# Add an outline to an element

An element outline in Comic Life is referred as the Stroke, like the stroke of a pen. You can choose a line style and color for the element's outline stroke, or you can specify no stroke is drawn.

1. Select the element you want to modify
2. Open the Format Inspector, and click on the Style tab.
3. In the Stroke section, ensure the checkbox is enabled if the stroke is to be drawn.
4. Choose a line style from the pop-up menu.
5. To change line thickness, type a value in the width field (or click the arrows).
6. To change the line color, click the color well and select a color.
7. Click to access more settings:
   - To change the line join style, click on the join type control. The options from left to right are:
     - Miter: makes corners meet at a point (within limits, see the miter limit below).
     - Round: makes corners round off smoothly.
     - Bevel: makes corners flat.
   - Adjust the miter limit (for miter join styles) to make miters sharper if necessary.
   - Elements can have multiple alternating color outlines. To enable multiple outlines change the outline count. To change the alternate color click on the alternate color well.
   - The Compact checkbox switches multiple outline drawing so that all the outlines fit within the designated line width rather than expanding beyond it. This can give a pleasing effect with Lettering and replicates the look of multiple outline lettering in the original version of Comic Life.
8. Open shapes, such as lines, can have endpoints. Choose left and right endpoints from the pop-up menus.