw an Arc:
1. Select the Arc Tool.
2. Click 2 points to create the width of the arc. (At this point, the arc will look like a line.)
3. To add depth to the arc, move the mouse cursor away from the line and click to complete the curve.
4. Hint: This may feel a little confusing at first, but try a few arcs and it will be clear.
5. To undo, click the RIGHT mouse button.
   
   
• To draw a Circle:
  1. Select the Circle Tool.
  2. Click the center point of the circle
  3. Release the mouse, then drag the circle to the desired size.
  4. Click again to complete the circle.
  5. To undo, click the RIGHT mouse button.
     
     
• To draw a 3-point Circle:
  1. Select the 3-point Circle Tool.
  2. Click and drag to create a circle. Note while dragging the circle, it rotates around the first established circumference point.
  3. Click again to establish a circle that still is active and continues to rotate, increase or decrease in size around the first established point.
  4. Click a third time to complete the final circle.
  5. To undo, click the RIGHT mouse button.

The Polyline Tool is the most complex and powerful of the drawing tools.

• To draw straight segments of a continuous line using the Polyline Tool:
  1. Click and release, move to the next segment --click and release again. Continue until you have completed the line or shapes.
  2. Double click to end the line.
  3. To undo, click the RIGHT mouse button.
     
     
• To draw curves segments using the Polyline Tool:
  1. Click, move a small distance and click again, this establishes the distance the line will draw each segment. The length of the segment can create different looking curves.
  2. Hold down the mouse button and draw by slowly moving the mouse.
  3. Double click to end the line.
  4. To undo, click the RIGHT mouse button.

Paint and Color Management

• To paint: Click on a color from the palette, , then click a section in the grid to paint.

To experiment with coloring already painted in shapes on the screen: Select the Repaint Mode. Use the Rotate Colors, color wheel. Drag the dot inside the color wheel to a new position on the color wheel.

• To open the Custom Colors dialogue box: Click the # in the standard palettes.
  
  
• For additional color management options: Review the Color Menu.

Additional operations to be aware of

• To refresh the screen: Click on the Redraw icon and everything returns to normal. In the preview mode, minimize the window and bring it back to full size to refresh the screen. NOTE: Frequently, even in the high end graphic software, after using undo, little fragments of the lines hang around on the screen after using the undo and erase options or occasionally all lines and coloring disappears. Who knows why, refreshing using Redraw takes care of the problem.
  
  
• To erase a line:
  1. Select the Erase Line Tool:
  2. The primary lines turn into a series of red nodes/handles (dots along the line.)
  3. Go to the grid and select the line you wish to erase (the line turns into a solid line of red)
  4. Click the RIGHT mouse button and the line is erased. NOTE: If you were working in the symmetry mode, it will erase all lines drawn at the same time the primary line was created.
     
     
• To edit/change a completed line using a point on the line:
  1. Select the Adjust Points Tool.
  2. The primary lines turn into a series of red nodes/handles (dots along the line.)
  3. Click on a red dot and drag.
     
     
• To preview additional options: Explore the drop-down menus.

Mouse Math, a bonus program with a Video Tour on the SymmeToy CD.

Hank Hufnagel developed the two math programs included on the CD as aids to help his young son learn math. Now, by offering the programs as shareware, he is helping children all over the world learn math.

Hank tells us: "Mouse Math is a whimsical math drill program for Windows that strengthens the ability to hear a math problem and spit out the correct answer. The program gradually uncovers whimsical photographs as answers to spoken problems are clicked with a mouse. Mouse Math is an interesting alternative for drilling younger children on basic math facts as each solution that is achieved shows another section of a puzzle. Setup options allow you to select problem ranges appropriate for young children, older kids and teens."

Sharla's note: When I tried out Mouse Math I had no doubt that it would hold the attention of the young math student and even the adult who wants to refresh their math skills. Mouse Math is a fun alternative to math table drills and hearing the math problem in words was certainly a different experience that required additional concentration and reinforced the learning process.

Spiro Math, a bonus program with a Video Tour on the SymmeToy CD.

Hank tells us that: "In Spiro Math, you use addition, subtraction, multiplication and division on four digits to reach a particular target. In the picture above, the digits are 2,8,8,9 and you must manipulate these to get a result of 24. If you get stuck, click on the Hint button to get hints on the correct solution (often is more than 1 solution). When you get the correct solution, Spiro Math draws a spirograph as your reward. Spirographs are nifty graphical figures like the one in the picture above."

Sharla's note: I was very impressed with how Spiro Math promoted real thinking skills for math, something that is not always well done when using a text book.

To View Video's for SymmeToy, Mouse Math, and Spiro Math operations, Visit Hank Hufnagel's website.

MouseMath: http://www.hufsoft.com/software/page2.html
SpiroMath: http://www.hufsoft.com/software/page3.html
SymmeToy: http://www.hufsoft.com/software/page4.html
SymmeToy2: http://www.hufsoft.com/symmetoy2/

Computer Requirements

• Computer: 100 MHz or better
• Windows 95/98/NT/00/XP/Vista
• Ram: 8 MB or more
• Sound Card:
  • Optional for SymmeToy operations
• Hard Drive Space:
  • SymmeToy: 7 MB
  • Spiro Math: 2 MB
  • Mouse Math - 3 MB
    
    

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