# Creating a Bitmap Swatch

You can paint vector shapes with bitmap images. Toon Boom Studio fills the vector shape with the image, which allows you to achieve some sophisticated painting effects that are difficult with vector painting tools.

For example, you can create a bitmap image of scales. Then you can paint your dinosaur with the scale image. Your bitmap textures can even have transparency.

The smaller the file size of the bitmap texture, the faster your movie will render, and the smaller the file size of your Macromedia® Flash movie.

To create a bitmap swatch:

1. Click the Contextual Menu button on the Color Palette tab and select Color > Add Texture. The Open dialog box appears.

2. Choose the texture file you want to add to the swatch.

3. Click OK and the texture is added to the swatch.

See Also
Setting a Bitmap Swatch to Tile or Stretch
Painting Zones with Gradients and Bitmap Textures