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Dids
Inquisitive
United Kingdom
56 Posts |
 Posted - 01/28/2010 : 08:00:42
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Can anybody give me advice on extruding illustrator files with several compound paths. I'm having a real problem trying to extrude a logo that was created in illustrator. Things get even worse when I try to add a slightly rounded bevel to it. In places the bevel is in reverse.
I've attached a screen shot showing the Illustrator file
Image Insert:
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jpro
A Fountain of Information
USA
4991 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2010 : 10:44:56
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I would expect that file to be somewhat problematic, but you may have issues that can be addressed. Can you post the actual illustrator file? Zip it first, or the forum will not accept it.
Jean |
Edited by - jpro on 01/28/2010 10:45:35 |
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Desaulniers
A Regular
Canada
141 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2010 : 11:27:36
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My 2 cents here. Would it not be easier to first extrude the contour of the king in a first step, then work his way in to the other shapes (according to relief).
1. extrude the contour shape of the king
2. Extrude the inside shapes of the sword and the fingers, reposition in space so they are above the object created in 1
3. Extrude the cape button and reposition in space as done in 2
Same treatment for the inside shape making the face and the crown.
--Luc
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jpro
A Fountain of Information
USA
4991 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2010 : 11:49:46
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You are assuming the interior shapes come forward from the outer contour, I am assuming the are compound paths, and so are openings in the overall shape (he did say he is extruding compound paths, after all.)
I don't think we can solve this without the Illustrator file.
Jean |
Edited by - jpro on 01/28/2010 11:53:07 |
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Desaulniers
A Regular
Canada
141 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2010 : 14:08:28
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quote:
Originally posted by jpro
I am assuming these are compound paths, and so are openings in the overall shape.
I don't think we can solve this without the Illustrator file.
Jean
I agree. He has to go back to the Illustrator file and canceled the compound path option and then he will have all closed path shapes ready to be imported in Strata to extrude individually.. |
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jpro
A Fountain of Information
USA
4991 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2010 : 15:08:37
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I don't think he wants to remove the compound paths. We'll have to wait and see.
Jean |
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Dids
Inquisitive
United Kingdom
56 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2010 : 06:40:55
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Thankyou for your interest in my little problem and your suggestions.
Ideally I would have liked to have extruded the image as it is and put a slightly rounded bevel on the edges, then rendered it to make it look like a perspex sign on a wall. Sounds simple doesn't it?
I have managed to cut up the illustrator file to eliminate the need for a compound path, then extruded all the parts together, dropping out the fingers etc by attributing 'Antimatter' to them. This works fine for a solid texture, but if I make it transparent - like perspex – all the joints show up. Also I am unable to put the rounded bevel on it as that shows up the joins even more.
I'm attaching my original Illustrator file with compound paths and also my cut up version for you to have a look at.
Sorry can't seem to upload the file, Here is a link to be able to download it from MailBigFile.
http://mbf.cc/2ZsC |
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Dids
Inquisitive
United Kingdom
56 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2010 : 10:38:30
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I tried the method you're describing, but as I said above "its fine for a solid texture, but if I make it transparent - like perspex, all the joints show up“.
For instance if you made the image transparent, the break on his nose would notice and there has to be quite a few breaks around the crown area for it to work. Also if you then put a slight rounded bevel on it, it would show up the joins even more.
Thanks for considering the problem Luc.
This is where I've now got to, but I would really like the texture to be a transparent - like perspex/glass
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jpro
A Fountain of Information
USA
4991 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2010 : 11:05:00
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Hi Dids. I am working with your file, and see the initial problem. With a minor change, I get a much better result. I'll be posting some more info shortly. For what it's worth, I very rarely recommend using Boolean operations for this sort of project. Your initial approach is better, but it needs some fine-tuning.
Jean |
Edited by - jpro on 01/29/2010 11:06:07 |
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jpro
A Fountain of Information
USA
4991 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2010 : 11:37:09
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Okay, to make this much easier to control bevel direction, I simplified the compound paths. The logo was initially drawn as a single path, but it works just fine if it is broken into 3. edit: The 3 paths I ended up with are still compound paths, and they need to be.
Image Insert:
7.44 KB
This means the head, the body with sword, and the small center circle in the crown come into Strata as 3 separate parts, which I selected and extruded in a single operation. While the 3 were still selected, I entered the values for extrusion depth and width, and selected a bevel. Sometimes those fields will display as blank when you have multiple selections, but if they are all selected, any setting you make will apply to all.
Here is a close-up of my current result.
Image Insert:
13.56 KB
Any time you do an extrusion with bevel, turn scale bevel on and off, to see which result you prefer.
I have pointed out a few spots where the result is less than ideal. The back sides of the hair have bad spots in the Illustrator drawing that can be easily fixed. The top strokes of the crown do not indicate drawing errors, but these spots could easily be fixed by adding a few control points.
Dids, are we getting closer to what you need?
Jean |
Edited by - jpro on 01/29/2010 11:40:24 |
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Dids
Inquisitive
United Kingdom
56 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2010 : 12:09:50
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| We are getting there! Thanks Jean. I'll have to investigate how to amend the 'bad spots' and add more points along the top of the crown. Do I have to go back to Illustrator to do this or can it be done easily in Strata? |
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jpro
A Fountain of Information
USA
4991 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2010 : 12:15:30
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It can be touched up in Strata. The areas along the top of the crown are probably easier to fix definitively in Illustrator, but they can be fudged around to a better state pretty easily in Strata.
I'll show you a little more with a video. I'll be back in a bit.
Jean |
Edited by - jpro on 01/29/2010 12:23:00 |
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Dids
Inquisitive
United Kingdom
56 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2010 : 12:29:20
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It's 5.30pm here and I'm out this evening so I'm signing off for today. I'll check any updates tomorrow.
Thanks very much for all your help. Much appreciated. |
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Topic |
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Extruding compound paths
