Creating an addional shape
In this next example, you will copy the custom shape that you created and paste it on top of itself. Then you will apply different properties to the second shape.
Using the Selection tool select the custom shape and choose Edit > Copy, and then Edit > Paste. The custom shape is pasted directly on top of itself.
With the second shape still selected, choose None for the fill and leave the stroke at gray.
In the Effects pane, click on Bevel, and then click on the trash can icon (Delete Effect) to delete the Bevel effect.
Click on the Add Effect button. Choose Effects > Gaussian Blur from the drop-down menu that appears. A default Blur is applied to your paddle shape, and options appear in the Effects pane.
Change the Blur Radius to a .4.
Naming the objects
You have completed the paddle that is to be used in your Expression Blend game, but it is not quite ready to be dropped into your project. Whether you are the developer or someone else is taking that lead, it is a good idea to have your objects grouped and named properly before importing them into Expression Blend. The idea being that Blend will maintain the grouped art.
Using the Selection tool, select the paddle.
You can name groups in Expression Design. The named groups are then carried into Expression Blend when the XAML is copy and pasted. Note that named individual objects and layer names do not transfer into Expression Blend.
Choose Select > All, or press Ctrl+A, to select both of your shapes.
Choose Arrange > Group, or press Ctrl+G to group the shapes together.
If you do not see the Layers panel, choose Window > Layers, and turn down the arrow to the left of Layer 1.
Double-click [Group] and retype the name as paddle.
Exporting into Expression Blend
You will now copy the paddle, as XAML, and drop it into your Expression Blend project. Before starting this part of the lesson, make sure that your Expression project is still open, or relaunch Expression Blend and open the sl0101_work file that you created earlier in this module.
Using the Selection tool, select the paddle group, then choose Edit > Copy XAML, or press Ctrl+Shift+C. Note: Before you paste onto the Expression Blend artboard, you must make sure that you are in the appropriate layout container, lest you end up pasting inside another asset, like the HexShape that you imported earlier.
Switch to Expression Blend, and click the LayoutRoot in the Objects and Timeline panel.
Choose Edit > Paste. The paddle has been pasted. Using the Selection tool, you can re-position the paddle as necessary. Notice that the named object “paddle” has been added to the Objects and Timeline panel.
Congratulations, you have successfully created an asset in Expression Design, and imported it into Expression Blend.